2 Michigan Cities Oddly Paired As One of America’s Most Competitive Rental Markets

Lansing's been named part of one of the most competitive rental markets in America.

I say "part of" because this one's got to be the weirdest study pairing I've ever seen down any internet rabbit hole I've ever explored.

It's part of a study published by rentcafe.com, a website that bills itself as "an apartment search website that offers the right tools to rent an apartment entirely online".

How RentCafe Defines ‘Competitive Market’

Researchers set out to determine the U.S. markets where renting an apartment was most competitive. They considered metrics such as occupancy rate; the total days the average apartment is vacant; the average number of prospective renters who are vying for each unit; renewal lease rates; and the relative number of new apartments that became available during the year. Only complexes with 50 or more apartments were considered.

READ MORE: What Will $1100 Rent Get You Across Michigan?

Here's the weird part — as part of the study, they paired Lansing and Ann Arbor as a metro.

Why Were Lansing & Ann Arbor Grouped Together?

Um, what? In what alternate universe is that acceptable?

This clear infraction is almost enough to make one doubt the validity of the whole study.

Lansing/East Lansing? Sure. Happens all the time.

READ MORE: The Income Needed to Afford Rent in Each Michigan County

Lansing/Mason? Only if you're not from around these parts and you're advertising your traveling gun and knife show.

But Lansing/Ann Arbor? Someone must have bumped their head. Hard.

For starters, the cities are more than 60 miles from each other.

Ann Arbor is considerably closer to Detroit than Lansing if study authors feel compelled to assign it to a "metro".

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And never mind the fact that Lansing and Ann Arbor are basically warring tribes thanks to the rivalry between Michigan State University and the University of Michigan.

But I digress.

So, Is the Study Valid?

For what it's worth, rentcafe.com says the Lansing/Ann Arbor metro is the 11th most competitive market for renters in America.

Check out which cities are even more competitive — including another one from Michigan — below. You can also link to the full study here.