Tiny apartments are gaining traction in Cleveland
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios
Tiny apartments are becoming more popular across the Midwest, and Cleveland is among the regional hot spots — though we're still far off the pace of dense, costly West Coast cities like San Francisco and Seattle.
Why it matters: Micro-housing is generally more affordable than traditionally sized apartments, making it attractive to renters willing to sacrifice space for location and price.
The big picture: The trend is sweeping the U.S., with a steady doubling of units now compared to the 2000s, per a new StorageCafe report.
Zoom in: Micro-housing now accounts for 5.4% of Cleveland's rentals.
- That ranks us No. 14 out of the 100 largest U.S. metros and third in the Midwest, trailing only Minneapolis and Chicago.
- The average monthly rent for Cleveland micro-housing is $844, third-cheapest among the top 20 U.S. markets and far lower than a local traditional unit's $1,443 price tag.
The intrigue: Cleveland doesn't crack the top 10 nationwide, though, when it comes to overall share of tiny rentals.
- San Francisco (14.7%), Portland (10.7), Reno (7.7), Chicago (7.4) and Philadelphia (6.8) are among the cities outranking us.
What they're saying: The StorageCafe analysis says Cleveland's downtown revitalization over the past several years has drawn in new residents and an increased demand for small, affordable rentals near the urban core.
- And suburban Cleveland Heights is exploring zoning changes that would allow tiny homes in backyards, "highlighting a regional shift toward more flexible, space-conscious housing."
By the numbers: Micro-housing units are thus far concentrated downtown and the neighborhoods immediately adjacent to it.
- The ZIP code with the most units is 44113 (The Flats, Ohio City, Tremont) with a total of 622.