Here’s What Rent Will Cost You in the 10 Cities With the Smallest Apartments

The skyline of Seattle, Washington, USA with the Space Needle observation tower on a sunny day.
benedek / Getty Images

Commitment to Our Readers

GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.

20 Years
Helping You Live Richer

Reviewed
by Experts

Trusted by
Millions of Readers

One-bedroom units were the preferred option for developers in 2024, accounting for 48% of all newly built apartments, according to recent RentCafe data.

The research also noted that the sizes of two-bedroom and three-bedroom units have decreased over the last decade. As developers strive to meet the demand for housing, units in some locations may be becoming smaller. However, in positive news, the average apartment size increased to 908 square feet in 2024.

Recent research from RentCafe listed the top cities with the smallest new apartments based on square footage. Here are the top 10 cities with the smallest new apartments, per RentCafe, as well as the average rent for each, as sourced from Apartments.com. 

Also see seven key signs a luxury apartment isn’t worth the money.

Seattle

  • Average size of new apartments: 649
  • 10-year percentage change: -8%
  • Average monthly rent: $2,090

Portland, Oregon

  • Average size of new apartments: 668
  • 10-year percentage change: -11%
  • Average monthly rent: $1,519

Queens, New York

  • Average size of new apartments: 702
  • 10-year percentage change: 6%
  • Average monthly rent: $1,500

Brooklyn, New York

  • Average size of new apartments: 708
  • 10-year percentage change: 1%
  • Average monthly rent: $2,866

San Francisco

  • Average size of new apartments: 716
  • 10-year percentage change: 9%
  • Average monthly rent: $2,997

Detroit

  • Average size of new apartments: 728
  • 10-year percentage change: -20%
  • Average monthly rent: $1,097

Manhattan, New York

  • Average size of new apartments: 738
  • 10-year percentage change: 1%
  • Average monthly rent: $3,962

Today's Top Offers

Washington, D.C.

  • Average size of new apartments: 745
  • 10-year percentage change: -7%
  • Average monthly rent: $2,298

Salt Lake City

  • Average size of new apartments: 750
  • 10-year percentage change: -5%
  • Average monthly rent: $1,454

Philadelphia

  • Average size of new apartments: 759
  • 10-year percentage change: -11%
  • Average monthly rent: $1,743

Which City Offers the Worst Value?

When it comes to the size of the apartment and the average rental price, it’s clear that Manhattan offers the worst value for someone looking for spacious accommodations.

LivingCost.org noted that the average cost of living in New York City for a single person, including rent, is $4,441, and it’s $10,033 for a family of four. The monthly salary after taxes is $5,544

The site noted that it’s in the top 0.1% of the most expensive cities globally. However, it’s worth noting that the data also revealed it to be the second-best city to live in the United States. With a population of 8.8 million, there’s certainly an appeal to living in New York City, even though you may not get the best value for size.

Sources

BEFORE YOU GO

See Today's Best
Banking Offers

Looks like you're using an adblocker

Please disable your adblocker to enjoy the optimal web experience and access the quality content you appreciate from GOBankingRates.

  • AdBlock / uBlock / Brave
    1. Click the ad blocker extension icon to the right of the address bar
    2. Disable on this site
    3. Refresh the page
  • Firefox / Edge / DuckDuckGo
    1. Click on the icon to the left of the address bar
    2. Disable Tracking Protection
    3. Refresh the page
  • Ghostery
    1. Click the blue ghost icon to the right of the address bar
    2. Disable Ad-Blocking, Anti-Tracking, and Never-Consent
    3. Refresh the page