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<\/a><\/p>\nPhoto by\u00a0Anthony Fomin<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Unsplash<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n The Inland Empire was the best-performing rental market in the country in September, according to Yardi Matrix\u2019s latest <\/span>National Multifamily Report<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Rents in the region, which encompasses cities such as San Bernardino, Redlands and Ontario, have increased 3.4 percent since February, rising $35 per month on average. By year-end, rents are projected to tick up another 1.1 percent.<\/p>\n Despite its declining job growth numbers \u2014 down 6.9 percent year-over-year as of July \u2014 the Inland Empire remains a popular destination among Southern California residents seeking a lower cost of living. Occupancy rates improved by three basis points between August 2019 and August 2020.<\/p>\n The proliferation of remote work may have also contributed to stronger gains in the metro\u2019s rental market. Without the need to live within close commuting distance of the office, renters in Los Angeles may have opted to move into lower-priced units in the Inland Empire that offer additional square footage and private outdoor space.<\/p>\n