RentCafe’s 2026 ranking puts McKinney first nationwide and Plano at No. 18

For the second consecutive year, McKinney landed at No. 1 in RentCafe’s 2026 Best Cities for Renters ranking, which compared 150 of the largest and fastest-growing U.S. cities across housing, economic and quality-of-life factors.

McKinney isn’t the only Collin County city to make a strong showing. Plano ranked No. 18 overall, placing two Collin County communities among the nation’s top 20 for renters.

McKinney Holds On To No. 1

McKinney first topped RentCafe’s national ranking in 2025, when the city stood out for its combination of housing, economic opportunities and quality of life. A year later, it remains at the top.

In the 2026 study, McKinney ranked third nationally for cost of living and housing and ninth for quality of life. RentCafe also highlighted a 35.9% increase in renter household income, highly rated schools and access to more than 3,000 acres of parks and open space.

Separate RentCafe market data for McKinney puts the city’s average apartment rent at $1,683 as of Aug. 31, down 1.72% from a year earlier. The average apartment spans 982 square feet.

The ranking comes as McKinney continues to grow rapidly. U.S. Census Bureau estimates put the city’s population at 236,001 in 2025, up 20.8% from its 2020 population base.

McKinney finished ahead of Huntsville, Alabama, at No. 2 and fellow Texas city Austin at No. 3. Wilmington, North Carolina, and Atlanta rounded out the top five.

More Apartments, But Affordability Challenges Remain

McKinney’s rental market has also been absorbing a significant wave of new housing. The city’s 2026 Affordable Housing Needs Assessment found that thousands of multifamily units have entered the market in recent years. The influx of newly built apartments has pushed the city’s overall multifamily vacancy rate to 15.7%, compared with 11.7% across the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area.

Much of that difference is tied to new properties still leasing their first units. When recently constructed properties are excluded, McKinney’s stabilized vacancy rate falls to 8%, below the metro area’s 9.4%.

But a No. 1 ranking doesn’t mean affordability concerns have disappeared. The same city assessment identified gaps between the supply of housing at certain price points and what some renter households can afford, adding nuance to McKinney’s strong national showing.

Plano Also Lands In The Top 20

Plano’s No. 18 ranking gives Collin County another city among the country’s highest-rated places for renters.

Current rents in the two cities are also remarkably close. As of Aug. 31, the average apartment rent in Plano was $1,687, according to RentCafe and Yardi Matrix, just $4 more than McKinney’s $1,683 average. Plano rents were down 1.95% from a year earlier.

The strong North Texas showing comes as Southern cities dominate this year’s national list. Of RentCafe’s top 50 cities, 37 are in the South. Texas claimed two of the top three positions, with McKinney at No. 1 and Austin at No. 3.

What Makes A City Good For Renters?

RentCafe evaluated 150 cities using 20 metrics grouped around housing and cost of living, the local economy and quality of life. The study considered factors including cost of living, apartment size, occupancy, new and high-end apartment inventory, renter income growth, job growth, school quality, commute times, transportation, air quality and access to natural amenities.

The analysis draws on data from Yardi Matrix, the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics and other sources, with rental-market data current as of June 2026.

For McKinney, the latest ranking comes amid a rapidly expanding population and rental market. Even as affordability challenges remain for some households, the city has now held RentCafe’s No. 1 spot for two consecutive years.

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