Phoenix is the No. 1 market in the country for build-to-rent homes, but which of its suburbs is the best for single-family house renters?

A new study from Point2 aims to find out by ranking communities in the Valley for population density, median rooms per rental, unemployment rate, cost of living, average commute times and more. 

Buckeye ranked No. 1, where more than 77% of rentals are single-family, and the median single-family renter’s income is $78,348.

“Arizona’s largest suburb by area saw its population increase more than 53% in the last five years,” the study said. “Not only that, but Buckeye was the fastest-growing city in the country in 2017, 2018 and 2021.

“While Buckeye may be the fastest-growing suburb, that’s far from the whole story. With so much land at its disposal, the suburb still has one of the lowest population densities of all the suburbs in the analysis. That means renters who join the community would really have room to breathe — and to grow. Houses for rent here are already generous in size, with an average of 5.5 rooms per household, but single-family rentals can get even more spacious.”

Other towns ranked as the Valley’s best for house renters were, in order: El Mirage, Anthem, Surprise, Gilbert and Litchfield Park.

The Phoenix Valley was easily the top metro area in the country for build-to-rent homes in 2023, with more than 4,000 units hitting the market. Dallas was next at 2,700, followed by Atlanta at just under 2,000. 

“The 4,000-plus houses for rent that came online in 2023 put the Arizona metro in a league of its own,” the study said. “This number represents a 10-year high and an impressive 164% growth compared to 2022.”