US New Single-Family Home Size Little Changed in Q2

According to Q2 data from the US Census Bureau’s Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design, with analysis by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the median floor area of new single-family homes was 2,185 square feet, effectively unchanged from Q1. The average size was 2,426 square feet, a small increase year-over-year.

NAHB noted that new single-family home size had generally declined since 2015 as affordability worsened. An exception occurred in 2021, when historically low interest rates contributed to larger homes, before higher mortgage rates in 2022 and 2023 shifted demand back toward smaller homes.

On a one-year moving average basis, the average size of a new single-family home edged higher to 2,421 square feet, while the median increased to 2,184 square feet. NAHB said home size has trended higher since 2024 as the upper end of the housing market has performed better than the entry-level segment.

NAHB expects home sizes to post additional modest gains in 2026, supported by relative strength at the higher end of the market but constrained by ongoing housing affordability challenges.