10 Cities With the Highest Rent per Square Foot

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Renting in the U.S. isn’t just about the monthly price — it’s also about how much space you’re actually getting for your money. In cities like Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, renters are paying over $225 for every 100 square feet, which makes those cities some of the most expensive places to live per square foot. 

A recent study by Storage Sense ranked the 10 U.S. cities where renters pay the most for space and compares average home sizes, rent prices and how many houses are available. See how your city compares to the most expensive places to rent per square foot in the U.S.

Also see the average cost of rent in every state.

Washington, D.C.

• Average home size: 932 square feet
• Median one-bedroom rent: $2,137
• Rent per 100 square feet: $229.29
• Available houses for rent per 100,000 people: 1,352

Washington, D.C., has the highest rent per 100 square feet and the smallest average home size at under 1,000 square feet. But with more housing available, it’s easier to find a rental here than in most other major cities.

San Francisco

• Average home size: 1,222 square feet
• Median one-bedroom rent: $2,761
• Rent per 100 square feet: $225.94
• Available houses for rent per 100,000 people: 508

San Francisco’s average home size is smaller than all other cities on the list besides Washington, D.C., and New York; however, its rent is actually the highest. Additionally, it’s ranked second for highest rent per 100 square feet. To top it off, finding an available house to rent will be challenging with only 508 homes per 100,000 people. 

New York City

• Average home size: 1,165 square feet
• Median one-bedroom rent: $2,219
• Rent per 100 square feet: $190.47
• Available houses for rent per 100,000 people: 196

New York is well known for small spaces and big prices, but still, its rent per 100 square feet is around $35 cheaper than San Francisco’s and almost $40 cheaper than Washington, D.C.’s. However, finding a place that’s available to rent may be next to impossible with only 196 available houses per 100,000 people. 

Boston

• Average home size: 1,251 square feet
• Median one-bedroom rent: $2,210
• Rent per 100 square feet: $176.66
• Available houses for rent per 100,000 people: 2,154

Boston isn’t cheap, but it has more available rentals than any other city on the list. So even though people pay over $2,200 on average for rent, they have 2,154 houses per 100,000 people to choose from. 

San Jose, California

• Average home size: 1,582 square feet
• Median one-bedroom rent: $2,410
• Rent per 100 square feet: $152.34
• Available houses for rent per 100,000 people: 297

San Jose gives renters the most space on this list, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bargain. Even with bigger homes, you’re still paying over $150 per 100 square feet. Plus, with fewer than 300 houses available per 100,000 people, finding a rental won’t be easy.

San Diego

• Average home size: 1,467 square feet
• Median one-bedroom rent: $1,950
• Rent per 100 square feet: $132.92
• Available houses for rent per 100,000 people: 638

San Diego sits in the middle when it comes to rent and space. It’s not the cheapest, but with more than 600 houses available per 100,000 people, renters have a better shot at finding a place compared with San Jose and San Francisco. 

Seattle

• Average home size: 1,460 square feet
• Median one-bedroom rent: $1,875
• Rent per 100 square feet: $128.42
• Available houses for rent per 100,000 people: 1,546

While Seattle rents are still comparatively high, they aren’t as high as in places like San Francisco or New York. Plus, renters get decent space. Also, with over 1,500 houses available per 100,000 people, renters have more choices here than everywhere else but Boston.

Los Angeles

• Average home size: 1,544 square feet
• Median one-bedroom rent: $1,843
• Rent per 100 square feet: $119.37
• Available houses for rent per 100,000 people: 635

Los Angeles has cheaper rent per square foot compared with the other California cities on the list. However, with only 635 available rental homes per 100,000 people, finding a place could be challenging. 

Chicago

• Average home size: 1,400 square feet
• Median one-bedroom rent: $1,535
• Rent per 100 square feet: $109.64
• Available houses for rent per 100,000 people: 519

Chicago is more affordable than most big cities on this list, with rent at about $110 per 100 square feet. And while there aren’t as many rentals per 100,000 people as in places like Boston or Seattle, finding a place here is easier than in cities like New York or San Jose. 

Philadelphia

• Average home size: 1,318 square feet
• Median one-bedroom rent: $1,256
• Rent per 100 square feet: $95.30
• Available houses for rent per 100,000 people: 939

Philadelphia is the cheapest city on the list, with rent under $100 per 100 square feet. Renters here get more space for their money and have over 900 houses per 100,000 people to choose from, making it more affordable and accessible than many of the other cities on the list. 

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