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The national average multifamily rent rose to $1,474 in March, up 2.9% year over year, according to RENTCafe’s latest National Rent Report. However, for the first time since 2016, rent growth has decelerated moving into the spring, down from 3.2% growth in February.

According to RENTCafe researcher Irina Lupa, this “atypical” drop reflects the previously anticipated impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the apartment market. Normally, interest in apartments will increase as the “spring selling season” begins, with rent growth rising accordingly through March. Google Trends showed a decreased interest in new apartment searches over the latter half of the month, and rent growth has slowed in 60% of U.S. markets analyzed by RENTCafé parent company Yardi Matrix.

The vast majority—75%—of “renter mega-hubs” saw year-over-year rent increases fall from February to March. Out of the nation’s largest cities, Los Angeles had the weakest YOY rise at 0.6%, up to $2,499 in March. Detroit prices showed the second slowest rent growth at 0.7%, while San Francisco came in third at 0.9%. Rents rose fastest in Queens with a 10.1% surge, followed by Phoenix at 9.2%.

Of the nation’s midsized cities, Atlanta experienced the slowest rent growth at 1% YOY, followed by Miami at 1.2%. Mesa, Ariz., had the sharpest rent growth in this category at 8.3% YOY, followed by Bakersfield, Calif., at 7.4%. In the small city category, rent growth plummeted in two Texas energy hub towns—Midland (-11.7%) and Odessa (-10.4%)—while Pompano Beach, Fla., sported the strongest rent growth at 11% YOY.

Doug Ressler, manager of business intelligence at Yardi Matrix, notes that this rental data has “yet to reflect the full impact” of COVID-19 on the leasing space. “We are monitoring both proprietary and publicly available data on a real-time basis in an effort to forecast the evolution of rents going forward. Given the volatility of current economic conditions, we expect our projections will change materially over the coming weeks and months. We expect the impact of coronavirus to last three to six months before a steady recovery boosts the economy once again.”