PSL ranks as third hottest small rental market in the U.S.

Published on July 03, 2025

Port St. Lucie is now the third most competitive small rental market in the U.S. at the start of the rental season, after climbing 9 spots year-over-year, according to RentCafe's latest Rental Competitiveness Report.

Here’s a breakdown:

13 renters now compete for each available apartment, the same as last year — but today’s competition is tighter. Why? No new apartments were added recently, compared to a 1% increase at the same time last year. And 77.5% of renters chose to stay put, up from 72.6%, keeping turnover low.
Occupancy rose slightly to 95.5% (from 95.1% last year), which limited availability — and apartments now lease in just 39 days, 4 days faster than a year ago. All of this pushed Port St. Lucie’s Rental Competitiveness Index score to 90.8, a sharp jump from 81.7 — making it one of the most difficult places to rent in the country right now.
Palm Beach County also ranks among the hottest small markets in the nation, coming in at #5 nationwide. Its competitiveness appears to reflect the influence of nearby Miami, which continues to hold the #1 spot overall. In Palm Beach County, 15 renters compete for each available unit, 70.8% of renters renewed their leases, and units get leased in just 40 days. New apartment supply is up only 0.49%, so the market’s RCI score now stands at 88.5.