StayRentalsStayRentals

Methodology

StayRentals presents rental market data from three primary government sources. This page explains how we collect, process, and present that data.

HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)

Fair Market Rents are published annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD calculates FMRs as the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units in each metro area and county.

  • Source: huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr.html
  • Coverage: Every county and metropolitan area in the United States.
  • Breakdown: Separate values for studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, 3-bedroom, and 4-bedroom units.
  • Update frequency: Annually, typically published in the fall for the upcoming fiscal year.
  • Our process: We import FMR data via the HUD API and map it to cities using county FIPS codes.

Census American Community Survey (ACS)

The ACS is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and provides detailed demographic, economic, and housing data for communities across the country.

  • Source: data.census.gov
  • Data points: Median gross rent, median household income, rent burden (percentage of income spent on rent), vacancy rates, housing stock age, and renter demographics.
  • Coverage: State, county, city, and ZIP code levels. We primarily use the 1-year estimates for larger cities and the 5-year estimates for smaller areas.
  • Update frequency: 1-year estimates are released annually (typically September). 5-year estimates are released annually (typically December).
  • Our process: We pull data via the Census API, match it to our city and state records, and calculate derived metrics like rent-to-income ratios.

BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI)

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the Consumer Price Index, which tracks changes in prices paid by consumers over time. We use the rent-specific CPI series to show national rent inflation trends.

  • Source: api.bls.gov
  • Series: CUSR0000SEHA (Rent of primary residence, U.S. city average).
  • Coverage: National average and 23 major metro areas.
  • Update frequency: Monthly, typically released in the second or third week of the following month.
  • Our process: A monthly automated job fetches the latest CPI values and updates our database.

Data Limitations

Government data is the most reliable source of rental market information, but it has limitations:

  • HUD FMR data reflects the prior year and may not capture recent market shifts.
  • Census ACS data has a 1- to 2-year lag depending on the estimate type.
  • BLS CPI measures price changes over time, not absolute rent levels.
  • Smaller cities may rely on 5-year ACS estimates, which smooth out short-term fluctuations.

We clearly label the data vintage on each page so you know how current the numbers are. For the most up-to-date rental prices in a specific neighborhood, we suggest checking local listing platforms in addition to our data.

Questions

If you have questions about our methodology or data sources, please visit our contact page.