Are Studio Apartments in the DC Area a Pricier Option Than One Bedrooms?

• January 28, 2019

by Nena Perry-Brown

Are studio apartments actually more expensive than one-bedrooms in the DC area?

A recent analysis by HotPads show that the typical studio apartment in the DC area rents for $255 more per month than the typical one-bedroom apartment. The median rent for studios is $2,055 compared to a median rent of $1,800 for one-bedrooms. Meanwhile, the median studio is 241 square feet smaller than the median one-bedroom.

Nationwide, the dynamic is similar, with studios renting for roughly $125 more monthly than the typical one-bedroom -- $1,385 per month compared to $1,260 per month. Studios are pricier than one-bedrooms in 45 of the nation's largest metro areas. In Los Angeles, the rent differential is a whopping $1,650, while in San Francisco, the rent differential is $1,400.

Much of this price difference is due to studios usually being concentrated in more centralized locations in the city. The study notes that studios tend to be a third of a mile closer to job centers than one-bedrooms, while one-bedrooms are more plentiful throughout the metro area housing supply. 

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/are-studio-apartments-in-the-dc-area-a-pricier-option/14933