Houston renters on the hunt for a roomy new apartment for $1,500 a month won’t have to compromise too much on space compared to last year, according to a new report from apartment rental marketplace RentCafe.

In 2025, Houston renters willing to spend $1,500 monthly can afford an 972-square-foot apartment. That’s just 11 square feet smaller than what renters could get with the same budget last year.

RentCafe’s analysis compared apartment sizes across 200 of the largest U.S. cities for the same $1,500 monthly budget. Price per square foot was calculated using the average apartment rent and size per city based on “multifamily properties” containing 50 or more units. Cities were divided into two categories: large cities with a population of more than 225,000, and small cities with fewer than 225,000 residents.

Wichita, Kansas is the No. 1 large U.S. city where renters can find the biggest apartments for a monthly rent of $1,500. Renters will find units sized at 1,329 square feet for the price.

The report ranked Houston 23rd on its list of large cities where renters can get the most apartment space for a monthly rent of $1,500.

RentCafe additionally found that the typical Houston apartment is 879 square feet big for the monthly price of $1,356.

Houston-area renters looking for the most value for $1,500 will find the most spacious apartments in neighboring Pasadena, where the same budget can net tenants a 1,121-square-foot apartment. Furthermore, Pasadena’s average apartment size comes out to 826 square feet for just $1,105 monthly, which is much more affordable than living in Houston proper.

Pasadena has the sixth-largest apartments in Texas (regardless of city size) for $1,500 in monthly rent, the report said.

Apartment sizes around Texas
For Texans who don’t care where they live so long as the apartments are massive, McAllen is where the most generously sized apartments are in the state. Renters can find apartments nearing 1,400 square feet – which the report says is the equivalent of a large four-bedroom unit – for just $1,500 in this South Texas city.

Unsurprisingly, Austin is the No. 1 worst Texas city with the smallest apartment sizes on a $1,500 budget. Renters will only find 780-square-foot apartments for that price, and the typical rent comes out to $1,655 for an 861-square-foot unit on average.

However, Texas cities are faring better than many other cities nationwide, according to the report.

“Overall, across the nation, renters can get 715 square feet of apartment space for a monthly rent of $1,500,” the report said. “Still, in 63 percent of the 200 largest U.S. cities, apartment seekers can get more than the national norm.”

The top 10 Texas cities with the biggest apartments for $1,500 a month are:

  • No. 1 – McAllen (1,393 square feet)
  • No. 2 – Brownsville (1,268 square feet)
  • No. 3 – Amarillo (1,262 square feet)
  • No. 4 – Lubbock (1,230 square feet)
  • No. 5 – El Paso (1,137 square feet)
  • No. 6 – Pasadena (1,121 square feet)
  • No. 7 – Corpus Christi (1,104 square feet)
  • No. 8 – Killeen (1,065 square feet)
  • No. 9 – San Antonio (1,013 square feet)
  • No. 10 – Mesquite (980 square feet)