O
ver the past decade, US apartments have shrunk by an average of 22 square feet. According to a study by RentCafe, which analyzed 100 large rental markets across the country, this decline is attributed to a growing preference for studios and one-bedroom apartments among young professionals.
The average size of a new apartment in the US has dropped from 930 square feet in 2015 to 908 square feet in 2024. However, New York City stands out as an exception, where apartments have actually increased in size by 3-6 square feet over the past decade. This growth is largely due to developers building more two- and three-bedroom apartments in areas like Queens.
In contrast, cities like Chicago and Orlando saw significant declines in apartment sizes, with some areas losing up to 215 square feet. The largest apartments are found in the South, particularly in Tallahassee and Gainesville, Florida, where rentals average over 1,120 square feet.
