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Ranch-Style House

A ranch-style house is a single-story home with a long, low profile, a low-pitched roof and wide eaves. The style started in the United States in the 1920s and became one of the most common suburban house types after World War II.

Ranch houses are often rectangular, L-shaped or U-shaped, with an attached garage and an open connection between the kitchen and living areas. Many have a basement, and a raised ranch lifts the main floor above a partly exposed lower level.

Having all rooms on one floor makes ranches popular with buyers who want to avoid stairs.

A ranch is usually the simplest house to measure: one above-grade floor, measured around its exterior walls. Any basement is reported separately. See how to measure a ranch-style home.