Report: New apartments in the Bay Area getting bigger

The notoriously cramped renters in the Bay Area are on the lucky side of apartment development with new rentals offering a bit more space than units built before 2014, according a new RentCafe apartments size report.  

The roomiest new apartments can be found in San Jose, but San Francisco and Oakland have also gained square footage, despite a prevalence of small apartments (studios and one-bedrooms) being built in all three cities. 

• San Francisco: The average size of new apartments is 756 square feet, which is 73 square feet more compared to older units. This increase in square footage occurred despite the fact that small apartments (studios and one-bedrooms) made up 63% of all new developments.  
• San Jose: The average size of new apartments is 883 square feet, a 57-square-foot increase compared to the historical stock. But 58% of new units are small types (studios and one-bedrooms).  
• Oakland: The average size of new apartments is 771 square feet, with an increase of 69 square feet. Similar to San Francisco and San Jose, studios and one-bedroom units dominate new developments, making up 68% of the total.

The added space locally is part of a broader national trend towards more spacious living conditions, after a sharp decline in the past year. 

The full report: https://www.rentcafe.com/blog/rental-market/market-snapshots/national-average-apartment-size/.