Upgrade to SI Premium - Free Trial

Renters Typically Spend More for a Studio Apartment Than a One-Bedroom Rental

January 25, 2019 8:00 AM

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Renting a typical studio apartment costs more each month than renting a typical one-bedroom home or apartment, according to a new HotPads® analysis.

Across the United States, the median rent for a studio apartment is $1,385 per month. The median rent for a one-bedroom rental is $1,260 per month – about $125 per month less.

The median rent for a studio apartment is higher than the median rent for a one-bedroom unit in 45 of the country's largest metro areas. Los Angeles has the biggest price difference between studio and one-bedroom rentals – the median rent for a studio in Los Angeles is $3,800 per month, $1,650 more than the median rent for a one-bedroom unit. In San Francisco, the median rent for a studio apartment is about $1,400 higher than for a one-bedroom.

That seems counterintuitive, because one-bedrooms are typically 730 square feet, while studios are typically smaller, at 500 square feet. But the reason is location -- in the metros analyzed, studios were typically a third of a mile closer to major job centers than one-bedroom rentals, and dense and desirable urban areas where studios are concentrated can yield higher rents. One-bedroom units are more common overall, and locations range more broadly throughout a metro area and farther from a metro area's core, where rents tend to be more affordable.

"Many renters looking to strike out on their own assume they'll get a rent discount if they sacrifice the privacy of a bedroom," said Joshua Clark, economist at HotPads. "But when it comes down to it, location can be more important than floorplan or size when it comes to saving on rent. Renters determined to live in the heart of the city might still save by leasing a studio, but those looking for the best deal are likely better off searching for a slightly larger place farther from the middle of town."

In Detroit, Atlanta, New Orleans and San Jose, a one-bedroom rental is typically more expensive than a studio apartment. Atlanta and Detroit renters can expect to spend $100 more on a one-bedroom each month than they would on a studio, while renters in San Jose and New Orleans pay $70 to $75 more each month for a one-bedroom.

HotPads is a Zillow® Group-owned apartment and home search platform for renters in urban areas across the United States. For more information on the U.S. rental market, visit HotPads.com.

Metropolitan Area

Studio Median Rent

Median Studio Size (Sq. Ft.)

One-Bedroom Median Rent

Median One-BedroomSize (Sq. Ft.)

Price Differencei

United States

$1,385

500

$1,260

730

$125

New York, NY

$2,400

510

$2,045

720

$355

Los Angeles, CA

$3,800

500

$2,150

720

$1,650

Chicago, IL

$1,790

500

$1,545

750

$245

Dallas, TX

$1,535

546

$1,050

741

$485

Philadelphia, PA

$1,660

475

$1,380

750

$280

Houston, TX

$1,655

576

$955

755

$700

Washington, D.C.

$2,055

494

$1,800

735

$255

Miami, FL

$2,200

550

$1,430

763

$770

Atlanta, GA

$1,285

656

$1,385

777

-$100

Boston, MA

$2,305

473

$1,915

696

$390

San Francisco, CA

$3,920

450

$2,515

709

$1,405

Detroit, MI

$1,010

600

$1,110

708

-$100

Riverside, CA

$1,410

450

$1,280

715

$130

Phoenix, AZ

$1,510

470

$1,135

725

$375

Seattle, WA

$2,000

450

$1,770

680

$230

Minneapolis, MN

$1,580

516

$1,280

736

$300

San Diego, CA

$2,260

470

$1,865

668

$395

St. Louis, MO

$1,085

550

$895

731

$190

Tampa, FL

$1,470

484

$1,115

725

$355

Baltimore, MD

$1,745

510

$1,380

754

$365

Denver, CO

$2,045

459

$1,390

711

$655

Pittsburgh, PA

$930

500

$910

716

$20

Portland, OR

$1,790

500

$1,580

675

$210

Charlotte, NC

$1,290

627

$1,125

750

$165

Sacramento, CA

$1,885

500

$1,465

700

$420

San Antonio, TX

$1,510

505

$875

707

$635

Orlando, FL

$1,600

612

$985

732

$615

Cincinnati, OH

$1,130

525

$905

700

$225

Cleveland, OH

$1,345

570

$945

700

$400

Kansas City, MO

$1,360

500

$865

700

$495

Las Vegas, NV

$1,455

550

$990

744

$465

Columbus, OH

$1,180

500

$985

708

$195

Indianapolis, IN

$1,245

522

$885

725

$360

San Jose, CA

$2,565

460

$2,635

715

-$70

Austin, TX

$1,740

450

$1,365

722

$375

Virginia Beach, VA

$1,280

555

$1,090

710

$190

Nashville, TN

$1,415

612

$1,250

726

$165

Providence, RI

$1,835

600

$1,365

730

$470

Milwaukee, WI

$1,815

500

$1,205

728

$610

Jacksonville, FL

$1,755

540

$985

780

$770

Memphis, TN

$1,115

550

$890

759

$225

Oklahoma City, OK

$1,125

600

$720

720

$405

Louisville, KY

$1,075

550

$980

890

$95

Richmond, VA

$1,255

545

$1,090

700

$165

New Orleans, LA

$1,455

527

$1,530

700

-$75

Buffalo, NY

$1,180

600

$1,020

750

$160

Raleigh, NC

$1,495

629

$955

760

$540

Birmingham, AL

$1,215

600

$840

728

$375

Salt Lake City, UT

$1,505

500

$1,250

683

$255

HotPads

HotPads is an efficient rental search platform for urban areas across the United States, with features designed for competitive markets such as map-based search, real-time notifications and detailed information on landlords and property managers that help renters spend less time searching and more time feeling excited about their next home.

Launched in 2005, HotPads is based in San Francisco and is owned and operated by Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z and ZG).

HotPads is a registered trademark of Zillow, Inc.

i How much renters save on the median one-bedroom rent compared to the median studio rent.

Cision View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/renters-typically-spend-more-for-a-studio-apartment-than-a-one-bedroom-rental-300784216.html

SOURCE Hotpads, Inc.

Categories

Press Releases