The Best Area Rugs Under $500

Sometimes you need an area rug just to cover ugly floors, to keep downstairs neighbors from hearing you walk around, or to make your place feel homey without spending a lot of money. We spent more than 60 hours researching hundreds of budget area rugs, interviewing experts, and testing rugs with panelists, then put our feet on our favorites at home (and let a cat do his best to destroy them) for many more hours. Of the 42 rugs we tested, we highly recommend 13 that come in multiple sizes, colors, and patterns. We have picks for flat-woven, low-pile, and high-pile rugs that will suit a range of functional purposes and decorating styles.