Aurora, Colorado
59.2%
lower typical value for a one-bedroom home
A typical three-bedroom home is valued at $450,548, compared with $183,891 for a one-bedroom: a difference of $266,657.
Compare home-value percentages ↗The downsizing study · 2026
Where downsizing makes the biggest difference
A smaller home can open up new possibilities. Mirador Living compared three-bedroom and one-bedroom home values and rents in America's 50 largest cities to see where the financial difference is greatest.
Explore the city rankings ↓How we compared the citiesThree ways to look at a smaller homeLargest percentage home-value gap Largest dollar home-value gap Largest percentage rent gap
Different cities. Different advantages.
San Francisco, California
$970,744
between typical three- and one-bedroom values
The biggest dollar difference is in San Francisco, where the typical values are $1,741,308 and $770,564 respectively.
Compare dollar differences ↗Bakersfield, California
41.1%
lower median gross rent for one bedroom
Median monthly rent falls from $1,986 for three bedrooms to $1,170 for one bedroom, a difference of $816.
Compare monthly rents ↗Find your city
Download the city data ↓What could downsizing change?
Compare home values or monthly rents. Select a city name for its full breakdown.
Scroll within the table to see all cities. On mobile, swipe sideways for every measure.
| Rank | City | Difference (%) |
|---|
50 cities covered · Home values: Aug 2026 · Rents: 2024
When smaller does not mean cheaper
Philadelphia and Detroit are not ranked on home values. Typical one-bedroom homes are valued $62,181 and $34,525 above three-bedroom homes respectively. Both cities remain in the rent rankings. These are comparisons across different housing stocks, not like-for-like valuations of the same property.
A closer lookThe biggest percentage is not
The biggest percentage is not
the biggest dollar amount.
Home prices, property types and rental markets tell different parts of the downsizing story.
Aurora leads on proportion.
Aurora's 59.2% difference puts it ahead of San Jose and Tampa on the main ranking. It shows how much of a typical three-bedroom home's value separates it from a typical one-bedroom home, before transaction costs.
San Francisco leads on dollars.
San Francisco's $970,744 home-value difference is the largest in the study, but the city ranks fifth by percentage. A larger dollar gap does not necessarily mean a greater proportional reduction.
Renting tells a different story.
Bakersfield leads on percentage rent reduction, while San Jose has the largest monthly dollar gap, at $1,135. These Census figures include utilities and reflect existing tenancies, not today's asking rents.
Two cities reverse the pattern.
In Philadelphia and Detroit, one-bedroom homes have higher typical values than three-bedroom homes. Bedroom count is only part of the picture: location and the mix of condos and houses also shape the comparison.
Planning the next chapterLook beyond
Look beyond
the price difference.
A citywide comparison is a starting point, not a personal moving budget. Check the costs and practicalities of the homes you are actually considering.
Explore Mirador's independent living guide ↗- Start with the net amount.Allow for any mortgage balance, selling fees, closing costs and the move itself.
- Compare ongoing expenses.Look at HOA fees, property taxes, insurance, utilities and maintenance.
- Check whether the home fits your life.Consider accessibility, transport, nearby support and space for visitors.
- Keep housing and care costs separate.This study compares home values and rents. It does not measure senior living fees or the cost of care.
The research behind the rankings
Methodology and sources
Mirador Living compared typical three-bedroom and one-bedroom home values across the 50 most populous US cities, selected using the Census Bureau's July 2025 population estimates. Home values use Zillow's August 2026 city-level Home Value Index; rents use the Census Bureau's 2024 ACS one-year median gross rents by bedroom count. The main ranking orders cities by the percentage difference in typical home value, calculated as (three-bedroom value − one-bedroom value) ÷ three-bedroom value × 100. Home values were rounded to whole dollars before calculating differences. Dollar differences and rent comparisons are presented separately. Philadelphia and Detroit are excluded from the home-value rankings because their differences are negative; all 50 cities are ranked on rent. The figures compare housing stocks, not individual transactions, and exclude selling costs, closing costs and HOA fees.
Sources
- US Census Bureau: Vintage 2025 city population estimates
- Zillow Home Value Index: three-bedroom homes · August 2026
- Zillow Home Value Index: one-bedroom homes · August 2026
- US Census Bureau: 2024 ACS, table B25031 · Median gross rent by bedrooms
Read the detailed data notes
Zillow's index covers typical mid-tier homes, including single-family homes and condos, with smoothed and seasonally adjusted values. One-bedroom homes are mostly condos and three-bedroom homes mostly single-family houses, so the gap reflects property type as well as size. Consolidated cities use balance populations for Indianapolis, Nashville and Louisville.
ACS gross rents include utilities and cover all renter households, including long-term tenants. They should not be read as current asking rents. They are survey estimates with margins of error, and small rent differences may not be statistically distinct. San Francisco's three-bedroom rent is top-coded at $3,500 or more. Its reported $1,070 monthly rent difference is therefore a minimum, using the source's $3,501 coding.
Home-value and rent figures cover different periods. Positive differences are not guaranteed savings, proceeds or available equity for a particular household. All cities have values for each measure. Percentages are displayed to one decimal place, while sorting uses the underlying calculation. Tied source ranks are preserved.