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rlington, Texas, is leading the country in shrinking apartment sizes. According to a study by Rentcafe.com, new apartments built between 2015 and 2024 averaged 902 square feet, down from 1,117 square feet for units built before 2015. This decline of 215 square feet over the last decade is the largest among Texas cities.

    Developers are building more one-bedroom apartments to meet demand, with their share rising to 56% in Arlington over the past decade. One-bedroom units offer better profit opportunities as land costs increase. The growth of the University of Texas at Arlington may also have contributed to the shrinking apartment sizes, as student enrollment has increased nearly 20% over the last decade.

    Other cities experiencing significant declines in apartment size include Birmingham, Ala., and Detroit. In Dallas, the average apartment size dropped by 35 square feet over the past decade, while Lewisville saw an increase of 13 square feet. Texas is home to some of the nation's largest apartments, with Lubbock boasting an average size of 995 square feet.

    Despite smaller new apartments, rents remain above pre-COVID levels. The average one-bedroom apartment rent in Dallas is $1,430, a 5% increase from last year. Frisco has the most expensive apartment market at $1,630, a 1% drop from last year.