budget wisely
This is how much space Austin apartment renters get for $1,500 in 2024
Austin residents can rent a 759-square-foot apartment for just $1,500 a month.
A new apartment analysis by RentCafe has confirmed renters living in Austin may struggle to find a decent-sized apartment for $1,500 a month.
Austin renters willing to spend $1,500 can get an apartment spanning 759 square feet — more than 100 square feet smaller than the average size of an apartment in the area, which is 861 square feet and would cost $202 more per month. Austin is (once again) at the bottom of the list in the overall analysis of Texas cities with the smallest space for the price.
The study examined data from RentCafe's sister site, Yardi Matrix, to determine the average size and price per square foot for a $1,500 monthly budget in 200 of the largest American cities.
According to the study's findings, the national average size of an apartment costing $1,500 in rent spans 729 square feet.
For the biggest bang for your buck in Central Texas, head to Killeen, where $1,500 nets the No. 8 largest apartment in Texas, with a spacious 1,045 square feet. San Antonio falls right behind Killeen, boasting 1,012-square-foot apartments for the same budget.
In the national ranking of the largest U.S. cities with the greatest average apartment space, Wichita, Kansas claimed the No. 1 spot with apartments spanning 1,359 square feet. Austin didn't crack the top 50, instead landing at No. 63 nationally. Killeen ranked No. 22 in the national comparison of the top 100 small U.S. cities.
Austin renters may want to consider Round Rock, as it recently ranked as the No. 6 best suburb for renters nationwide. RentCafe says the average apartment size in Round Rock is 916 square feet for $1,516 a month as of March 2024.
Apartment sizes around Texas
Renters in the Rio Grande Valley city of McAllen are still getting the most bang for their buck with the best price per square foot in Texas for the second consecutive year. McAllen renters can find 1,423-square-foot apartments for just $1,500 a month. Brownsville (located 60 miles east of McAllen) is home to the third-largest apartments in Texas for the same budget, with a 1,285-square-foot average apartment size.
Across North Texas, Dallas and Fort Worth renters will notice a 103-square-foot difference between apartments, at 815 and 918 square feet, respectively. Residents can use their monthly budget more wisely in suburbs like Mesquite, with apartments covering 969 square feet.
Among Texas' other largest cities, Houston has square footage for miles, with $1,500 scoring an apartment that spans 983 square feet.
