Dreaming of that iconic solo apartment à la Carrie Bradshaw? In 2025, it’s a tougher fantasy than ever, especially if you’re eyeing a bustling city life.
The Economist’s third annual “Carrie Bradshaw Index” crunches the numbers on rent versus wages across 100 major U.S. metros, painting a stark picture. While a handful of spots still let singles swing a one-bedroom without breaking the bank, soaring costs in the South are slamming the door on independence for many young adults.
Named after the Sex and the City scribe who penned columns from her West Village walk-up, the index spotlights where Americans can realistically afford to fly solo.
It’s all about that classic affordability ratio—how much of your paycheck vanishes into rent—highlighting the gap between what you earn and what landlords demand.
What the Data is Telling Us
This year’s snapshot shows rent hikes outpacing wage growth in key regions, turning once-bargain southern hubs into budget-busters.
The big trend? The South, long a haven for value-seekers, is losing its shine fast. Cities that offered sweet deals just a few years back are now grappling with double-digit rent spikes, fueled by remote-work migrants and a post-pandemic building boom that’s cooled off.
“Rents have soared in many southern cities that previously offered good value for solo renters,” the report notes, underscoring how these shifts are reshaping where singles can plant roots without roommates.
Take Atlanta or Nashville—former sweethearts for young professionals chasing affordable urban vibes. Now, with rents climbing 15-20% year-over-year in some spots, that dream studio is edging toward 40% of median income, well above the 30% “affordable” threshold.
Meanwhile, holdouts like Detroit and Oklahoma City still shine, where a one-bedroom chews up just 25-28% of take-home pay, leaving room for brunches and bad dates.
The index doesn’t pull punches on the winners and losers. Rust Belt relics like Buffalo and Cleveland top the affordability charts, with rents hovering around $1,000 a month against median wages north of $50,000—easy math for solo living.
On the flip side, coastal darlings like San Francisco and New York City remain nightmares, where even a shoebox demands 50% or more of your salary. And don’t get started on Austin: Once a techie bargain, it’s now a cautionary tale of southern overheat, with solo rents gobbling up 35% of income.
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Affordability is More Than Just About Numbers
What does this mean for the Bradshaw brigade? For the 35% of U.S. adults living alone—a number that’s ticked up since the pandemic—affordability isn’t just about numbers; it’s about freedom.
The index flags a growing divide: Singles in affordable metros can chase careers and connections without the roommate roulette, while those in hot markets are doubling up or decamping to the ‘burbs. As remote work fades and offices call folks back, these trends could accelerate, pushing more millennials and Gen Z toward mid-tier cities like Indianapolis or Memphis.
The data has evolved over three years, showing how inflation and migration have widened the gap—rents up 25% nationally since 2022, while wages lag at 18%.
For policymakers, it’s a wake-up call. As housing costs climb, so does the solo-living premium, potentially stoking inequality for women and young families who rely on that independence.
Sweet’s index isn’t just data—it’s a mirror to a housing crunch that’s forcing tough choices, one lease at a time. If Bradshaw were apartment-hunting today, she’d probably skip the city altogether and pen her next column from a quiet Cleveland coffee shop.
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