Worst Cities for Landlords in 2026
The 100 US cities where landlords face the highest eviction risk, strongest tenant protections, most rent-burdened households, and most tenant-leaning political climate. Ranked by composite 1–10 score from Census ACS 2023 5-year data, 2020 county presidential margin, and state statute weighting.
| # | City | County | Population | Risk | Rent Burden | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | 830,235 | 9.6 | 25.1% | $2,476 | |
| 2 | Oakland, CA | 439,418 | 9.4 | 30.6% | $1,979 | |
| 3 | New York, NY | Kings County | 8,483,844 | 9.3 | 31.3% | $1,821 |
| 4 | Los Angeles, CA | 3,857,263 | 9.2 | 35.0% | $1,933 | |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco County | 830,235 | 9.2 | 25.1% | $2,476 |
| 6 | Oakland, CA | Contra Costa County | 439,418 | 9.2 | 30.6% | $1,979 |
| 7 | Berkeley, CA | Contra Costa County | 120,257 | 9.1 | 34.0% | $2,133 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | District of Columbia | 681,294 | 9.0 | 28.6% | $1,954 |
| 9 | Washington, DC | 681,294 | 9.0 | 28.6% | $1,954 | |
| 10 | Santa Monica, CA | Los Angeles County | 91,169 | 9.0 | 27.5% | $2,402 |
| 11 | Santa Cruz, CA | Santa Cruz County | 61,607 | 9.0 | 32.5% | $2,452 |
| 12 | West Hollywood, CA | Los Angeles County | 34,884 | 9.0 | 27.9% | $2,091 |
| 13 | Los Angeles, CA | Los Angeles County | 3,857,263 | 8.9 | 35.0% | $1,933 |
| 14 | San Jose, CA | 990,138 | 8.8 | 30.1% | $2,669 | |
| 15 | Seattle, WA | 741,440 | 8.8 | 27.4% | $1,998 | |
| 16 | Ithaca, NY | Tompkins County | 32,814 | 8.6 | 41.3% | $1,447 |
| 17 | Portland, OR | 641,165 | 8.5 | 31.4% | $1,655 | |
| 18 | Long Beach, CA | 455,548 | 8.5 | 32.8% | $1,871 | |
| 19 | Yonkers, NY | 209,978 | 8.5 | 32.7% | $1,784 | |
| 20 | Cambridge, MA | 118,796 | 8.5 | 27.9% | $2,787 | |
| 21 | Davis, CA | Yolo County | 66,978 | 8.5 | 45.7% | $2,187 |
| 22 | Seattle, WA | Kitsap County | 741,440 | 8.4 | 27.4% | $1,998 |
| 23 | Cambridge, MA | Suffolk County | 118,796 | 8.4 | 27.9% | $2,787 |
| 24 | Brookline, MA | Suffolk County | 63,266 | 8.4 | 28.9% | $2,835 |
| 25 | Portland, OR | Multnomah County | 641,165 | 8.3 | 31.4% | $1,655 |
| 26 | Palo Alto, CA | San Mateo County | 67,237 | 8.3 | 26.6% | $3,484 |
| 27 | San Jose, CA | Santa Clara County | 990,138 | 8.2 | 30.1% | $2,669 |
| 28 | Sacramento, CA | 528,706 | 8.2 | 32.8% | $1,779 | |
| 29 | Jersey City, NJ | Hudson County | 294,078 | 8.2 | 27.5% | $2,007 |
| 30 | Boulder, CO | Boulder County | 106,433 | 8.2 | 44.1% | $2,018 |
| 31 | Somerville, MA | Suffolk County | 81,036 | 8.2 | 24.9% | $2,517 |
| 32 | Hoboken, NJ | Hudson County | 58,668 | 8.2 | 23.8% | $2,938 |
| 33 | Boston, MA | Suffolk County | 666,442 | 8.1 | 30.6% | $2,147 |
| 34 | Richmond, CA | Marin County | 115,505 | 8.1 | 34.5% | $1,960 |
| 35 | Alameda, CA | San Mateo County | 77,238 | 8.1 | 27.9% | $2,474 |
| 36 | Boston, MA | 666,442 | 8.0 | 30.6% | $2,147 | |
| 37 | Long Beach, CA | Orange County | 455,548 | 8.0 | 32.8% | $1,871 |
| 38 | Newark, NJ | 310,178 | 8.0 | 33.7% | $1,392 | |
| 39 | Somerville, MA | 81,036 | 8.0 | 24.9% | $2,517 | |
| 40 | White Plains, NY | 60,666 | 8.0 | 31.7% | $2,269 | |
| 41 | Pasadena, CA | Los Angeles County | 136,969 | 7.9 | 31.5% | $2,265 |
| 42 | Evanston, IL | Cook County | 76,340 | 7.9 | 31.8% | $1,762 |
| 43 | San Diego, CA | 1,389,526 | 7.8 | 32.4% | $2,313 | |
| 44 | Santa Ana, CA | 312,534 | 7.8 | 31.9% | $2,082 | |
| 45 | Newark, NJ | Hudson County | 310,178 | 7.8 | 33.7% | $1,392 |
| 46 | Jersey City, NJ | 294,078 | 7.8 | 27.5% | $2,007 | |
| 47 | Buffalo, NY | 276,854 | 7.8 | 31.4% | $1,046 | |
| 48 | Eugene, OR | 179,591 | 7.8 | 35.1% | $1,402 | |
| 49 | Ann Arbor, MI | Washtenaw County | 122,036 | 7.8 | 37.4% | $1,649 |
| 50 | Boulder, CO | 106,433 | 7.8 | 44.1% | $2,018 | |
| 51 | Albany, NY | 100,492 | 7.8 | 30.8% | $1,216 | |
| 52 | Mountain View, CA | San Mateo County | 83,732 | 7.8 | 23.1% | $3,062 |
| 53 | Oak Park, IL | Cook County | 53,292 | 7.8 | 27.5% | $1,593 |
| 54 | Madison, WI | Dane County | 275,568 | 7.7 | 29.5% | $1,364 |
| 55 | Eugene, OR | Lane County | 179,591 | 7.7 | 35.1% | $1,402 |
| 56 | Hayward, CA | Alameda County | 158,801 | 7.7 | 31.9% | $2,391 |
| 57 | Paterson, NJ | Bergen County | 158,735 | 7.7 | 35.6% | $1,548 |
| 58 | Chicago, IL | Cook County | 2,711,226 | 7.6 | 29.3% | $1,440 |
| 59 | Burlington, VT | Chittenden County | 44,649 | 7.6 | 33.1% | $1,609 |
| 60 | Minneapolis, MN | Ramsey County | 427,246 | 7.5 | 29.3% | $1,371 |
| 61 | St. Paul, MN | 307,284 | 7.5 | 30.0% | $1,281 | |
| 62 | Tacoma, WA | 220,482 | 7.5 | 31.7% | $1,597 | |
| 63 | Rochester, NY | 208,772 | 7.5 | 32.0% | $1,081 | |
| 64 | Paterson, NJ | 158,735 | 7.5 | 35.6% | $1,548 | |
| 65 | Trenton, NJ | Mercer County | 90,338 | 7.5 | 34.0% | $1,294 |
| 66 | Hoboken, NJ | 58,668 | 7.5 | 23.8% | $2,938 | |
| 67 | Yonkers, NY | Bronx County | 209,978 | 7.4 | 32.7% | $1,784 |
| 68 | New Haven, CT | New Haven County | 134,349 | 7.4 | 33.5% | $1,488 |
| 69 | Newton, MA | Norfolk County | 89,044 | 7.4 | 27.2% | $2,370 |
| 70 | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia County | 1,579,706 | 7.3 | 31.4% | $1,397 |
| 71 | Denver, CO | Denver County | 718,877 | 7.3 | 29.2% | $1,831 |
| 72 | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento County | 528,706 | 7.3 | 32.8% | $1,779 |
| 73 | St. Paul, MN | Ramsey County | 307,284 | 7.3 | 30.0% | $1,281 |
| 74 | Providence, RI | Providence County | 191,767 | 7.3 | 29.2% | $1,408 |
| 75 | Elizabeth, NJ | Union County | 137,302 | 7.3 | 32.0% | $1,523 |
| 76 | Albany, NY | Albany County | 100,492 | 7.3 | 30.8% | $1,216 |
| 77 | Philadelphia, PA | 1,579,706 | 7.2 | 31.4% | $1,397 | |
| 78 | Denver, CO | 718,877 | 7.2 | 29.2% | $1,831 | |
| 79 | Minneapolis, MN | 427,246 | 7.2 | 29.3% | $1,371 | |
| 80 | Rochester, NY | Monroe County | 208,772 | 7.2 | 32.0% | $1,081 |
| 81 | Syracuse, NY | 146,384 | 7.2 | 32.9% | $1,039 | |
| 82 | Elizabeth, NJ | 137,302 | 7.2 | 32.0% | $1,523 | |
| 83 | Gresham, OR | 112,378 | 7.2 | 34.4% | $1,586 | |
| 84 | San Diego, CA | San Diego County | 1,389,526 | 7.1 | 32.4% | $2,313 |
| 85 | Baltimore, MD | Baltimore city | 573,243 | 7.1 | 32.0% | $1,331 |
| 86 | Worcester, MA | Worcester County | 207,055 | 7.1 | 32.0% | $1,487 |
| 87 | Santa Fe, NM | Santa Fe County | 89,019 | 7.1 | 31.3% | $1,463 |
| 88 | Bethesda, MD | Montgomery County | 69,397 | 7.1 | 28.7% | $2,469 |
| 89 | Buffalo, NY | Erie County | 276,854 | 7.0 | 31.4% | $1,046 |
| 90 | Worcester, MA | 207,055 | 7.0 | 32.0% | $1,487 | |
| 91 | Salem, OR | 178,865 | 7.0 | 32.5% | $1,400 | |
| 92 | Springfield, MA | 154,749 | 7.0 | 35.3% | $1,144 | |
| 93 | Bellevue, WA | 151,199 | 7.0 | 23.2% | $2,505 | |
| 94 | Syracuse, NY | Onondaga County | 146,384 | 7.0 | 32.9% | $1,039 |
| 95 | New Haven, CT | 134,349 | 7.0 | 33.5% | $1,488 | |
| 96 | Trenton, NJ | 90,338 | 7.0 | 34.0% | $1,294 | |
| 97 | Camden, NJ | 71,496 | 7.0 | 37.0% | $1,226 | |
| 98 | Olympia, WA | Thurston County | 55,583 | 7.0 | 34.0% | $1,509 |
| 99 | Burlington, VT | 44,649 | 7.0 | 33.1% | $1,609 | |
| 100 | Detroit, MI | Wayne County | 638,530 | 6.9 | 35.9% | $1,074 |
How the ranking is built
Primary risk score is a 1–10 composite combining local, regional, and state political climate (2020 county presidential margin + state legislative posture), economic stress (Census ACS 2023 poverty + unemployment), supply constraint (renter share + median rent), rent-control risk (national percentile of rent burden), eviction process difficulty (state statute), tenant organizing strength (renter share), and housing court bias (state-weighted).
We include only cities with population ≥ 25,000 so the ranking reflects places where the dataset is robust and the practical landlord exposure is material. Every city on this list links to its full page with nine sub-scores, typical eviction cost, typical timeline, and an interactive map of neighboring cities.
Sources
US Census ACS 2023 5-year (poverty, unemployment, rent burden, median gross rent, renter share), 2024 Census Gazetteer (geometry), MIT Election Lab 2020 county presidential returns, state landlord-tenant statute citations, HUD cost-burden thresholds. Nothing on this list is synthesized — where a source has no value for a city, it is excluded from that ranking, not filled in.