US Single-Family Home Sizes Edge Higher in Q1

According to Q1 data from the US Census Bureau’s Quarterly Starts and Completions by Purpose and Design, with analysis from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the median floor area of new single-family homes was 2,211 square feet in Q1, effectively unchanged from the start of the year but up more than 3% over the past two years.

The average floor area for new single-family homes reached 2,436 square feet in Q1, posting a small year-over-year increase.

NAHB noted that new single-family home sizes had generally trended lower since 2015 as affordability conditions weakened. Home sizes temporarily increased in 2021 when mortgage rates fell to historic lows before shifting lower again in 2022 and 2023 as borrowing costs rose and affordability deteriorated.

More recent data suggest those trends have stabilized, although NAHB said the reversal likely reflects continued weakness in the starter-home market.

On a one-year moving average basis, the average size of a new single-family home increased slightly to 2,408 square feet in Q1, while the median size rose to 2,169 square feet.

NAHB said home size trends in 2026 are expected to post modest additional gains, supported by relative strength in the higher end of the housing market but limited by ongoing affordability challenges.