How to Find a Roommate in a New City

Moving to a new city can bring lots of excitement and plenty of nerves. Having to find someone to share a home with can intensify those feelings. Zillow’s research has shown that 33% of renters in the U.S. moved last year, and of those people, almost half (49%) said they moved to a new city, metro area, state, and even moved here from another country. So you can hit the streets with confidence that you’re not alone!

But worry not (or worry less), because there’s a number of ways you can find a good roommate in a new city with minimal struggle. To meet you where you’re at in your renting journey, we’ve included tips for finding a roommate whether you’re looking before or after you move to your new home.

Join a social media group

There are social media groups across the internet dedicated to just about anything you can think of, and there’s most likely one for not only your city, but in the neighborhood where you’re looking to move. You can also try searching for groups specifically for new locals who want a roommate. There are also Reddit pages for various cities around the world, and Discord groups as well. 

Use rental apps, like Zillow

Renting a room is a great way to connect with renters who are already in search of a roommate. You can find rooms for rent on Zillow. A room for rent means you’ll have a private bedroom with shared common areas. Room listings are clearly marked on all of our rental listings to make it easy for you to find a roommate in a new city.  

Even dating apps, like Bumble, can be an alternative way to find roommates. No, we’re not asking you to find a roommate via romance (though one can lead to the other. Here’s a list of the best cities for single people to rent in). Bumble offers a mode called Bumble BFF, where you look through people’s profiles, read about their interests, hobbies, philosophies, and so on. Then you swipe right on the people you think you could be friends with. And you can list in your bio that you’re looking for a roommate.

Yes, apps like Bumble are location-based, but they often allow you to change your location, so you can set it for your target city.

Ask the people around you — virtually, too

Before you hit the road for your new home, post about your move online and announce that you’re on the search for a roommate. Something like this can help you get started:

Using social media can be great for this. But don’t underestimate the potential of asking your family and friends! You never know if your second cousin once-removed needs a roommate too. 

Are you relocating for work, or school? Then ask your coworkers or classmates if they know anyone who’s looking to move in with someone, or if they need someone to move in with them. Some schools and colleges have internal community boards to help you find roommates.

Join clubs or embrace a hobby

Getting social is pretty much a requirement for finding someone to live with in a place you don’t know. That could come in the form of joining a book club, an e-gaming league, or a running group, to name a few of your many options.

A new city presents an opportunity to embrace other new things. Maybe there’s a hobby you’ve been curious about; now’s your chance to try it out. Or you can keep practicing a hobby you already have. You may hit it off with someone in that same community. At least you know you’ll have one shared interest!

Find your “third place”

Let’s explain what a third place is. If you work outside of your home, then you have two places: Home, and work. If you work from home, then you have one. A third place is a location where you can spend time out of the house and away from work. Think boxing studio, a vegan bakery, or a community center. 

Having a third place can boost your mental health with a change of scenery, according to research from the University of Chicago. Also, searching for such a location can be a great way to explore your neighborhood. 

So if you’ve found your third place and you enjoy the vibe of the people who go there, post up a flyer saying you’re looking for a roommate. You two may hit it off pretty well. 

Use your furry friend

Is living with your pet non-negotiable? Then it can be tough to find a pet-friendly rental as well as a pet-friendly person. You can hop on Zillow and filter for pet-friendly apartments and rooms, or take steps to make the process smoother, like writing a resume for your buddy that attests to how well-behaved they are.

If you’ve moved to one of the country’s most dog-friendly cities for renters — like Dallas, Seattle, or Denver — you may have even better luck finding a place to live, and someone to live with. And if you haven’t moved yet, maybe consider choosing one of the cities on that list to make your hunt and your life easier. 

These could also be particularly good cities to take the old-school approach of posting flyers — specifically in dog-friendly bars or cat cafes. Or anywhere, really.

Just don’t forget to include photos of your pets when you’re posting. Not only will this help you connect with others who can appreciate just how cute your cat or dog may be, but it’s always important to be transparent about pets when looking for an apartment or roommate.

Here’s an example of a flyer from a dog owner looking for someone to move in with them:

Go to a meetup or a roommate mixer

Some cities offer people the chance to meet each other. You could keep an eye out for such an event, or you could use an app like Meet Up, intended for people to create (or join) opportunities to socialize. There’s a broad range of activities to choose from, like going bowling, joining a game night, and seeing a musical.

You could also keep an eye out for roommate mixers — meetups specifically where people can find their next roommate. Simply Googling “roommate mixer [insert your city here] could yield some unexpected results!

Do some volunteer work

Lending your effort and time to your community can be a rewarding experience in more than one way: you can feel good knowing you’re contributing to your community in a positive way, you can learn more about the people in said community, and you can meet people and potential roommates who like to spend their time volunteering too. 

You can try one of these methods, or all of them. Odds are, you’ll get to know your city way better while you search, and maybe yourself too.