Which football cities score highest for renters?

Which football cities score highest for renters?

What makes a great football city depends more on just the final score. So much can set the mood: crowd noise, tailgating scene, traditions, and weather conditions that only hometown fans seem emotionally prepared to endure. It’s even more complicated for renters. After all, monthly rent, ticket prices and whether getting to the stadium requires a train ride, a parking pass, or the patience of a fourth-quarter quarterback clawing his way out of a losing streak all make a difference.

Then there’s the fact that a team’s city and its actual stadium location do not always share a ZIP code. Often, they don’t even share a city limit. That opens up more possibilities for renters who want to live near the stadium, along a useful transit route, or just close enough to join the tailgate without hearing every post-touchdown cheer from their bedroom.

With a little help from the official 2025 NFL standings, Apartments.com identified the five best football cities for renters, comparing the renter experience in each market including average one-bedroom rent, ticket costs, transportation, tailgating, stadium features, and nearby places to live. These figures collided to create the Renter Game-Day Scorecard.

The Renter Game-Day Scorecard: The Football Cities With the Most Home Wins

To determine the five winning cities, Apartments.com started with data from the latest completed NFL regular season and used the following factors to determine which markets are best for renters:

• Home-game performance: There’s no place like home. Some teams take this literally. This figure represents the total 2025 regular-season wins at the team’s home stadium. Home winning percentage served as the tiebreaker for teams with the same number of wins.
• Average one-bedroom rent: The citywide average rent for a one-bedroom apartment, based on Apartments.com data pulled in Sept. 8, 2026. The national average rent was $1,664 per month at the time.
• Average get-in price: The least expensive season package tickets for the team’s 2026 games. This is not the average price paid for every ticket. Actual prices vary by matchup, seat, and purchase date. Pricing does not include taxes.
• Game-day access: How renters can reach the stadium, including nearby rail stations, bus routes, special event shuttles, and walkable locations. Lower prices mean that renters get more bang for their buck, which helped determine final rankings.
• Stadium and tailgating experience: The features, traditions, and pregame atmosphere that give each football city its game-day personality.

Teams that claim a region rather than a specific city were not included for the Renter Game Day Scorecard. Sorry, Patriots fans.

1. Denver Broncos: Denver, Colorado

• 2025 home record: 8–1
• 2026 Season get-in price: $900
• Average one-bedroom rent: $1,628/month

The Broncos delivered the strongest home record on this list, winning eight of their nine regular-season games in Denver. Renters also caught a small break with Denver’s average one-bedroom rent being $36 below the national average.

Empower Field at Mile High takes its name very literally. The stadium sits exactly 5,280 feet above sea level and holds 76,125 fans. Its undulating upper deck was designed to reflect the Rocky Mountains, giving the stadium some local personality even before the crowd arrives.

The tailgating scene is similarly established. Most stadium lots open four and a half hours before kickoff, while Lot C opens six hours early for the especially committed. Renters who would rather skip parking can use the E or W light-rail lines to reach Empower Field at Mile High Station or Decatur-Federal Station.

Where renters can live near Empower Field

• Jefferson Park: $1,934/month. Directly north of the stadium, Jefferson Park offers one of the shortest trips to a Broncos game. Its elevated namesake park also provides views of Downtown Denver, although renters pay more for the location.
• West Colfax: $1,640/month. West Colfax sits west of the stadium along its namesake commercial corridor. Access to the W Line and Decatur-Federal Station makes it especially practical for renters who want a rail connection to both football games and Downtown Denver.
• Highlands: $1,535/month. Located north of Empower Field, the Highlands combines older residential streets with clusters of restaurants, shops, and bars.
• Sloan Lake: $1,756/month. Sloan Lake gives renters access to one of Denver’s largest urban parks while remaining relatively close to the stadium. It costs more than the citywide average, but the lake, trails, and mountain views offer something football cannot provide during the offseason.
• Villa Park: $1,134/month. Villa Park has the lowest average rent among the Denver neighborhoods on this list. It sits southwest of the stadium near several W Line stations, including Perry and Knox, giving renters a transit option without the prices found immediately around Empower Field.

The play: Denver combines the best home record with rent just below the national average, direct stadium rail service, and a well-established tailgating tradition.

2. Los Angeles Rams: Inglewood, California

• 2025 home record: 7–1
• 2026 Season get-in price: $800
• Average Los Angeles one-bedroom rent: $2,200/month

The Rams won seven of eight regular-season home games, giving them the second-highest home winning percentage on this list. Additionally, they have the second-lowest season ticket price of the five teams.

The Los Angeles rental market presents the opposite story. At $2,200 per month, Los Angeles had the highest citywide one-bedroom rent among the five markets. However, SoFi Stadium is in Inglewood, where renters can explore several nearby communities with averages below the broader Los Angeles figure.

SoFi Stadium’s “cool factor” is difficult to miss. It has a screen suspended from the roof over the field (covering over 70,000 square feet) that weighs over two million pounds. It is essentially the world’s most dramatic reminder that, yes, a receiver’s foot was in bounds. Additionally, this stadium has hosted world-stopping events. Literally: Super Bowl LVI, Super Bowl LXI, WrestleMania 39, and eight matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. And because the flexing doesn’t stop, it’s set to host the opening ceremony for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

Tailgating is more structured here than in Denver. It is restricted to a limited number of spaces in SoFi’s Pink Zone, which opens five hours before kickoff. Additionally, there are heavy restrictions on what you can bring to the cookout.

Fans without a Pink Zone pass can instead explore the surrounding Hollywood Park development or take the free SoFi Stadium Express from the LAX/Metro Transit Center, which connects with the C and K rail lines.

Where renters can live near SoFi Stadium

• Inglewood: $1,809/month. Living in Inglewood places renters in the stadium’s actual home city rather than the city printed on the Rams’ jerseys. In addition to SoFi, the Hollywood Park area in Inglewood contains entertainment venues, public spaces, restaurants, and retail.
• Hawthorne: $1,622/month. South of Inglewood, Hawthorne had an average one-bedroom rent slightly below the national average. The Hawthorne/Lennox Station on the C Line provides a connection to the LAX transit center and the game-day stadium shuttle.
• Westchester: $2,377/month. Westchester sits west of Inglewood near Los Angeles International Airport and the LAX/Metro Transit Center. It offers useful access to the K Line and SoFi shuttle, although it is the most expensive nearby option.
• Lennox: $1,484/month. Immediately south of Inglewood, Lennox had the lowest average one-bedroom rent among the communities surrounding SoFi. It is also close to the Hawthorne/Lennox C Line station.
• El Segundo: $2,234/month. El Segundo trades immediate stadium proximity for coastal access, a traditional downtown district, and proximity to major employers near LAX. Rent is slightly higher than the Los Angeles average, but the C and K lines help connect the area to the SoFi Stadium Express.

The play: Los Angeles-area renters face the highest citywide rent on the list, but the Rams balance that disadvantage with a dominant home record and the flashiest stadium experience of the five.

3. Buffalo Bills: Orchard Park, New York

• 2025 home record: 7–2
• 2026 Season get-in price: $1,065
• Average Buffalo one-bedroom rent: $1,245/month

Buffalo offers an extreme version of the home-field tradeoff. The average one-bedroom apartment rented for $1,245 per month, about 25% below the national average. On the other hand, the cost of attending a Bills game might be a hefty security deposit in itself.

The team earned its 7–2 record at the former Highmark Stadium. Beginning with the 2026 season, the Bills are moving into an entirely new Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. The $2.1 billion venue has a capacity of 60,108, wider concourses, and updated technology. Its first regular-season game is scheduled for September 17, 2026.

Then there is the tailgating. “Bills Mafia” tailgates are events of their own. The new stadium’s official lots open four hours before kickoff, while the RV lot permits entry the day before a home game starting as early as 8:00 a.m. NFTA’s Game Day Express provides special service from several locations around the Buffalo area to the stadium.

Where renters can live near Highmark Stadium

• Orchard Park: $1,286/month. Orchard Park is nonnegotiable for renters who want to live in the same community as the stadium. It has a more suburban layout than Buffalo itself, so proximity does not mean every apartment will offer a practical walk to the gates.
• West Seneca: $1,153/month. Located north of Orchard Park, West Seneca offers quick driving access to the stadium area through major routes such as U.S. 219. Its average one-bedroom rent was also below both the Buffalo and national averages.
• Hamburg: $1,288/month. Hamburg borders Orchard Park to the west and south, making it another close suburban option. Renters can choose between areas near major commercial corridors and the smaller-scale shops and restaurants around the Village of Hamburg.
• Downtown Buffalo: $1,477/month. Downtown places renters farther from the stadium but closer to the waterfront, offices, entertainment venues, and Metro Rail. On game days, the NFTA Game Day Express serves the Metropolitan Transportation Center downtown.
• Tonawanda: $1,133/month. Tonawanda had the lowest average one-bedroom rent among the Buffalo-area options. It is farther north and requires a longer stadium trip, but renters gain access to the Erie Canal waterfront and can still connect with Game Day Express service elsewhere in the metro.

The play: Buffalo renters benefit from one of the lowest citywide rents in this lineup and perhaps its most famous tailgating culture. The tradeoff is a high ticket price and a suburban stadium location.

4. Houston Texans: Houston, Texas

• 2025 home record: 7–2
• 2026 Season get-in price: $540
• Average one-bedroom rent: $1,180/month

Houston had the lowest citywide one-bedroom rent among the five football markets, coming in approximately 29% below the national average. Texans' season tickets also carried the lowest get-in price, making Houston a great football city for renters who would like some money left after paying both rent and stadium concessions.

The stadium completed a comeback of its own in August 2026, when NRG Stadium officially returned to its original name, Reliant Stadium. The venue contains a retractable roof, 125,000 square feet, and seating configurations ranging from roughly 72,000 to 80,000.

Texans parking lots generally open four hours before kickoff, with the Platinum Lot opening five hours early. Fans entering Reliant Park need a game ticket or a tailgate ticket.

Houston also offers one of the most useful stadium transit connections on the list. The METRORail Red Line stops at Reliant Park. It connects the stadium with the Texas Medical Center, Museum District, Midtown, and Downtown Houston.

Where renters can live near Reliant Stadium

• Midtown Houston: $1,583/month. Midtown offers restaurants, bars, and a central location between Downtown and the Museum District. Red Line stations throughout the neighborhood provide a direct rail trip to Reliant Park.
• The Museum District: $1,294/month. The Museum District gives renters access to Hermann Park, cultural institutions, and multiple Red Line stations.
• Medical Center: $1,695/month. The Medical Center sits just north of Reliant Park and offers one of the shortest rail trips to the stadium. Its concentration of hospitals, research facilities, and apartment communities makes it practical for renters working in the district. The trade-off is higher rent prices.
• Downtown Houston: $1,999/month. Downtown has the highest rent among these Houston neighborhoods, but it provides a direct Red Line connection to football games. Renters also gain access to office towers, theaters, restaurants, and Houston’s broader light-rail network.
• Central Southwest: $1,278/month. Central Southwest spreads south and southwest of Reliant Stadium and provides a more residential alternative to the neighborhoods along the central rail corridor. Some renters can access the Red Line through Fannin South Station, but others will find driving more practical.

The play: Houston pairs the lowest citywide rent in the group with below-average get-in prices. Add a retractable roof, direct transit lines, and a large-scale Texas tailgate scene, and the city makes a persuasive case for renters who want football without the highest housing or season ticket costs.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars: Jacksonville, Florida

• 2025 home record: 7–2
• 2026 Season get-in price: $1,150
• Average one-bedroom rent: $1,312/month

The Jacksonville Jaguars quietly assembled a 7–2 home record last year. This year is a year of transitions for the team as they prepare for a different playing field, stadium-wise.

EverBank Stadium has long been known for its enormous end-zone video boards and poolside seating, but its current “cool factor” is the transformation happening around it. Construction on the Jaguars’ “Stadium of the Future” began in 2025 and is scheduled for completion in August 2028. Plans include a transparent protective shell, wider concourses, new communal spaces, river and skyline overlooks, and flexible seating for more than 63,000 guests.

Construction means the stadium is operating at reduced capacity during the 2026 season, with the upper decks, North End Zone Deck, and Sky Patio closed. The Jaguars will play the entire 2027 season away at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium due to construction. Renters attending games should check entry and parking information before leaving home.

Official lots open four hours before kickoff. The JTA Gameday Xpress provides service from two downtown locations and additional suburban lots directly to the stadium.

Where renters can live near EverBank Stadium

• Downtown Jacksonville: $1,514/month. Downtown places renters close to the stadium, the St. Johns River, offices, and major cultural venues. JTA operates Gameday Xpress service from the Florida State College at Jacksonville Downtown Campus.
• Southbank: $1,510/month. Southbank sits across the river from Downtown and offers access to the Southbank Riverwalk and Jacksonville Skyway. The Kings Avenue parking garage also serves as a Gameday Xpress location with continuous service during Jaguars games.
• San Marco: $1,548/month. Just south of Southbank, San Marco is centered around a compact commercial district filled with restaurants, shops, and historic architecture. Renters can reach the Kings Avenue Gameday Xpress location without traveling into the outer suburbs.
• East Jacksonville: $853/month. East Jacksonville is the neighborhood that actually contains EverBank Stadium. Its average one-bedroom rent was the lowest of every neighborhood in this article, though renters should expect a smaller rental selection.

The play: Jacksonville combines comparatively low rent with the lowest average get-in price in the group. Stadium construction creates short-term complications and higher season ticket prices. But renters near Downtown, Southbank, and East Jacksonville can remain close to the action as the venue enters its next era.

This story was produced by Apartments.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.