Working from home comes with a real estate cost. A 75-square-foot home office occupies between 7.6% and 11% of the average apartment in the 20 largest U.S. cities, according to an analysis of apartment sizes and rents, according to a new report by Hubble.
The space takes up the largest share in Seattle, where the average apartment is 683 square feet. In New York City and San Francisco, a 75-square-foot workspace accounts for 10.3% of an average apartment.
The problem becomes more pronounced with a 100-square-foot office, which can consume 10% to 15% of an apartment in major U.S. cities.
The Most Expensive Office Space May Be Inside Your Apartment
The square footage dedicated to working can also represent hundreds of dollars in monthly rent.
A 75-square-foot workspace costs the equivalent of more than $540 per month in New York, based on the city’s average rent of $7.30 per square foot. The same space represents about $410 in San Francisco, $370 in Boston, $280 in San Jose and $260 in Los Angeles.
Smaller apartments make the tradeoff even harder. Seattle has the smallest average apartment among the 20 largest U.S. cities, while Columbus has the smallest average studios at about 400 square feet.
Downsizing Can Free Up Money For Coworking
For some renters, giving up a dedicated home office and moving to a smaller apartment can offset the cost of working elsewhere.
In Los Angeles, moving from a three-bedroom to a two-bedroom apartment reduces average rent by $1,210 per month. A coworking membership combined with a 5-by-5-foot storage unit costs about $350 per month, creating potential savings even after adding those expenses.
Similar savings are possible when moving from a three-bedroom to a two-bedroom apartment in cities including New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle. The calculation is less favorable for some renters moving from a one-bedroom to a studio, particularly in parts of Texas, Oklahoma City and Charlotte.
