The Unexpected Way Americans Are Making Suburban Living More Affordable
When most people think of roommate living, they probably think about big cities known for their expensive housing costs. But according to new data from SpareRoom, as of late, more and more renters in suburban areas are moving in with roommates.
This is especially true in the Sun Belt (the Southern and Southwestern half of the U.S.), as well as in the more suburban parts of New York City (like the Bronx and Coney Island, as well as the neighboring Long Island), according to SpareRoom's data.
Unsurprisingly, this rise in roommate living comes down to affordability reasons - so why is this happening in suburban areas known for their affordable living costs? Read on for more of the report's findings.
Why More Suburban Residents Are Living With Roommates
The report analyzed over 16 million area searches on the SpareRoom website from 2025, and compared the data to search records from 2024. Overall, SpareRoom found that more suburban residents are moving in with roommates for affordability reasons.
What's interesting, though, is that many of the areas where roommate living has increased are areas known for having lower living costs.
This is likely a reflection on the state of the U.S. economy. According to a recent CBS News poll, in April of this year, inflation and general consumer prices grew at a slightly higher rate than incomes for the first time in three years.
In large part, this disparity can be attributed to rising gas prices, according to CBS News. The outlet also noted that more than three-quarters of poll respondents were worried about their personal financial situations.
"Area search data offers a good gauge of where the rental market is heading and it indicates how affordability pressures are reshaping roommate culture nationwide," SpareRoom director Matt Hutchinson said in a statement. "Once concentrated in dense urban neighborhoods, shared living is increasingly becoming a suburban reality as renters of all ages seek lower-cost alternatives to living alone."
Roommate Living Is on the Rise in These Suburban Areas
Fort Worth, Texas had the largest increase in searches by roommates between 2024 and 2025, with a whopping 739 percent rise. Columbia, S.C. came in at No. 2 with a 282 percent increase, followed by Macon, Ga. with a 259 percent increase.
Between 2024 and 2025, there was an increase of at least 150 rise in searches by roommates in these 35 regions:
- Fort Worth, TX
- Columbia, SC
- Macon, GA
- Maricopa County, AZ
- Huntsville, AL
- Waco, TX
- Longwood, FL
- Longwood, FL
- Knoxville, TN
- Bronx, NY
- Tyler, TX
- Augusta, GA
- Savannah, GA
- Little Rock, AR
- Wilmington, NC
- Dunwoody, GA
- Ocala, FL
- Kansas City, KS
- Stockton, CA
- Fort Mill, SC
- Lafayette, LA
- North Charleston, SC
- Brookhaven, GA
- Mobile, AL
- Gwinnett County, GA
- Tallahassee, FL
- Sandy Springs, GA
- Visalia, CA
- Douglasville, GA
- Dayton, OH
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Martinez, CA
- Cobb County, GA
- Allentown, PA
- San Marcos, TX
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This story was originally published May 31, 2026 at 7:15 AM.