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By Alice Gibbs
Senior Reporter
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Americans who live alone are paying around $10,000 more a year than those who share their home, according to new data from Zillow, which has dubbed the added cost the national “singles tax.”
Zillow Rentals data shows that renters who live alone now pay an average of $10,470 more per year than those who share housing. While living solo comes with perks like privacy and control over one’s space, the report highlights the dramatic price difference.
Why It Matters
The findings offer a snapshot of how expensive it has become to maintain a one‑person household in the U.S., particularly as rents remain far higher than they were just a few years ago.
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The typical U.S. apartment now rents for $1,745 a month, roughly 30 percent more than five years ago, meaning solo renters are covering the full cost on their own instead of splitting it with roommates.
What to Know
Zillow defines the “singles tax” as the extra amount renters pay to live alone rather than share housing. Nationally, renters who choose to live solo pay an average of $10,470 more per year than renters who split a lease.
By contrast, renters who share housing—particularly couples—can capture significant savings. Zillow’s analysis shows that renters who share one lease instead of maintaining two separate households can save a combined $20,940 per year in rent.
Zillow describes this flip side of the equation as a meaningful “couples’ discount,” one that can free up thousands of dollars annually for other expenses or savings goals.
This year’s analysis also reflects a broader view of the rental market than in the past. While last year’s calculation focused only on one‑bedroom units, Zillow expanded its approach to include typical rents across all apartment sizes, drawing from more than 72,000 multifamily listings nationwide.
Despite the high costs, Zillow says apartment affordability nationwide—once rising incomes are factored in—is at its best level since April 2021, offering some relief for renters overall. Another recent analysis found that renting, rather than homeownership, is now cheaper by up to $548 per month.
What Happens Next
The cost of living alone varies widely by city, with the biggest premiums concentrated in the nation’s most expensive rental markets. New York City tops the list, where solo renters pay $23,400 more per year than those who share housing, according to data from StreetEasy, Zillow’s New York City brand. San Jose follows at $19,488, with Boston close behind at $18,084.
Those same cities also offer the biggest financial upside to sharing a home. In New York City, San Jose, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, renters who share housing can save more than $30,000 per year, according to Zillow’s analysis.
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