California cities where you get the biggest apartment rentals for $1,500

California is one of the toughest states in the nation to land affordable housing.

But in certain bastions, housing relief can still actually be found.

A new RentCafe analysis showed moving Americans can go to Bakersfield, Fresno, and Visalia to land an 800+ square foot apartment for $1,500. Those areas ranked among the top for best bang for your buck in the Golden State.

For the relatively low monthly price, renters can grab 860, 841, and 832 square feet of space, respectively.

The space for the money is an eye-popping bargain compared to San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles.

San Francisco sat at the bottom of the square-footage list for what $1,500 could land, with just 307 square feet available for the money. The city by the Bay is known for its hyper-competitive real-estate market chockful of wealthy buyers and renters competing for limited space.

San Jose came in at a more-spacious 423 square feet and LA came with slightly more at 429 square feet.

The average apartment in the United States is 835 square feet, according to Rent Cafe. California accounts for 15 of the 26 cities where $1,500 can’t buy a studio apartment.

Bakersfield has a reputation for being the budget housing haven of California. The agriculture-centered Central Valley community is also one of cheapest areas to buy a home in the state, a real estate report found. The minimum qualifying income for a medium-priced home in Bakersfield is about $96,800 versus $213,200 statewide.  

Prospective renters looking for the best bargain should look to Texas. $1,500 can land a spacious 1,378 square foot apartment in McAllen, Texas, the city where renters’ money goes furthest, according to the analysis.

The analysis said that small cities are the best bet for renters looking for budget finds.