WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — New data shows things are not improving for renters in Florida, as a new study ranks the state dead last for renters in the country.
The group Consumer Affairs studied rents and tenant laws in all 50 states, ultimately ranking Florida at the bottom. The lack of affordable rent is taking a toll on residents, and the ranking is likely not a surprise for those who rent in the state.
WATCH BELOW: Florida ranks dead last for renters in the US, study says
WPTV on Tuesday spoke with the authors of the new report and tenants about the state's new ranking.
Evan Long, a renter in West Palm Beach, shared his experience.
"I'm married, we have a two-bedroom (that costs) $3,000 (a month), so yeah, pretty expensive," Long said.
WATCH BELOW: Florida renters hit hardest in US ... and it's not a supply issue
Dayna Edens of Consumer Affairs explained the findings.
"Rent is just like squeezing consumers' pockets left and right," Edens said. "What really stood out to us is how much of Florida income is going towards housing. The typical renter is spending way over the traditional benchmark; they’re spending about 37 percent of their income just to keep their rent each month."
Edens said that high housing costs impact the money available to spend on groceries and putting gas in the car.
"If you go to a city like Chicago, they’ve got places where you can lock in to a certain rent price that's not something (available) in Florida," Edens said. "There’s no requirement for just cause eviction, no limit on rent increase, very few restrictions on fees in general, they can charge you whatever they want to charge you based on market price."
Key metrics the study found for Florida renters:
- Median rent: $1,669 (eighth highest)
- Typical share of income spent on rent: 37.4% (highest)
- Rental vacancy rate: 7.6% (sixth highest)
Renters are finding struggles with affordability in Florida, similar to many homeowners.
"It's gone up every time, every year, pretty close to every year," Long said.
"Does it surprise you that we are worst in the country for renters?" WPTV reporter Matt Sczesny asked Long.
"Does not surprise me at all," Long said.
If you are looking for a cheaper place to rent than Florida, head to North Dakota or Colorado, which ranked No. 1 and No. 2 for renters, according to the study.
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