US rent guide
Studio vs 1-Bedroom Rent, by State (July 2026)
Data as of Jun 9, 2026 · studios vs one-beds across 33 states
A studio is supposed to be the budget option, four walls, no separate bedroom, less rent. But when we compared the real median studio against the real median one-bedroom in every state we track, the “savings” mostly vanished. In 13 of 33 states, a one-bedroom rents for the same or less than a studio. Here’s the gap, state by state.
1-bed ≤ studio in
13 of 33 states
Best 1-bed value
New York (-21%)
Biggest studio savings
Ohio (+18%)
The takeaway: don’t assume a studio is the cheaper move. In most markets the price of a one-bedroom is so close that the extra room is nearly free, and in some it’s outright cheaper (often because the studios that do exist sit in pricey downtown cores while one-beds spread across cheaper areas). Studios only clearly win in a few states, listed at the bottom.
The one-bedroom premium, by state
Median studio vs median one-bedroom in each state, sorted so the best one-bedroom values (smallest or negative premium) come first. A negative gap means the typical one-bed is cheaper than the typical studio.
| State | Studio | 1-bedroom | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $2,225 | $1,750 | −$475 (-21%) |
| South Carolina | $1,510 | $1,337 | −$173 (-11%) |
| Tennessee | $1,417 | $1,260 | −$157 (-11%) |
| New Jersey | $2,193 | $2,004 | −$189 (-9%) |
| Georgia | $1,410 | $1,293 | −$117 (-8%) |
| Illinois | $1,799 | $1,660 | −$139 (-8%) |
| Texas | $1,199 | $1,110 | −$89 (-7%) |
| Oklahoma | $1,045 | $970 | −$75 (-7%) |
| Louisiana | $1,119 | $1,055 | −$64 (-6%) |
| North Carolina | $1,297 | $1,247 | −$50 (-4%) |
| Iowa | $1,040 | $1,000 | −$40 (-4%) |
| Virginia | $1,663 | $1,600 | −$63 (-4%) |
| Wisconsin | $1,295 | $1,295 | $0 (0%) |
| Connecticut | $1,860 | $1,895 | +$35 (+2%) |
| Nevada | $1,277 | $1,308 | +$31 (+2%) |
| Alabama | $1,048 | $1,080 | +$32 (+3%) |
| Michigan | $1,180 | $1,220 | +$40 (+3%) |
| Massachusetts | $2,375 | $2,450 | +$75 (+3%) |
| Florida | $1,475 | $1,539 | +$64 (+4%) |
| Minnesota | $1,324 | $1,381 | +$57 (+4%) |
| California | $2,111 | $2,203 | +$92 (+4%) |
| Indiana | $1,034 | $1,099 | +$65 (+6%) |
| Colorado | $1,336 | $1,425 | +$89 (+7%) |
| Washington | $1,587 | $1,695 | +$108 (+7%) |
| Missouri | $996 | $1,099 | +$103 (+10%) |
| Rhode Island | $1,673 | $1,845 | +$172 (+10%) |
| Oregon | $1,301 | $1,435 | +$134 (+10%) |
| Maryland | $1,451 | $1,600 | +$149 (+10%) |
| Pennsylvania | $1,352 | $1,500 | +$148 (+11%) |
| Utah | $1,205 | $1,336 | +$131 (+11%) |
| Kentucky | $982 | $1,115 | +$133 (+14%) |
| Arizona | $1,100 | $1,291 | +$191 (+17%) |
| Ohio | $987 | $1,160 | +$173 (+18%) |
How we calculated it
For each state we took the median rent of every studio and every one-bedroom we currently track (a state needs at least ten of each to appear; rooms and senior housing excluded). “Difference” is the one-bedroom median minus the studio median, in dollars and percent, so a negative number means the typical one-bed is the cheaper unit. Medians (not averages) keep a few luxury outliers from skewing the picture. Live data, last updated Jun 9, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is a studio cheaper than a one-bedroom?
Surprisingly, often not. In 13 of the 33 states we track, the median one-bedroom rents for the same or less than the median studio. Studios carry a price premium in only a handful of markets.
Is it worth upgrading from a studio to a one-bedroom?
In most states, yes, the extra room costs little or nothing. In New York a one-bed actually runs about 21% less than a studio. The clear exceptions are the few states where studios genuinely save money (see the bottom of the table).
Where do studios actually save you money?
The biggest studio savings are in states like Ohio, Arizona, Kentucky, where a one-bedroom runs a real premium over a studio. Everywhere else the gap is small or reversed.
How did you calculate this?
For each state we compared the median rent of the studios versus the one-bedrooms we currently track (states with at least ten of each; rooms and senior housing excluded). A negative gap means the typical one-bedroom is cheaper than the typical studio. Live data, last updated Jun 9, 2026.
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