- Top 3 most desirable districts: #1 District 9 (Orchard, Cairnhill, River Valley) with 2,496 rentals; #2 District 15 (Katong, Joo Chiat, Amber Road) with 2,071 rentals; #3 District 10 (Ardmore, Bukit Timah, Holland Road, Tanglin) with 2,049 rentals.
- 24,311 rental transactions analysed across 27 districts.
- Rankings use rental demand as the primary proxy for neighbourhood desirability — tenants choose locations based on convenience, amenities, and lifestyle fit.
- Neighbourhood Scores on condo detail pages use proximity to 7 amenity categories within 1.5 km (MRT, schools, hawkers, malls, parks, supermarkets, clinics).
Where Tenants Want to Live — Q2 2021
Rental demand is one of the strongest market signals for neighbourhood quality. Tenants — especially expats — prioritise proximity to MRT stations, schools, dining, and daily conveniences. This quarterly report ranks Singapore's 28 districts by rental activity, yields, and pricing trends to reveal the most desirable locations.
Data is sourced from URA REALIS rental transactions.
District Rankings by Rental Demand
Districts ranked by total rental transaction volume. Higher volume indicates stronger tenant demand and neighbourhood desirability.
| # | District | Name | Rentals | Avg Rent | Avg Rent PSF | QoQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District 9 (Orchard, Cairnhill, River Valley) | Orchard, Cairnhill, River Valley | 2,496 | $5,086/mo | $4.39/psf | +124.1% |
| 2 | District 15 (Katong, Joo Chiat, Amber Road) | Katong, Joo Chiat, Amber Road | 2,071 | $3,589/mo | $3.29/psf | +128.1% |
| 3 | District 10 (Ardmore, Bukit Timah, Holland Road, Tanglin) | Ardmore, Bukit Timah, Holland Road, Tanglin | 2,049 | $5,854/mo | $3.64/psf | +109.9% |
| 4 | District 19 (Serangoon Garden, Hougang, Punggol) | Serangoon Garden, Hougang, Punggol | 1,624 | $2,749/mo | $3.09/psf | +106.9% |
| 5 | District 5 (Pasir Panjang, Hong Leong Garden, Clementi New Town) | Pasir Panjang, Hong Leong Garden, Clementi New Town | 1,560 | $5,501/mo | $3.09/psf | +124.1% |
| 6 | District 14 (Geylang, Eunos) | Geylang, Eunos | 1,364 | $2,669/mo | $3.48/psf | +130.8% |
| 7 | District 16 (Bedok, Upper East Coast, Eastwood, Kew Drive) | Bedok, Upper East Coast, Eastwood, Kew Drive | 1,233 | $2,948/mo | $3.11/psf | +133.1% |
| 8 | District 2 (Anson, Tanjong Pagar) | Anson, Tanjong Pagar | 1,047 | $3,589/mo | $4.14/psf | +108.6% |
| 9 | District 11 (Watten Estate, Novena, Thomson) | Watten Estate, Novena, Thomson | 1,036 | $4,574/mo | $3.63/psf | +106.8% |
| 10 | District 18 (Tampines, Pasir Ris) | Tampines, Pasir Ris | 1,032 | $2,641/mo | $2.96/psf | +148.7% |
| 11 | District 3 (Queenstown, Tiong Bahru) | Queenstown, Tiong Bahru | 959 | $3,895/mo | $4.35/psf | +115.5% |
| 12 | District 23 (Hillview, Dairy Farm, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang) | Hillview, Dairy Farm, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang | 959 | $2,707/mo | $2.67/psf | +119.5% |
| 13 | District 12 (Balestier, Toa Payoh, Serangoon) | Balestier, Toa Payoh, Serangoon | 837 | $2,846/mo | $3.53/psf | +90.2% |
| 14 | District 22 (Jurong) | Jurong | 718 | $3,025/mo | $3.25/psf | +162.0% |
| 15 | District 1 (Raffles Place, Cecil, Marina, People's Park) | Raffles Place, Cecil, Marina, People's Park | 697 | $4,536/mo | $4.99/psf | +110.6% |
Rental Demand by Market Segment
| Segment | Rentals | Share | Avg Rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCR (Core Central Region) | 7,469 | 30.7% | $5,295/mo |
| RCR (Rest of Central Region) | 7,770 | 32% | $3,653/mo |
| OCR (Outside Central Region) | 9,072 | 37.3% | $3,034/mo |
The Outside Central Region saw the highest rental volume, driven by larger suburban developments and growing tenant interest in well-connected suburban neighbourhoods.
Explore live neighbourhood scores on our interactive dashboard→Most In-Demand Condos
Condos with the highest number of rental transactions this quarter — a direct indicator of tenant demand and neighbourhood appeal.
| # | Condo | District | Rentals | Avg Rent | Avg Rent PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LANDED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT | D5 (RCR) | 550 | $9,076/mo | $2.54/psf |
| 2 | NON-LANDED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT | D2 (CCR) | 483 | $3,272/mo | $2.82/psf |
| 3 | THE SAIL @ MARINA BAY | D1 (CCR) | 196 | $4,523/mo | $5.08/psf |
| 4 | SEASIDE RESIDENCES | D15 (OCR) | 152 | $3,759/mo | $4.86/psf |
| 5 | D'LEEDON | D10 (CCR) | 151 | $4,565/mo | $4.10/psf |
| 6 | GRANDEUR PARK RESIDENCES | D16 (OCR) | 143 | $3,100/mo | $4.57/psf |
| 7 | ECO | D16 (OCR) | 124 | $2,487/mo | $3.34/psf |
| 8 | J GATEWAY | D22 (OCR) | 113 | $3,126/mo | $4.98/psf |
| 9 | REFLECTIONS AT KEPPEL BAY | D4 (RCR) | 110 | $6,617/mo | $4.29/psf |
| 10 | CITY SQUARE RESIDENCES | D8 (RCR) | 106 | $3,512/mo | $3.66/psf |
| 11 | NORTH PARK RESIDENCES | D27 (OCR) | 105 | $2,506/mo | $3.93/psf |
| 12 | MARINA ONE RESIDENCES | D1 (CCR) | 104 | $4,783/mo | $5.27/psf |
| 13 | THE TAPESTRY | D18 (OCR) | 103 | $2,475/mo | $4.48/psf |
| 14 | MELVILLE PARK | D18 (OCR) | 102 | $2,569/mo | $2.39/psf |
| 15 | WATERTOWN | D19 (OCR) | 100 | $2,418/mo | $3.59/psf |
| 16 | DUO RESIDENCES | D7 (CCR) | 96 | $4,189/mo | $5.74/psf |
| 17 | COMMONWEALTH TOWERS | D3 (RCR) | 95 | $2,975/mo | $5.20/psf |
| 18 | PRINCIPAL GARDEN | D3 (RCR) | 95 | $3,478/mo | $5.07/psf |
| 19 | EUHABITAT | D14 (OCR) | 93 | $2,368/mo | $3.41/psf |
| 20 | ICON | D2 (CCR) | 90 | $3,824/mo | $5.06/psf |
Gross Rental Yield by District
Estimated gross yield = (annual rent per sqft) / (sale price per sqft). Higher yields can indicate strong rental demand relative to purchase prices — a sign of desirable, tenant-friendly neighbourhoods.
| # | District | Name | Gross Yield | Rent PSF | Sale PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District 25 (Kranji, Woodgrove) | Kranji, Woodgrove | 3.6% | $2.62/psf | $866 psf |
| 2 | District 22 (Jurong) | Jurong | 3.6% | $3.25/psf | $1,081 psf |
| 3 | District 27 (Yishun, Sembawang) | Yishun, Sembawang | 3.3% | $2.97/psf | $1,079 psf |
| 4 | District 16 (Bedok, Upper East Coast, Eastwood, Kew Drive) | Bedok, Upper East Coast, Eastwood, Kew Drive | 3.3% | $3.11/psf | $1,148 psf |
| 5 | District 18 (Tampines, Pasir Ris) | Tampines, Pasir Ris | 3.1% | $2.96/psf | $1,134 psf |
| 6 | District 8 (Little India) | Little India | 3.0% | $3.91/psf | $1,550 psf |
| 7 | District 1 (Raffles Place, Cecil, Marina, People's Park) | Raffles Place, Cecil, Marina, People's Park | 3.0% | $4.99/psf | $1,992 psf |
| 8 | District 19 (Serangoon Garden, Hougang, Punggol) | Serangoon Garden, Hougang, Punggol | 3.0% | $3.09/psf | $1,242 psf |
| 9 | District 12 (Balestier, Toa Payoh, Serangoon) | Balestier, Toa Payoh, Serangoon | 2.9% | $3.53/psf | $1,440 psf |
| 10 | District 4 (Telok Blangah, Harbourfront) | Telok Blangah, Harbourfront | 2.9% | $4.04/psf | $1,655 psf |
Gross yield is indicative and does not account for vacancy, maintenance fees, property tax, or mortgage costs. Actual net yields will be lower.
Quarter-over-Quarter Changes
How rental activity shifted compared to Q1 2021:
Fastest Growing Districts
| District | Name | Q Current | Q Previous | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 26 (Upper Thomson, Springleaf) | Upper Thomson, Springleaf | 148 | 56 | +164.3% |
| District 22 (Jurong) | Jurong | 718 | 274 | +162.0% |
| District 27 (Yishun, Sembawang) | Yishun, Sembawang | 459 | 179 | +156.4% |
| District 18 (Tampines, Pasir Ris) | Tampines, Pasir Ris | 1,032 | 415 | +148.7% |
| District 28 (Seletar) | Seletar | 266 | 113 | +135.4% |
Districts with Declining Demand
| District | Name | Q Current | Q Previous | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 6 (High Street, Beach Road) | High Street, Beach Road | 24 | 20 | +20.0% |
| District 13 (Macpherson, Braddell) | Macpherson, Braddell | 445 | 274 | +62.4% |
| District 17 (Loyang, Changi) | Loyang, Changi | 353 | 200 | +76.5% |
| District 12 (Balestier, Toa Payoh, Serangoon) | Balestier, Toa Payoh, Serangoon | 837 | 440 | +90.2% |
| District 20 (Bishan, Ang Mo Kio) | Bishan, Ang Mo Kio | 560 | 279 | +100.7% |
Methodology
This report uses rental transaction volume as the primary indicator of neighbourhood desirability. The rationale: tenants, who are not tied by ownership, choose locations based purely on convenience and lifestyle fit. Districts with high rental demand therefore reflect the most desirable neighbourhoods.
The Neighbourhood Score (0-100) shown on individual condo detail pages on ShiokNest evaluates proximity to seven amenity categories within a 1.5 km radius:
| Amenity Category | Max Points |
|---|---|
| MRT Station | 25 |
| School | 20 |
| Hawker Centre | 15 |
| Shopping Mall | 15 |
| Park / Nature | 10 |
| Supermarket | 10 |
| Clinic / GP | 5 |
| Total | 100 |
Individual condo Neighbourhood Scores are computed using geospatial data from OneMap Singapore. Visit any condo detail page on ShiokNest to see its Neighbourhood Score breakdown.
Methodology & Sources
This analysis covers Quarterly and is updated every quarter.
Transaction data sourced from URA REALIS.
- Rental data is sourced from URA REALIS, covering private residential properties.
- Gross yield = (monthly rent PSF × 12) / sale PSF. Does not account for vacancy or expenses.
Median values used to minimize outlier impact. PSF = price per square foot.