What You Need to Know About Average Apartment Size

When searching for a new apartment, one of the most important factors to consider is unit size. The average apartment size in the US varies widely depending on location, number of bedrooms, age of building and other attributes. With housing costs already strained in many markets, understanding average sizes can help you evaluate listings with a more discerning eye. Just a few hundred extra square feet can make daily life far more comfortable - but may cost you in higher rental rates as well.

Average Size by Apartment Type

Studio Apartments

Studio apartments, also sometimes called efficiency units, currently have an average size of 514 square feet according to 2018 data. This reflects a decrease of 10.3% compared to the average studio size of 574 square feet back in 2008.

There are several factors likely contributing to the decline in average studio apartment sizes over the past decade:

• In expensive urban housing markets like New York City and San Francisco, developers have been building more compact studios to appeal to single young professionals.
• Zoning changes in some cities now allow conversions of spaces like warehouses and offices into small studio apartments.
• Building technology advancements enable architects to make better use of limited space.

The impact is that renting a studio apartment gives you significantly less room than opting for a one or two-bedroom unit. This obviously works well for a solo city dweller that simply needs a place to sleep. But the constraints of a sub-500 square foot studio make living with a partner or working from home a challenge.

One tradeoff to consider if you opt for a tiny studio is that the rental cost per square foot is almost always higher than larger units. So you sacrifice space for savings.

One-Bedroom Units

The average size of a one-bedroom apartment as of 2018 is 757 square feet - which makes this category 32% more spacious than the typical studio. One-bedroom units have experienced a slight 4.2% decline in average size within the past decade, down from 790 square feet in 2008.

A few reasons why one-bedroom unit sizes may be dropping include:

• Like studios, smaller one-bedroom units allow developers to increase rental density.
• Young professionals are often happy to sacrifice size for cheaper city living.
• Smart home technology can maximize smaller floorplans.

The takeaway with one-bedrooms is that the average size still gives you a living room, bedroom and ample room for entertaining another person. But with under 800 square feet at hand, you'll still need to think efficiently about storage and furnishing options. Like studios, one-bedrooms also come at a premium cost per square foot.

Two-Bedroom Apartments

Two-bedroom apartments currently offer renters the most spacious option, with an average unit size of 1,138 square feet according to 2018 data. This reflects just a minor 0.5% decline from the 2008 average. When compared to other categories, two-bedroom units have decreased the least in size over the past 10 years.

The big appeal of two-bedroom apartments is having a separate bedroom for either a partner, roommate or office space for working from home. The larger footprint - at 381 square feet bigger than a one-bedroom on average - also provides more flexible storage and living space.

While two-bedrooms are the largest apartment category, their bigger size also makes these units attractive to families with children. This wide appeal helps sustain demand and limits reductions in average unit size.

An interesting twist when it comes to average apartment size is that two-bedroom units generally offer lower rental rates calculated on a per square foot basis. This makes them attractively affordable relative to one-bedrooms. So two-bedroom renters gain more room and save money per square foot.

Regional Variations in Sizes

While the national average apartment sizes discussed provide useful benchmarking, it's important to note that significant regional size differences exist across states and housing markets. Just a few size variance highlights by metro area include:

• The average apartment size in San Francisco is just 753 square feet compared to 998 square feet in Philadelphia.
• Two-bedroom apartments in Dallas average 1,316 square feet versus 1,027 for two-bedrooms in Seattle.
• Jacksonville, Florida has the largest average apartment size of any major metro area at 1,139 square feet.

Factors driving geographic size differences include relative land availability constraints, zoning regulations, variation in household demographics, and more. Older coastal cities for example often feature more compact living spaces compared to areas like Texas with an abundance of open land.

The Impact of Unit Size on Rental Costs

Given the wide variation in average apartment sizes, it's no surprise that monthly rental rates can swing wildly as well based simply on square footage. According to RentCafe data, apartment rents breakdown by size as follows:

• Studios: $1,457 per month
• One-bedroom: $1,572 per month
• Two-bedroom: $1,901 per month

Factoring apartment size into the equation, two-bedrooms not only give you more overall space but lower per square foot rental rates as discussed earlier. So renters essentially get an outsized two-bedroom "discount" relative to one-bedrooms when analyzing price per sq. foot. This makes scaling up to a two (or more) bedroom apartment a smart financial move if your budget allows.

Why Size Matters for Renters

Apartment size considerations go beyond monthly rental rates alone. The functionality of your living space and alignment with lifestyle priorities should be front of mind. Key aspects to think through include:

• Household needs - Studio and one-bedrooms may suffice for single occupants but become very constraining for partners and families.
• Working from home - Remote work is now common. Make sure there's room to carve out a home office if you work from home.
• Possessions - Big furniture, extensive wardrobes, hobby gear...make sure your stuff fits!
• Entertaining - Limited room makes hosting friends and family difficult.
• Privacy - In a smaller apartment, finding personal space can be a challenge.

Take time to project your needs over a potential multi-year lease when touring prospective units. An apartment stretching your comfort zone now may become downright cluttered if circumstances change. And always double check the actual floorplan during showings rather than assuming average sizes apply.

As apartment size data illustrates, Americans looking to rent have a wide spectrum of unit sizes to evaluate. While even 500 to 600 square feet may sufficiently serve single tenants willing to sacrifice space for affordability, living conditions become strained quickly as households expand.

Key trends to watch are the shrinking average studio and one-bedroom apartment sizes in high-cost cities. average apartment square footage limitations become especially pronounced if you hope to carve out a home office as well. Yet two-bedroom units remain spacious on average while offering per square foot rental savings.

When touring prospective apartments, check the floorplans closely and pay attention to layouts not just total area. An open concept design with clever furnishings can stretch limited square footage further. But some supposed "one bedroom" units squeeze sleeping quarters into corners barely large enough to fit a bed. Always scrutinize apartment sizes carefully relative to your household's needs - and recognize that averages don't necessarily apply evenly across individual units.