Number Crunch

The Best in American Living Award celebrates its 25th year this year. The program started in 1983 with two magazines, an idea and a guy named Steve Moore. Happy silver anniversary, BALA, and to many years more.

In 25 years of the Best in American Living Award, we've had approximately 1,857 winners. There were 12,500 entries during that time.

The Best in American Living Award now has 36 categories, ranging from Best Custom Home to Best Detail. In 1983, it started with just 26 categories.

The coveted Home of the Year award started in 1990, with Vernon Swaback Associates grabbing the first one with his custom home project in Forest Lake, Ariz. (not picture). Since then, we've had 18 Home of the Year winners.

The Home of the Year award has been around for 18 years, but one company managed to take the title three times: Looney Ricks Kiss. It snagged the title in 1991, 1994 and 2007.

The Best in American Living Award wouldn't be complete without the judges. Since 1983, 225 builders, architects, interior designers, HUD experts and others volunteered their time to peruse the countless entries and make difficult decisions.