Cost of living: Apartment construction costs for 2019

Homeownership isn’t what it used to be. Many young professionals, families, and retirees are turning to apartments for their convenience and affordability. Demand is far outpacing supply, and the imbalance is growing.

According to analysis completed by the National Multifamily Housing Council, the National Apartment Association, and Hoyt Advisory Services, the U.S. will see a demand for an additional 4.6 million apartments by 2030. That’s more than 400,000 new apartment homes per year that must be planned and built.

RSMeans data from Gordian features more than 100 building and infrastructure models, including models for apartment buildings ranging from modest one-story complexes fit for a neighborhood side-street and those for a 24-story behemoth that belongs in a bustling city center. The table below shows the cost per square foot for constructing apartment buildings in 10 of the cities with the highest search volume on apartments.com.

RSMeans data from Gordian can be localized to more than 970 locations. For more detailed information on predictive cost data, square foot models, or construction cost data, visit rsmeans.com/bdandc.

The Pittsburgh 2030 District, an alliance of property owners in the Pittsburgh area, says that it has reduced carbon emissions by 44.8% below baseline. Begun in 2012 under the guidance of the Green Building Alliance (GBA), the Pittsburgh 2030 District encompasses more than 86 million sf of space within 556 buildings.

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The high cost of low maintenance

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Mixed-Use | Jun 12, 2023

Goettsch Partners completes its largest China project to date: a mixed-used, five-tower complex

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Mixed-Use | Jun 6, 2023

Public-private partnerships crucial to central business district revitalization

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Multifamily Housing | Jun 6, 2023

Minnesota expected to adopt building code that would cut energy use by 80%

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Student Housing | Jun 5, 2023

The power of student engagement: How on-campus student housing can increase enrollment

Studies have confirmed that students are more likely to graduate when they live on campus, particularly when the on-campus experience encourages student learning and engagement, writes Design Collaborative's Nathan Woods, AIA.

Image by Rebecca Moninghoff from Pixabay

Multifamily Housing | Jun 1, 2023

Income-based electric bills spark debate on whether they would harm or hurt EV and heat pump adoption

Starting in 2024, the electric bills of most Californians could be based not only on how much power they use, but also on how much money they make. Those who have higher incomes would pay more; those with lower incomes would see their electric bills decline - a concept known as income-based electric bills.

Multifamily Housing | May 30, 2023

Boston’s new stretch code requires new multifamily structures to meet Passive House building requirements

Phius certifications are expected to become more common as states and cities boost green building standards. The City of Boston recently adopted Massachusetts’s so-called opt-in building code, a set of sustainability standards that goes beyond the standard state code.