New Rently data underscored a generational split in what makes renting work
As more Americans rent for longer, the gap between what younger and older renters expect from housing keep widening.
For Gen Z, renting has been about speed and flexibility. For older households, it has been about stability and support.
A new company-commissioned survey from resident lifecycle platform Rently found that 63% of Gen Z renters rate speed and ease as very or extremely important in the renting experience, compared with 44% of Boomers.
Nearly half of all renters view long-term renting as more acceptable today than a decade ago.
The online poll covered 800 US renters in January 2026.
Younger renters lean into flexibility
“Renting is no longer just a stepping stone to homeownership. For a growing share of Americans, it is a deliberate choice,” said Merrick Lackner, CEO at Rently.
“In a market where buying can feel out of reach and flexibility matters more than ever, renters want speed, predictability, and real support. The rental experience should feel simple and responsive because for many households, renting truly feels like home,” he said.
Rently reported that Gen Z renters are more likely to prize flexible lease options and digital-first processes. Fifty-four percent of all renters say predictable monthly costs with no surprise charges make renting feel worthwhile long term, and 53% point to having repairs and maintenance handled for them.
Mortgage lessons from Gen Z demand
On the ownership side, mortgage professionals have been seeing similar expectations from younger buyers.
“Everybody, especially younger clients, loves convenience,” said Birmingham, Ala. broker Paul Leara in a prior interview with Mortgage Professional America.
“They love speed, and they want more singular communication. They don't want 50 different places, emails, texts, calls, pings, all this stuff. They just want one place, if possible,” he said.
“Younger borrowers are more technology-focused and digitally native,” said Bruce Gehrke, senior director of wealth and lending intelligence at JD Power, in a separate MPA interview.
“I think their expectations tend to be higher,” he said, noting that when technology fell short, Gen Z borrowers still reached for face-to-face support.
Stability still matters for older renters
Rently’s report suggested that older renters are less focused on speed and more on predictability. It found that 49% of Boomers reported feeling no pressure to ever own a home, and that having repairs handled and avoiding “surprise charges” are especially important to that cohort.
Younger households expect renting and borrowing to feel as fast and coordinated as the apps on their phones, while older renters and borrowers still anchored on certainty and human help.
Operators that could deliver both would be better positioned in a market where renting, for many, now look less like a detour and more like a destination.
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