New Study Shows Renters’ Apartment Space Keeps Shrinking. Is There Enough to Go Around?
The personal space of the average American renter has shrunk over the years due to ever-decreasing apartment square footage, as well as insufficient supply, according to a new report from RentCafe titled, “Cities With Most Apartment Space Per Person in 2022: Renters Live Largest in the Midwest,” released this week. In the study, RentCafe calculated renters' personal space by dividing the total apartment size to the number of people living in a renter household. This begs the question: Is there enough for everybody? Key findings:
The takeaway: “The ideal combination of large apartments and fewer renters sharing an apartment is most likely to be found in the Midwest, where the space per person can be as high as 731 square feet,” wrote Veronica Grecu, senior creative writer and researcher for RentCafe, and author of the report. “In particular, the Kansas City metro area is the hot spot for renters looking for more living space, with three of its suburbs landing in the top 10 cities boasting the most apartment space per person. She notes, “Millions of Americans have been working and living in the same place for more than two years, and, consequently, the need for privacy is higher than ever. Granted, there are many financial advantages to sharing a rental, but having enough private space where you can spend some ‘me time’, meditate or just be alone thinking about nothing is paramount these days. And, while not all renters are that lucky, we can help them determine where they can find the most living space per person—especially now that the rental season is in full swing.” To view the full study including breakdowns by city, click here. |
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