Your New Roommate’s Personality Type: What You Need to Know

Living with a roommate can be tricky. Sure, it’s nice to have someone to hang out with, but conflict is inevitable – whether it’s over loud music, piles of clutter, or whose turn it is to vacuum.

So which personality type makes for the perfect roommate, and which personality type is most likely to break into your secret stash of chocolate chip cookies? There’s no definitive answer to these questions – after all, one person’s dream roommate is another person’s cohabitation nightmare.

But when it comes to sharing a living space, each personality type has something to offer – and potential issues that may arise. In that spirit, here’s the inside scoop on what each personality type tends to be like as a roommate.

Analyst Personality Types

Architect (INTJ)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: If you want a roommate who respects your privacy and space, you can hardly do better than an Architect. All they ask is that you offer them the same consideration in return.

Potential Issues: Architects take their time before opening up to other people. Until they figure out what they think of you, they may seem distant or disengaged. Depending on your personality type and preferences, this may feel like a relief – or it may feel a bit cold.

Logician (INTP)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: Logicians are always thinking up new and better ways of doing things. As roommates, they’re constantly on the lookout to make things work more efficiently – whether by automating rent payments or by installing a smart thermostat.

Potential Issues: Logicians become absorbed by whatever project or idea is sparking their curiosity in the moment, which means that they often lose track of mundane chores and responsibilities. Roommates with this personality type can get so wrapped up in their thoughts that they genuinely don’t notice a stack of dirty dishes – or they may choose not to notice it.

Commander (ENTJ)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: Commanders tend to be resilient and proactive, even in the most stressful situations. They keep their head when pipes burst, they know how to ask the neighbors to quiet down, and they don’t shy away from dealing with a shady or difficult landlord.

Potential Issues: Commanders have a way of poking fun at the people they interact with often. They see this as good-natured ribbing, but if you’re on the sensitive side, you may feel as if your Commander roommate is criticizing you or putting you down.

Debater (ENTP)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: With Debaters around, there’s rarely a dull moment. Roommates with this personality type always have something interesting to say or contribute to a conversation, and they’ll be game to chat pretty much whenever you want to.

Potential Issues: Debaters have a tendency to question everything. When you ask them to do something – whether it’s something as simple as running the dishwasher or as important as dealing with a safety hazard – they may push back simply out of habit.

Diplomat Personality Types

Advocate (INFJ)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: Advocates are thoughtful and principled, and they care about doing the right thing. They’re also perceptive, so when you’ve had a bad day, they can usually tell whether you need someone to talk to or just want some space.

Potential Issues: Advocates have a clear sense of right and wrong. This is part of what makes them thoughtful and principled (see above), but it also means that they may have trouble moving on if they catch you throwing out a jar instead of recycling it or falling behind on your share of the chores.

Mediator (INFP)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: Mediators bring peace and harmony wherever they go. Some personality types have a tendency to pick fights or stir up drama – but Mediators are definitely not one of those types.

Potential Issues: Mediators are sentimental, and getting rid of things isn’t their specialty. As a result, they are among the more clutter-prone personality types. To keep your shared spaces from becoming overwhelmed, you may need to designate zones where they can (or can’t) keep their personal items.

Protagonist (ENFJ)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: Protagonists take pride in being responsible and considerate, so you can be confident that the rent will be paid on time. These types also have a genuine, heartfelt interest in other people – so a Protagonist roommate is nearly always ready to lend an ear when you need it.

Potential Issues: Protagonists sincerely want to help other people – and they don’t always realize when that help isn’t wanted. If you’re open to having a roommate who’s more of a friend, this can be a boon, but if you’re more of a private type, you may find that your Protagonist roommate gets a bit more invested in your life than you’d prefer.

Campaigner (ENFP)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: It’s hard to imagine a friendlier, more accepting personality type than Campaigners. Their upbeat energy is contagious, and if you’re looking to meet new people and make friends, most Campaigners are more than happy to include you in their social circles.

Potential Issues: Campaigners love inviting people into their lives – and into their homes. Particularly if you have an Introverted personality type, you might be dismayed by your Campaigner roommate’s many guests and visitors.

Sentinel Personality Types

Logistician (ISTJ)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: Logisticians don’t come with a lot of surprises. By no means does that mean that they’re boring – it just means that you can count on them to be fairly consistent from one day to the next. If you enjoy having a steady, low-drama roommate, a Logistician can be a great match.

Potential Issues: Some people want to have a close, meaningful relationship with their roommates, no matter what. That’s not necessarily the case with Logisticians. They may open up to you as a friend, but then again, they may not. Logisticians tend to place the people in their lives into clear-cut categories, and they may decide that you’re someone they live with rather than someone they want to bond with.

Defender (ISFJ)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: Defenders are, in a word, responsible. Roommates with this personality type can be depended on to keep things safe and comfortable and to do their share of the chores – or more than their share.

Potential Issues: Defenders may quietly take the lead on chores and responsibilities, but that doesn’t mean that they never get resentful. If they feel taken advantage of or underappreciated, they may vent their frustration in passive-aggressive ways.

Executive (ESTJ)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: Executives get things done. When a problem arises – and there are inevitably problems in communal living situations, whether it’s an ant infestation or a missing set of keys – they don’t put off dealing with it. That said, they’re not impulsive. Roommates with this personality type think through the best way to do something before taking action.

Potential Issues: Executives like to establish routines, and they appreciate predictability. If you prefer a free-spirited, take-each-day-as-it-comes approach to chores and shared responsibilities, you may experience friction.

Consul (ESFJ)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: Consuls are all about community. With their love of bringing people together, they are friendly and welcoming, eager to include their roommates in their lives. If you’re looking for a roommate who makes you feel involved and welcomed, you can hardly do better than a Consul.

Potential Issues: Roommates with this personality type tend to have strong opinions about how things should (or shouldn’t) be done. It can be difficult to convince them otherwise – and they may get uncharacteristically irritated if you don’t do things their way.

Explorer Personality Types

Virtuoso (ISTP)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: Sometimes you just want peace and quiet when you get home after a long day at work or school. Most Virtuosos do too. Independent and self-sufficient, they’re unlikely to impose on your energy or demand too much of your attention.

Potential Issues: Virtuosos take a straightforward approach to life, and they don’t tend to mince words or worry too much about stepping on other people’s toes. As a result, roommates with this personality type can sometimes come across as somewhat harsh or not particularly considerate.

Adventurer (ISFP)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: Adventurers are usually quiet, kindhearted, and easy to get along with. As roommates, they’ll give you space when you need it, but they’re generally happy to hear you out when you need to talk.

Potential Issues: Adventurers aren’t the most structured of personality types. You may get frustrated with them if you expect a highly organized, immaculately tidy living space.

Entrepreneur (ESTP)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: Outgoing and open to new experiences, Entrepreneurs like to keep life interesting. When you want someone to come along to a concert or a new restaurant, chances are they’re game. Having a roommate with this personality type can be especially helpful if you’re hoping to break out of your shell and get out more.

Potential Issues: Entrepreneurs can be a bit on the impulsive side. If there’s any personality type that might suddenly come home with a pet (whether or not you’re allowed to have one) or a new piece of furniture, it’s Entrepreneurs.

Entertainer (ESFP)

What Makes Them Great Roommates: Entertainers are, in a word, fun. They have their finger on the pulse of what’s happening in their town or city. If you’re interested in exploring your community, they can open your eyes to local events and hotspots that you might never have known existed otherwise.

Potential Issues: Like Campaigners, Entertainers love to host people – sometimes on short notice. If you’re more of a quiet type, you may find this more than a little stressful.

What’s Your Roommate Story?

What personality types do you gravitate toward as a roommate? Do you have any particularly memorable roommate stories? Tell us in the comments below!