US rent guide
What $1,500 a Month in Rent Gets You Across the US (July 2026)
Data as of Jun 9, 2026 · 11,572 apartments under $1,500/mo across 17 states
$1,500 a month is a common rental budget, and it stretches very differently depending on where you sign the lease. We pulled every apartment we track that rents for $1,500 or less and looked at two things that actually matter when you are comparing: how much space the typical unit gives you, and how many options you get to choose from.
The headline: at this budget you are renting a one-bedroom almost everywhere, but in Alabama that one-bedroom is about 777 sq ft, while the same $1,500 in California buys roughly 605 sq ft. California is the real outlier: barely 10% of its apartments come in under $1,500 at all (378 units), against 3,715 in Texas.
$1,500/mo by state, most space first
| State | Typical size | You usually get | Options under $1,500 | Share of market |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 777 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Birmingham | 287 | 86% |
| Georgia | 756 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Atlanta | 978 | 74% |
| South Carolina | 750 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Columbia | 251 | 63% |
| North Carolina | 745 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Charlotte | 833 | 83% |
| Tennessee | 744 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Nashville | 398 | 75% |
| Indiana | 711 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Indianapolis | 419 | 89% |
| Nevada | 702 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Las Vegas | 349 | 69% |
| Florida | 701 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Jacksonville | 970 | 45% |
| Virginia | 700 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Richmond | 304 | 42% |
| Ohio | 689 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Columbus | 527 | 81% |
| Missouri | 688 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Kansas City | 229 | 86% |
| Maryland | 683 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Baltimore | 158 | 40% |
| Pennsylvania | 673 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Philadelphia | 287 | 50% |
| Texas | 668 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Austin | 3,715 | 85% |
| Arizona | 668 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Phoenix | 904 | 76% |
| Colorado | 623 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. Denver | 585 | 59% |
| California | 605 ft² | A one-bedroom · e.g. San Francisco | 378 | 10% |
What the numbers mean
“Typical size” is the median square footage of the apartments renting at or below $1,500, so half are bigger and half smaller. “Share of market” is how much of that state’s apartment inventory we track actually falls under the budget, the quickest read on how realistic $1,500 is there. We exclude single rooms and senior housing so you are comparing standard apartments, and the figures refresh when our listings do (last updated Jun 9, 2026). Want to go deeper on a single state? Each one links to its full cheapest-cities breakdown, and you can sort any city by price on Budget Leases.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of apartment can you rent for $1,500 a month?
Across most of the US, $1,500/mo lands you a one-bedroom apartment. What changes between states is the size and the selection: the same budget buys a typical 777 sq ft place in Alabama but only about 605 sq ft in California.
Which state gives you the most apartment for $1,500?
Alabama. A $1,500 unit there runs about 777 sq ft (median), the most living space per dollar of the states we track, with 287 options under the budget right now.
Is $1,500 a month enough for an apartment in California?
It is tight. We count only about 378 California apartments under $1,500 (roughly 10% of the market), mostly smaller units, versus 3,715 in Texas. If a sub-$1,500 budget is firm, the inland and Central Valley cities are where to look, or one of the other eight states.
More rent guides
Multi-state · Comparison
Where Rent Goes Furthest in the US
How rent stacks up across every state we cover, by bedroom. A California one-bed costs nearly double the same place in Texas or the Carolinas.
Multi-state · Rent data
Studio vs 1-Bedroom: Where the Price Gap Flips
A studio is supposed to be the cheap option, but in Texas and Georgia a 1-bedroom actually costs less. Where you can size up for free, and where a studio is the real bargain.
Multi-state · Value
Most Apartment for Your Money: Best Square-Footage Value
Cheapest rent is not the same as best value. US cities ranked by price per square foot, where your money buys the most actual living space.
National · Affordability
What Salary You Need to Afford Rent in Every State
The income you need to rent in each US state under the 30% rule, from real median rents, plus the hourly wage it works out to.
Want the cheapest unit in your city the moment it lists?
Save a search on Budget Leases and we’ll email you when a cheaper match shows up. It’s free, with one-click unsubscribe whenever you’re done looking.
Browse the cheapest rentals →Budget Leases is an independent rental tracker and isn’t affiliated with any listing provider. Rents and availability change constantly, so always confirm the current price on the original listing before you make a decision.