To help renters make the best decisions in the moving season, the site RentCafe just released their annual report of U.S. cities where renters can get the most apartment space for a monthly rent of $1,500.
They ranked the nation’s 200 largest cities using apartment data from Yardi Matrix as of March 2025.
The South claims 12 of the top 20 large cities offering the most square footage for a monthly budget of $1,500. The rest are in the Midwest. However, in nearly all 20 of them, renters can enjoy more than 1,000 square feet for $1,500, which is less than the national average rent.
According to the report, Charlotte is ranked 46th in the nation and the most expensive place to rent in North Carolina.
Here’s how Charlotte stacks up:
- For $1,500/month, renters in Charlotte can get 847 square feet of apartment space – more than the national average of 715 square feet.
- That’s the equivalent of a 2-bedroom unit — or a 1-bedroom with a home office, a gym corner, or both.
- Charlotte beats out West Coast cities like San Francisco or Los Angeles, where $1,500 often gets you less than 500 square feet — barely enough for a studio.
- Fayetteville stretches that same $1,500 budget to 1,200 square feet, making it the most generous city in the Tar Heel State. Cities like Durham, Raleigh, Cary, and even parts of the Piedmont Triad also edge out Charlotte in terms of sheer square footage.
