The number of shared rentals without living rooms is almost three times higher today than it was five years ago, according to figures released by roommate site SpareRoom.
In 2020, 9% of shared homes across the whole of the US had no living room, by 2025 that figure had risen to 25%.
And, as shown in the table below, the scarcity of communal space is much higher in some US metropolitan areas than in others.
Almost a third (32%) of shared rentals in Miami came without access to a living room in 2025. In Orlando, and Denver 30% had no living room, and in Phoenix and Fort Lauderdale it was 29%. In the San Francisco Bay Area 25% of roommates have no living room access and in New York it's 24%.
| Metropolitan Area | % of rooms with no access to living room (Jan-Nov 2025) |
|---|---|
| Miami | 31.5 |
| Orlando | 29.7 |
| Denver | 29.7 |
| Phoenix | 29.4 |
| Fort Lauderdale | 29.2 |
| Chicago | 28.3 |
| San Diego | 28.2 |
| Houston | 27.6 |
| Los Angeles | 27.2 |
| Dallas | 27 |
| Boston | 27 |
| Riverside | 26.5 |
| Seattle | 26.4 |
| Fort Worth | 25.7 |
| Sacramento | 25 |
| Las Vegas | 24.8 |
| San Francisco Bay Area | 24.6 |
| Austin | 24.6 |
| Tampa | 24.4 |
| New York | 24.2 |
| Philadelphia | 24.2 |
| Charlotte | 22.3 |
| Atlanta | 21.8 |
| San Antonio | 19.4 |
| Baltimore | 19.2 |
| Washington D.C. | 18.1 |
Why is this happening?
SpareRoom conducted a survey* of 1,407 US roommates to look at the reasons behind - and implications of - this trend. The results revealed the issue may be more widespread when existing apartment shares are taken into account: 35% of those surveyed said the living room in their current residence is being used as a bedroom.
While 30% said this was a decision taken by the landlord, around half (49%) said it was a decision made by roommates, suggesting affordability is a top priority for cost-burdened roommates today. When those who did have living rooms were asked if they would be willing to live in a shared apartment without one in exchange for cheaper rent, 45% of roommates said they would.
What are the knock-on effects?
The survey also revealed that 28% think not having a living room has negatively affected their relationship with their roommates, while 29% believe it has affected their mental health for the worse.
So, how are people forging and maintaining friendships in homes where that social space isn't available? More than half (54%) come together in the kitchen, 30% congregate in someone's bedroom, 23% go out to socialize, and 23% have a dining room. And, weather permitting, others make use of outdoor space instead: 15% the backyard, and 12% a balcony.
But a fifth (20%) of roommates surveyed say they simply don't socialize with their roommates at all.
Matt Hutchinson, director at roommate site SpareRoom, comments: “Why do people live in shared apartments? It's not always just financially motivated. Some people are relocating to new countries or cities and want to make new friends, others simply don't want to live alone. But even when the high cost of living is the driving factor, the people you meet through sharing can lead to life-affirming experiences.
“We know roommates who've forged lifelong friendships, got married, started businesses, and become godparents to their roommate's kids. If you strip away the space for these things to flourish, you take away the biggest benefit of all.
“The perceived financial savings may even be a false economy. Some people have told us that although they chose a place without access to a living room to save money, they ended up spending more on drinks and meals out to socialize with roommates because they couldn't do it in their own homes. If you want to make new friends, it's worth keeping this in mind.”