US Homes Are Smaller Than a Decade Ago, but Price Per Square Foot Is Higher

By the turn of the 21st century, the median single-family home size in the U.S. increased from an average 1,500 square feet to more than 2,000 square feet, according to data from the Census Bureau. By the end of 2022, the average new U.S. single-family home sold was roughly 2,559 square feet, just 1% smaller than in 2012. Despite a slight decline in home size, the price per square foot nearly doubled during that same period, now averaging about $168 per square foot, The New York Times reports.

The largest new homes sold in 2022—with an average size of 2,756 square feet—were located in the Northeast. That’s 8% larger than a decade before. While the Northeast is home to the largest single-family houses, the West boasts the most expensive homes. Western homes with an average of 2,477 square feet sold for $217 per square foot, the highest cost in the country.

In the South, new homes sold in 2022 averaged 2,608 square feet, about 3 percent smaller than they were a decade ago, and second in size behind Northeastern homes. The smallest homes were sold in the Midwest, averaging 2,397 square feet, 2 percent smaller than a decade earlier.

Despite these size variations, the cost per square foot was considerably higher across all regions in 2022.

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