Salt Lake City among the Top 10 cities for smallest apartment sizes in the nation, study says

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — A recent study says that those in Salt Lake City may be squeezing into some of the smallest apartments in the nation.

The study, done by Rent Cafe, says that although apartments are getting larger nationwide, newer Units in Salt Lake City have gotten smaller — averaging at 750 square feet when the national average is 908 square feet.

Salt Lake City ranks ninth for the nation’s smallest apartments in Rent Cafe’s study. Rent Cafe said part of why this is could be that 70% of new apartments built in the last decade are studios or one-bedrooms, both shrinking in size compared to the last decade.

Specifically, builders across the country are creating more studios, showing a growing trend for solo living or rentals in desirable areas, even when it means less space.

Rent Cafe said that on the flip side, larger units are getting bigger, but harder to find.

“Fewer two-bedroom apartments are being built, while three-bedrooms still make up the same share as they did ten years ago (3%),” Rent Cafe wrote. “The good news? Two-bedrooms gained 55 extra square feet on average, but three-bedrooms are now 168 square feet larger, making them perfect for families or those needing a home office or guest room.”

Overall, Rent Cafe says that between the growing popularity of smaller units, and the slowdown in larger apartment construction, Salt Lake City is seeing smaller apartments. Additionally, Rent Cafe said as more renters prioritize location and cost over space, the average size of apartments in Salt Lake City has dropped 37 square feet in the past decade.