How much apartment space does $1,500 get you in California? These cities offer best deals
Looking for a rental apartment in California? A handful of Central Valley cities offer the best bang for your buck, according to RentCafe.
The apartment website recently ranked the top cities in the United States where renters can get the most apartment space for $1,500.
Across the country, tenants can get approximately 729 square feet of space for a monthly rent price of $1,500, according to RentCafe.
In 62% of the nation’s 200 largest U.S. cities, however, renters enjoy more space than the national average, the site said.
“Renters looking for a spacious apartment on a budget in a big city should immediately head to the South,” RentCafe said. “That’s because more than half of the top 20 large cities offering the most apartment space for a monthly rent of $1,500 are in the Southeast and Southwest.”
If you’re on a tight budget but need plenty of space in a big city, RentCafe said Wichita, Kansas, and Toledo, Ohio, are top contenders.
Wichita provides 1,359 square feet for $1,500 per month, and Toledo offers 1,345 square feet for the same price.
Here’s where $1,500 in rent will get you the most space in California:
How much will $1,500 rent get me in California?
According to RentCafe, living in big cities with vibrant entertainment, high-tech opportunities and rich art scenes often comes with a high price and limited apartment space — especially in California.
For instance, a $1,500 budget only gets 334 square feet in San Francisco, while renters can secure 436 square feet for the same price in Irvine.
Cities including Los Angeles, San Jose and San Diego offer around 440 square feet for $1,500 a month.
In Los Angeles, the average rental unit measures about 792 square feet and costs around $2,705 per month, RentCafe said.
The average rental in San Jose is approximately 884 square feet and costs $3,012.
In San Diego, the average rental unit measures about 872 square feet and costs around $2,959 per month, according to RentCafe.
Which California cities have the most affordable apartments?
According to RentCafe, the best cities for bargain hunters in California are mostly in the Central Valley, Southern California and the Sacramento area.
Here’s how much apartment space you can get for $1,500 in the top 10 most affordable California cities on RentCafe’s list:
- Bakersfield — 878 square feet of apartment space
- Fresno — 854 square feet
- Visalia — 828 square feet
- Stockton — 727 square feet
- Modesto — 705 square feet
- Palmdale — 693 square feet
- San Bernardino — 692 square feet
- Lancaster — 670 square feet
- Sacramento — 667 square feet
- Elk Grove — 663 square feet
How did RentCafe come up with its findings?
To assess how much apartment space $1,500 buys in the United States in 2024, RentCafe analyzed data sourced from various public government or trusted third-party databases, including the U.S. Census Bureau.
This story was originally published August 9, 2024 at 7:00 AM with the headline "How much apartment space does $1,500 get you in California? These cities offer best deals."
