Rents are increasing at a breakneck speed nationally: These smaller cities have been hit hardest by pricey leases

• Renters in the top 10 cities experiencing the biggest rental hikes were shelling out at least 40% more.
• Rents will continue to be a persistent factor in rising inflation rates.
• Topping the list for the highest rental increase for a one-bedroom apartment was Gilbert, Arizona.

Rents have spiked throughout the country in the last year, but smaller cities have been hit particularly hard.

Topping the list for the highest rental increase for a one-bedroom apartment was Gilbert, Arizona, a town with a population of 267,000, where rent jumped 117% from September 2020 to $1,866 in September 2021, according to an analysis by Apartment Guide.

Seven of the top 10 cities that experienced the biggest surge in rents for one-bedroom apartments have populations of 300,000 or less.

Other small cities in the top 10 include Spokane, Washington; St. Petersburg, Florida, Boise, Idaho; Birmingham, Alabama; Irvine, California; and Scottsdale, Arizona.