Average New Home Size Price History
1960–2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
Average square footage of newly built single-family homes in the United States from 1960 to 2025. Americans spent half a century building bigger and bigger houses — the typical new home nearly doubled from 1,289 sq ft in 1960 to a peak of 2,467 sq ft in 2015. Then something shifted. Affordability pressures, smaller household sizes, and rising construction costs started pushing builders toward more modest footprints. By 2025, the average new home has shrunk back to about 2,170 sq ft, and the McMansion era looks increasingly like a historical blip.
Price in 1960
$1,289.00
Price in 2025
$2,170.00
Total Change
+68.3%
Years Tracked
65
Average New Home Size Over Time
Compare to inflation: The chart above shows nominal (not inflation-adjusted) prices. Use the toggle to switch to inflation-adjusted values when available, or try the inflation calculator to convert any amount between years.
Key Insights
- The average new home grew from 1,289 sq ft in 1960 to 2,467 sq ft in 2015 — a 91% increase that tracked almost perfectly with rising incomes and cheap credit.
- New home sizes actually shrank during every recession: down in 1974-75, 1980-82, 1991, and 2008-2009, suggesting builders respond quickly when buyers tighten their belts.
- The peak year was 2015 at 2,467 sq ft, after which sizes began a steady retreat — falling nearly 300 sq ft by 2025 as starter homes and affordability became industry buzzwords.
- Despite the recent downsizing trend, today's average new home at 2,170 sq ft is still 68% larger than what was being built in 1960.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Price (Square feet) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | $1,289.00 | — |
| 1965 | $1,434.00 | +11.2% |
| 1970 | $1,500.00 | +4.6% |
| 1971 | $1,520.00 | +1.3% |
| 1972 | $1,550.00 | +2.0% |
| 1973 | $1,560.00 | +0.6% |
| 1974 | $1,540.00 | -1.3% |
| 1975 | $1,535.00 | -0.3% |
| 1976 | $1,590.00 | +3.6% |
| 1977 | $1,610.00 | +1.3% |
| 1978 | $1,655.00 | +2.8% |
| 1979 | $1,645.00 | -0.6% |
| 1980 | $1,595.00 | -3.0% |
| 1981 | $1,550.00 | -2.8% |
| 1982 | $1,520.00 | -1.9% |
| 1983 | $1,565.00 | +3.0% |
| 1984 | $1,605.00 | +2.6% |
| 1985 | $1,660.00 | +3.4% |
| 1986 | $1,690.00 | +1.8% |
| 1987 | $1,755.00 | +3.8% |
| 1988 | $1,810.00 | +3.1% |
| 1989 | $1,850.00 | +2.2% |
| 1990 | $1,905.00 | +3.0% |
| 1991 | $1,890.00 | -0.8% |
| 1992 | $1,920.00 | +1.6% |
| 1993 | $1,945.00 | +1.3% |
| 1994 | $1,940.00 | -0.3% |
| 1995 | $1,920.00 | -1.0% |
| 1996 | $1,950.00 | +1.6% |
| 1997 | $1,975.00 | +1.3% |
| 1998 | $2,000.00 | +1.3% |
| 1999 | $2,028.00 | +1.4% |
| 2000 | $2,057.00 | +1.4% |
| 2001 | $2,103.00 | +2.2% |
| 2002 | $2,114.00 | +0.5% |
| 2003 | $2,137.00 | +1.1% |
| 2004 | $2,140.00 | +0.1% |
| 2005 | $2,227.00 | +4.1% |
| 2006 | $2,248.00 | +0.9% |
| 2007 | $2,277.00 | +1.3% |
| 2008 | $2,215.00 | -2.7% |
| 2009 | $2,135.00 | -3.6% |
| 2010 | $2,169.00 | +1.6% |
| 2011 | $2,233.00 | +3.0% |
| 2012 | $2,306.00 | +3.3% |
| 2013 | $2,384.00 | +3.4% |
| 2014 | $2,453.00 | +2.9% |
| 2015 | $2,467.00 | +0.6% |
| 2016 | $2,422.00 | -1.8% |
| 2017 | $2,426.00 | +0.2% |
| 2018 | $2,386.00 | -1.6% |
| 2019 | $2,301.00 | -3.6% |
| 2020 | $2,261.00 | -1.7% |
| 2021 | $2,273.00 | +0.5% |
| 2022 | $2,299.00 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $2,233.00 | -2.9% |
| 2024 | $2,190.00 | -1.9% |
| 2025 | $2,170.00 | -0.9% |
Sources & Methodology
Data from the Census Bureau's Characteristics of New Housing survey (formerly Survey of Construction). Figures represent the average square footage of new single-family homes completed each year, including finished and unfinished areas. Pre-1973 data points are derived from decennial census housing characteristics reports with interpolation.
Primary source: U.S. Census Bureau
For a full explanation of how we collect and adjust data, see our methodology page.