Top 10 Cities for Downtown Living

Urban Hubs

Since the pandemic, downtown living has made a comeback among American renters and homeowners. Many people are finding their way back to the city to take advantage of the live, work, and play experiences and opportunities downtown living provides. For a good downtown living experience, cities should provide an equal balance between amenities, cost of living, various housing options, and safety initiatives. A StorageCafe study identified the top 10 cities in the U.S. for downtown living as of 2023, including several cities in the South, Boston, and Phoenix.

Almost half of the top 10 best places for downtown living are in the South, with three located in Texas.

Dallas, Austin, and Houston, Texas

Three Texas cities are leading the pack in urban living with Dallas coming first in downtown living. Dallas leads the nation in multifamily and self-storage development and ranks best in apartments with access to fitness centers or located in luxury buildings. 95 percent of downtown Dallas apartments have access to workout centers and 81 percent are high-end properties.

Ranking second on the list is Austin. Austin ranks best in property space and green-certified apartment buildings. Nearly half (47%) of its large-scale downtown apartment complexes are LEED-certified, and it hosts some of the country’s largest apartments (939 square feet/person).

Coming in seventh place, Houston ranks best in rent-to-income ratio at 22 percent, a few points below the national threshold of 30 percent. The city’s downtown apartments are some of the most affordable and the largest (890 square feet/person).

Chicago, Illinois

Coming in third on StorageCafe’s top 10 list, downtown Chicago offers a well-rounded urban living experience. Two-thirds of Chicago’s downtown apartments are high-end, though renters justify the city’s cost of living for its wide selection of amenities. The windy city offers a lower cost of living compared to other urban hubs across the nation. Robust demand and tightening vacancies support the healthy rent growth this year for Chicago, posting 4.3 percent gains year over year. Renting is often able to keep housing expenses below a threshold of 30 percent of one’s monthly income.

Moreover, 23 percent of apartments in Chicago’s central area come from buildings with the green seal of approval, making living more environmentally friendly.

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston is the first east coast city to make the top 10 list. People living in Boston can enjoy top-notch living conditions while playing their part in sustainability. 25 percent of apartments in Boston’s downtown are located in green buildings, second only to Austin in offering the highest share of units in LEED-certified buildings. Similarly, Boston’s central area attracts electric vehicle (EV) enthusiasts, as there are close to 160 public EV chargers in the city, one of the highest numbers of charging stations among the downtowns on StorageCafe’s list.

Seattle, Washington

Placing fourth on the list, Seattle has a perfect downtown that merges city and nature. People are easily attracted to the metro’s colorful atmosphere, plus, the cost of living is relatively lower. On average, rent takes up 28 percent of a person’s income if you are an apartment renter, and the area boasts one of the highest median household incomes ($118K/year). Additionally, 76 percent of downtown adults have completed their BA or a higher degree, helping downtown Seattle stand out for its educated population.

Nashville, Tennessee

Known as the music city, Nashville has a downtown area filled with concert halls, restaurants, and music studios making it one of the most attractive cities in America. The area also ranks best in apartment availability related to population and has good living space at 777 square feet per person. Additionally, 78 percent of units offer access to fitness centers and 65 percent of all downtown apartments are in high-end buildings.

Columbus, Ohio

With its strong economy and city buzz, Columbus attracts many young professionals to the area thanks to opportunities in biomedical, finance, and IT services. Downtown Columbus earns its eighth spot on the list as it boasts a rich dining and entertainment scene: There are 18.2 restaurants and 3.4 theaters per 1,000 people. The area also stands out for its shopping potential, as there are about 8.7 stores/1,000 people.

San Diego, California

With the best weather all year round and gorgeous beachside sights, it’s no surprise San Diego makes the top 10 list for best downtown living. For those that are more earth-conscious, about 13 percent of apartments are included in green-certified buildings, and close to 80 percent of the local apartment buildings offer access to fitness centers. San Diego also ranks one of the best in public EV chargers offered, neighborhood safety, and green-certified apartments.

Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix closes out the list of top downtown cities for urban living. Over the past few years, Phoenix has experienced a healthy job market and lower cost of living than other major urban hubs. Recently, the apartment market has grown considerably with Phoenix’s downtown area adding over 70% of its total inventory of apartments in the last decade. Nearly all apartment buildings (92 percent) provide access to gyms and well over half of the apartments (64 percent) are in the high-end category. Apartments downtown also come with an average of about 790 square feet of space.