Over the past decade, more and more people are choosing to live with roommates to keep housing costs low.
More than 5 million U.S. households include renting roommates, a 21% increase over the past ten years. More than 43 million households are spending at least one third of their income on housing, so splitting the cost has become the most desirable option for many Americans.
And it's not just young people.
Generation Z does account for the highest percentage of roommate renter households, about 46%, but another 34% of renters are Millennials, 11% are Generation X and even 8% of Boomers are renting with roommates.
So where are these groups living? A new report from Storage Cafe identified the best cities for roommates across the United States,
analyzing the number of people looking for roommates, availability of rentable spaces, livability, amenities and personal space.
Here are the top cities for cohabitating renters.
Atlanta ranks second in nation for renter-friendly cities
With nearly $9,000 saved annually by renters with a roommate, the city of Atlanta takes the second spot nationally, according to Storage Cafe.
Atlanta renters have 535 square feet of living space to themselves, on average, and 17% of Atlanta households have multiple renters.
"More than 21,600 renter households in Atlanta share their home, a figure that has climbed nearly 60% over the past decade. Renting solo here is not as punishing as in coastal markets, with a rent-to-income ratio around 24%, but splitting a two-bedroom brings that down to just under 14%," according to the report. "That different adds up to roughly $8,900 in savings each year. Interest in roommate living is strong, too. Atlanta ranks sixth among the nation's largest cities for online searches related to finding roommates or shared housing."
Low storage costs, lots of amenities and a bustling social community in Atlanta help it stay high in the rankings.
What are the top 10 cities for roommate renters?
Here are the top ten cities for renting with roommates:
- Irvine, California
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Raleigh, North Carolina
- Tampa, Florida
- San Diego, California
- Austin, Texas
- Denver, Colorado
- Chandler, Arizona
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Colorado Springs, Colorado
Other major cities lower in the ranks
When thinking about which cities are full of roommates, New York City, Los Angeles or Miami might come to mind. These cities are ranked lower due to their higher prices and smaller living spaces.
Los Angeles is ranked 19th, Miami is ranked 21st and New York City is ranked 24th.
The report included the top 100 most populous cities and included metrics like roommate prevalence and availability, financial burden, livability and storage access.
Irene Wright is the Atlanta Connect reporter with USA Today’s Deep South Connect team. Find her on X @IreneEWright or email her at ismith@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Looking for a roommate? Atlanta is one of the best cities to find one
