maximizing space

This is how much space Austin renters get for $1,500 in 2026

Austin offers the smallest apartment sizes on a budget in Texas.

Budget-conscious renters searching for the roomiest apartments in Texas won't find them in the state capital. According to a new study, Austin has the smallest apartments for renters on a budget in 2026.

In 2026, Austin residents can rent an average 784-square-foot apartment for $1,500 per month. That's only three square feet bigger than what renters could get with the same budget last year.

RentCafe's annual report analyzes the places where renters can find the largest apartment sizes across 200 of the most populous U.S. cities for a monthly budget of $1,500. The price per square foot was calculated using the average apartment rent and size per city based on "multifamily properties" containing 50 or more units.

The statewide list ranks cities that offer the largest apartments for $1,500 a month, and Austin is at the bottom.

Central Texas renters can look north to Killeen and Waco if they want to find roomier apartments — as long as they're okay with giving up big city life. The two cities appeared 8th and 12th on the list of Texas cities with the most spacious, budget-friendly units in 2026.

Renters in Killeen will net a 1,058-square-foot apartment, and apartments in Waco span 974 square feet for the same $1,500 price tag.

Apartment sizes across Texas
For the second year in a row, the Rio Grande Valley is the region that has the most spacious apartments for a $1,500 monthly budget, RentCafe found.

McAllen leads the nation with the biggest apartment size – at 1,378 square feet – which is large enough for a three- or four-bedroom unit.

"With rents averaging just $993 and the typical apartment measuring 912 square feet, McAllen renters get a lot more space for their money than most Americans do within that monthly budget," the report said. "Still, that figure is down slightly from last year’s 1,393 square feet — a sign that even the most affordable markets are starting to tighten."

Brownsville, another city on the border located an hour east of McAllen, ranks fourth statewide with apartments spanning 1,213 square feet for the same budget.

These are the top 10 Texas cities that offer the biggest apartments for $1,500 in 2026:

No. 1 – McAllen (1,378 square feet)
No. 2 – Amarillo (1,237 square feet)
No. 3 – Lubbock (1,217 square feet)
No. 4 – Brownsville (1,213 square feet)
No. 5 – El Paso (1,128 square feet)
No. 6 – Pasadena (1,125 square feet)
No. 7 – Corpus Christi (1,115 square feet)
No. 8 – Killeen (1,058 square feet)
No. 9 – San Antonio (1,023 square feet)
No. 10 – Mesquite (988 square feet)

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Living in Leander

Austin restaurateur behind Uchi unveils major new Leander development

Photo courtesy of Topo Development Group

Buildings 1 and 2 at Leander Union will be dedicated to food, beverage, and / or retail spaces.

One of the developers behind Austin's most recognizable restaurant brands is now building outside the city limits. Daryl Kunik, the Austin developer and restaurateur behind Hai Hospitality's Uchi, Uchiko, and Loro, is nearing completion on Leander Union, a roughly 155,000-square-foot retail, office, and gathering space about 25 minutes north of downtown Austin.

Leander Union is the latest project from Topo Development Group, the commercial real estate firm Kunik founded after years opening restaurants in Austin. A grand opening is set for grand opening for September 23. Food trucks will join the festivities to give guests a preview of the food options to come.

Topo's portfolio also includes the East Austin developments Canopy and Springdale General, the former being known for artists spaces and the latter for more art, nonprofits, small retail, and other businesses. There is also a small food hall at Springdale General containing Caffe Medici, Uroko ko, Small’s Pizza, and The Front Page Pub.

This comes just after Leander landed the No. 8 spot on U.S. News & World Report's 2026 list of best places to live in the country — its second consecutive year in the top 10 — and the No. 2 spot in Texas. According to a press release, Kunik aims to bring this burgeoning community something both "elevated and accessible."

Leander Union will include more than 65,000 square feet of retail and dining and roughly 50,000 square feet of office space, designed by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture (the same firm behind the original Uchi) and McFarland Architecture.

"Leander Union is really about how people experience space on a daily basis," said Hsu in the release. "We wanted to design an environment that feels approachable and comfortable, where the lines between indoor and outdoor, work and leisure, are intentionally softened. From the way the buildings relate to one another to how the landscape is experienced, the goal was to create a place that feels intuitive, connected, and enduring."

Leander Union aerial view All 155,000-square-feet of Leander Union, off of Crystal Falls Parkway in Leander.Photo courtesy of Topo Development Group

Among the first tenants are luxury dermatologist office Westlake Dermatology and Northpoint Austin Church. It was the church's idea to be part of a commercial center: Northpoint is the original owner of the land, and it approached Topo to "explore the potential for combining commercial and community spaces," per a 2024 Real Deal article. The deal included a church building of about 40,000 square feet for Northpoint Austin.

As far as other tenants go, Topo says it has prioritized "experiential retail and food-and-beverage operators" for the remaining spots, according to the release.

Landscaping at Leander Union is already finished, the church is up, running, and had its first service on May 10, and the first of several move-in-ready spec suites are expected soon, according to the press release.

Leander Union is located at 10860 Crystal Falls Pkwy in Leander.

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maximizing space

This is how much space Austin renters get for $1,500 in 2026

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