Survey Reveals the Most Common Roommate Gripes - Real Estate, Updates, News & Tips

Survey Reveals the Most Common Roommate Gripes

As rents increase, more people may take on roommates to try to curb costs. At least one in three adults live with at least one adult roommate who isn’t their romantic partner or a college student, according to a 2018 Pew Research Center study.

But who makes up the perfect roommate? Apartment Guide surveyed more than 1,000 Americans to find the perfect—or not-so-perfect—traits.

In general, researchers found that people who had more than one roommate tended to be less satisfied with their living situation than those who just had one roommate. Those living with their friends, family (32%), and co-workers (about 30%) were the most likely to be happy with their roommates.

The top tension points between roommates seems to be mostly centered around cleanliness of a space, rent, and communication, the Apartment Guide study finds.

Roommate tension chart

Source: “Roommate Experiences Explored,” Apartment Guide (2020)

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