Renters can get an average of 703 square feet of apartment space nationwide for a $1,500 monthly budget, according to a new analysis from RentCafe. However, in nearly two-thirds of the 200 cities analyzed, renters can get even more space than the national benchmark for that budget.
“With the national average apartment rent at $1,740 per month as of March and the average apartment spanning 835 square feet, a $1,500 monthly budget falls short of the national benchmark, but it can still stretch surprisingly far depending on where you look,” noted the analysis.
McAllen, Texas, tops the list for the most space at 1,378 square feet for $1,500; this is enough for a three- or four-bedroom apartment. Lower-cost cities in the Midwest and South round out the top five, with Macon and Columbus, Georgia, along with Wichita, Kansas, and Jackson, Mississippi, offering between 1,287 and 1,346 square feet for $1,500 a month. The top five cities all have average rents well below $1,200 and offer apartments significantly above the national average of 835 square feet.
Only one city moved up an apartment tier for the $1,500 budget since last year: Metairie, Louisiana. This New Orleans suburb added 6 square feet, bumping the average unit from a two-bedroom apartment with 976 square feet last year to a three-bedroom apartment with 982 square feet in 2026.
On the other end of the list, that budget won’t cover a studio in 26 cities, primarily in California. New York City dominates the low end of the rankings. Manhattan ranks at No. 200, with the $1,500 budget being just enough for 210 square feet—roughly the size of a dorm room. Brooklyn and Queens aren’t far behind with 292 and 314 square feet, respectively.
California accounts for 15 of the 26 cities at the bottom, ranging from urban locales to the suburbs. With an average rent of $3,577, renters get approximately 307 square feet for their $1,500 budget in San Francisco. San Jose at 423 square feet and Los Angeles at 429 square feet follow. With an average rent of $2,537, renters in Rancho Cucamonga get 530 square feet for the budget, while renters in Elk Grove with an average rent of $2,246 get 664 square feet.