Renters Outnumber Homeowners in Hundreds of US Suburbs

Cudahy in L.A. County has the highest share of residents who are renters at 88 percent. ‘It’s not just younger people ... but retirees as well,’ said an expert.

A three-bedroom, one-bath, 1,045-square-foot home in Grand Prairie, Texas, renting for $1,695 per month. Courtesy of Point2Homes

For decades, Americans seemed to follow a simple rule when it came to living arrangements: Rent an apartment in or near the city when you’re single in your 20s, then put down roots in your own home when you marry and plan to start a family in the suburbs.

Today, that rule is changing quickly, as 203 suburbs across the nation’s 20 largest metro areas have become renter-dominated.