A new report from apartment search website RentCafe ranks Washington, D.C. No. 8 nationally on the list of smallest new rentals.
According to the report, new apartments in D.C. average 745 square feet, a 54-square-foot drop over the last decade, a change that reflects a growing trend toward tighter and more compact living in urban hubs.
That puts the average new apartment in the District at just 41 more square feet than an average three-car garage.
But, D.C. didn’t make the list alone.
The report ranked Baltimore, Maryland, 19th, with an average new apartment size of 805 square feet. However, Arlington, Virginia, placed 20th at 809 square feet. All three cities have declined in average apartment size over the last decade.
The remainder of the country seems to be on an opposite trend.
The average apartment size in the U.S. overall increased in 2024, reaching 908 square feet.
Studios along with one- and two-bedroom apartments all got larger, adding between 4 and 13 square feet to their floor plans, according to the report.
Seattle, Washington, topped the list, with an average new apartment size of 649 square feet.
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