When Jen Sierra, 25, moved to New York City from Atlanta in 2022, she didn’t realize an apartment with more than one room for rent — without a living room — was a thing. “To me that’s like a studio. But to have bedrooms and no living room, that was never a concept in my mind. Nothing I’ve ever seen before,” Sierra says.
Understandably, Sierra was excited about the prospect of moving to New York City, only to realize how expensive a decent central Manhattan apartment was. “It was really funny looking at my Pinterest board and seeing the vision I had, and then what we ended up getting,” says Sierra, who works as a financial analyst.
Early in her renting experience, she and a friend found a “one-bedroom flex” apartment in Hell’s Kitchen with a small living room. Then, last year, she started looking for a nicer place with a coworker and decided to move to Queens — which is cheaper than Manhattan. They found a rent-stabilized option (rent increases are capped by law) that costs around $3,700 per month and comes with great transit access.
The apartment search wasn’t easy: Sierra encountered limited options and misleading prices. The summer is the most competitive rental period, and listings with teaser discounts like free months made places look cheaper than they really were. She eventually chose her current apartment with no living room.
When it comes to hosting, Sierra keeps gatherings small, inviting one or two friends over. She and her roommate turned an entryway bench into extra seating. They’ve also added a breakfast table and two chairs, which gives them enough room for casual visits. The building offers shared lounges, which Sierra sometimes uses to watch TV shows with her friends. Those can be rented privately, for up to $200 per hour.
Although Sierra is paying about the same price as her previous apartment, sans living room, she says her current building is much nicer and has better amenities like in-unit laundry, full gym, doorman and dog run, which is why, for now, she’s staying put.
THE WIDER TREND
The number of shared rentals in the U.S. without living rooms is almost three times higher today than five years ago, according to a 2026 study by room rental platform SpareRoom. Residents under 35 accounted for roughly 60% of SpareRoom’s U.S. roommate market in 2025.
SpareRoom communications director Matt Hutchinson tells Reuters, “Some roommates are choosing to convert a bedroom into a living room and a bedroom to bring their rent down. I think it’s just because rents have skyrocketed. Most, if not all, major U.S. metro areas have seen record-high rents in the last year or so and living with roommates is the cheapest way to live.” However, he notes that having a shared living space plays an important role in socializing. “We need to spend time together in order to form connections.”
Connecticut-based certified financial planner Andrew Huynh says rising housing costs are forcing young renters to rethink what counts as essential space. “As construction and housing costs have climbed since the pandemic, developers are prioritizing rentable bedrooms over shared living areas to keep units financially viable.”
For young renters in this situation, it’s important to think long term and develop a financial strategy. “Start by defining your goal, then build an action plan to achieve it. Are you paying off debt, building savings, or preparing to afford your own place?” Huynh says.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Housing affordability is driving unconventional living arrangements. A no-living-room setup is becoming a normal affordability strategy. Sierra did not originally think an apartment with bedrooms, but no living room, was even a real option, but rising rents have made this kind of configuration more common.
Rent stabilization can matter more than having the perfect layout. One of the clearest lessons is that predictable rent and stability can outweigh the downside of not having a traditional living room.
Make sure your living situation is the best financially possible. When your living setup supports a larger financial goal, it becomes easier to stay disciplined and not feel overwhelmed, Huynh says.