Average Apartment Size in Los Angeles

Updated 15 September 2026 · RentCafe market-trends data (Yardi Matrix), figures current as of 31 August 2026

Typical Los Angeles apartment

810 ft²

≈ 75.3 m²

Below the US national average of 910 ft² (84.5 m²), but larger than a typical San Francisco apartment (~727 ft²) or New York City apartment (~700 ft²).

Los Angeles has expensive rents, but on floor area its apartments are more generous than the two other big coastal markets. The typical LA rental is 810 square feet, or about 75 square metres, larger than San Francisco or New York, though still short of the US average. The city’s lower density and larger stock of garden-style buildings are the main reason. The table below breaks LA down by apartment type in both square feet and square metres.

Average Los Angeles Apartment Size by Type

Apartment type	Average ft²	Average m²
Studio	525	48.8
1-bedroom	723	67.2
2-bedroom	1,048	97.4
3-bedroom	1,366	126.9
LA all types	810	75.3
US national average	910	84.5

By-type and citywide averages: RentCafe Los Angeles market trends (Yardi Matrix), figures current as of 31 August 2026. US national average is RentCafe's 2025 figure. Figures cover professionally managed rental apartments in buildings of 50 or more units, not the full housing stock.

Type Notes

Studio

525 ft²

The cheapest way into the LA rental market, trading floor area for location. Well above California's 150 sq ft efficiency-unit floor.

1-bedroom

723 ft²

The most-rented category. Roomier than a typical San Francisco one-bedroom (680 sq ft) and comfortably above a Manhattan one-bed.

2-bedroom

1048 ft²

Just over the 1,000 sq ft mark, common for roommates and small families across the San Fernando Valley and outer neighbourhoods.

3-bedroom

1366 ft²

The largest standard rental category, concentrated in older garden-apartment and single-family-conversion stock away from the dense core.

Los Angeles vs Other Big US Cities

Market	Average ft²	Average m²
Los Angeles	810	75.3
San Francisco	727	67.5
New York City	~700	65.0
US national average	910	84.5

Legal Minimum Apartment Size in Los Angeles

There is no single blanket minimum floor area for a whole dwelling unit. California sets the rules at the habitable-room level, and Los Angeles, applying the California Building Standards Code, permits compact "efficiency dwelling units":

·An efficiency dwelling unit must have a living room of at least 150 sq ft (13.9 m²), occupied by no more than two people.
·It must include a kitchen sink, a cooking appliance, refrigeration, and a separate closet, each with a clear working space of at least 30 inches.
·Local agencies cannot set a minimum that would prohibit an efficiency unit as defined by state law.

Source: California Health & Safety Code § 17958.1 (efficiency units), applied through the California Building Standards Code adopted by the City of Los Angeles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average apartment size in Los Angeles?

The average Los Angeles apartment is 810 sq ft (about 75 m2), per RentCafe's market-trends data (Yardi Matrix), current as of 31 August 2026. That is below the US national average of 910 sq ft (84.5 m2) but larger than a typical San Francisco apartment (727 sq ft) or New York City apartment (around 700 sq ft). LA is denser than the national average but more spread out than the older coastal-core cities.

What is the average size of a 1-bedroom apartment in Los Angeles?

A typical Los Angeles one-bedroom rental is about 723 sq ft (67.2 m2), based on RentCafe's August 2026 listings data. Studios average 525 sq ft (48.8 m2), two-bedrooms 1,048 sq ft (97.4 m2), and three-bedrooms 1,366 sq ft (126.9 m2).

How big is a studio apartment in Los Angeles?

The average LA studio is around 525 sq ft (48.8 m2) per RentCafe's August 2026 listings data, comfortably above California's 150 sq ft (13.9 m2) minimum for an efficiency dwelling unit. Studios are the most affordable entry point into the city's rental market, prioritising location over space.

How does a Los Angeles apartment compare to San Francisco and New York?

Los Angeles apartments are larger on average than either. LA averages about 810 sq ft (75 m2), versus roughly 727 sq ft (68 m2) in San Francisco and around 700 sq ft (65 m2) in New York City. All three sit below the US national average of 910 sq ft, but LA's lower density and larger share of garden-style buildings leave its units a little more generous than the denser coastal-core markets.

What is the legal minimum apartment size in Los Angeles?

California's Health and Safety Code (Section 17958.1) lets cities permit 'efficiency dwelling units' with a living room of at least 150 sq ft (13.9 m2), occupied by no more than two people, with a kitchen sink, cooking appliance, refrigeration, and a separate closet. Los Angeles applies the California Building Standards Code, so the same 150 sq ft habitable-room floor holds. There is no single blanket minimum for a whole dwelling; the rule is set at the habitable-room level.

Do these figures cover the whole LA housing stock?

No. RentCafe's averages describe professionally managed rental apartments in buildings of 50 or more units, not single-family homes, condos, or small owner-run buildings. They are the best like-for-like measure of the rental market that renters actually shop in, which is why they are used here and for San Francisco and New York.

Convert a Los Angeles Apartment Size

Square Metres (m²)

Square Feet (ft²)

75 m² is approximately a two-bedroom flat in London.

Average Apartment Size in San Francisco

How LA compares to the Bay Area, by apartment type.

Average Apartment Size in NYC

New York borough by borough, in sq ft and m2.

Apartment Sizes by City

LA vs Tokyo, London, Paris, Sydney, and more.

About the author

Oliver Wakefield-Smith

Founder of Digital Signet, an independent research firm publishing data-led property, planning, and conversion tools. Content is sourced from ONS, Nationwide, RICS, MHCLG planning data, and UK building regulations. Confirm planning and regulatory figures with your local authority or a qualified professional.

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