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Part of: How to Measure Square Footage: The Complete Guide
Average Home Size by State: Square Footage Rankings
The average occupied US home had 1,845 square feet in 2024, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. State averages range from 1,224 sq ft in Washington, DC to 2,244 sq ft in Utah. Here is the full ranking and what drives the differences.
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Upload Floor PlanAll figures below come from EIA's 2024 Residential Energy Consumption Survey state table (preliminary, March 2026). They are averages across all occupied primary homes, including apartments and mobile homes. Residents report the square footage, and it includes basements and conditioned attic and attached-garage space, so it is not the same as appraised gross living area. For more national figures, see our home size statistics.
Largest average home sizes by state
| Rank | State | Average home size (sq ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah | 2,244 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 2,209 |
| 3 | North Dakota | 2,158 |
| 4 | Georgia | 2,128 |
| 5 | Iowa | 2,126 |
| 6 | Delaware | 2,080 |
| 7 | Maryland | 2,056 |
| 8 | Michigan | 2,051 |
| 9 | Virginia | 2,049 |
| 10 | South Dakota | 2,043 |
Smallest average home sizes by state
Washington, DC is included in EIA's table, so the ranking runs to 51.
| Rank | State | Average home size (sq ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | Alaska | 1,731 |
| 43 | Nevada | 1,705 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | 1,700 |
| 45 | Florida | 1,664 |
| 46 | Oregon | 1,615 |
| 47 | New Mexico | 1,603 |
| 48 | New York | 1,585 |
| 49 | California | 1,538 |
| 50 | Hawaii | 1,352 |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 1,224 |
Average home size in every state (2024)
| Rank | State | Average home size (sq ft) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Utah | 2,244 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 2,209 |
| 3 | North Dakota | 2,158 |
| 4 | Georgia | 2,128 |
| 5 | Iowa | 2,126 |
| 6 | Delaware | 2,080 |
| 7 | Maryland | 2,056 |
| 8 | Michigan | 2,051 |
| 9 | Virginia | 2,049 |
| 10 | South Dakota | 2,043 |
| 11 | Vermont | 2,036 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 2,033 |
| 13 | Indiana | 2,029 |
| 14 | Missouri | 2,029 |
| 15 | Nebraska | 2,022 |
| 16 | Connecticut | 1,994 |
| 17 | Illinois | 1,989 |
| 18 | Colorado | 1,987 |
| 19 | Minnesota | 1,980 |
| 20 | West Virginia | 1,977 |
| 21 | Wyoming | 1,977 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | 1,975 |
| 23 | North Carolina | 1,969 |
| 24 | Kentucky | 1,962 |
| 25 | Alabama | 1,959 |
| 26 | Maine | 1,957 |
| 27 | Montana | 1,951 |
| 28 | Idaho | 1,948 |
| 29 | Ohio | 1,942 |
| 30 | Kansas | 1,935 |
| 31 | South Carolina | 1,881 |
| 32 | Tennessee | 1,860 |
| 33 | Mississippi | 1,844 |
| 34 | Louisiana | 1,839 |
| 35 | Massachusetts | 1,834 |
| 36 | New Jersey | 1,801 |
| 37 | Arkansas | 1,791 |
| 38 | Texas | 1,791 |
| 39 | Rhode Island | 1,783 |
| 40 | Washington | 1,770 |
| 41 | Arizona | 1,768 |
| 42 | Alaska | 1,731 |
| 43 | Nevada | 1,705 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | 1,700 |
| 45 | Florida | 1,664 |
| 46 | Oregon | 1,615 |
| 47 | New Mexico | 1,603 |
| 48 | New York | 1,585 |
| 49 | California | 1,538 |
| 50 | Hawaii | 1,352 |
| 51 | District of Columbia | 1,224 |
What drives home size differences by state
Land cost and availability
The single biggest driver of home size is land cost. When land is cheap, builders can spread a home across a larger footprint without pricing out buyers. When land is expensive, every square foot of building adds proportionally less value than the land beneath it, so builders and buyers optimize for smaller, more efficient layouts.
This helps explain why Hawaii (1,352 sq ft) has the smallest average of any state and why Utah (2,244 sq ft), where land has stayed more affordable despite rapid growth, has the largest. For reference, one acre equals 43,560 square feet , a useful benchmark when comparing lot size versus living area square footage across markets.
Family size and demographics
States with higher average household sizes tend to have larger homes. Utah has the highest average household size in the US and the largest average home size in EIA's 2024 survey. The correlation is not coincidental: more people per household means more bedrooms, more bathrooms, and more common area needed. For context on how much space individual occupants actually use, see square footage per person . EIA puts the national average at 782 sq ft per household member in 2024, though it varies considerably by household size and region.
Age of housing stock
States with older housing stock, New England, the mid-Atlantic, and older Midwest cities, have lower average sizes because a large portion of the housing supply was built when homes were smaller. The national average for all existing homes is lower than for new construction because pre-1980 homes average significantly less than 2,000 sq ft.
Newer stock is not a guarantee of larger averages, though. Fast-growing Sunbelt states such as Texas (1,791 sq ft), Arizona (1,768) and Florida (1,664) sit below the national average of 1,845, partly because they have few basements and many apartments, while Georgia (2,128) ranks fourth.
Regulatory environment
Zoning, building codes, and land use regulations affect home size. Dense zoning in California, New York, and New England limits lot sizes and building footprints. More permissive land use in Texas, Idaho, and Tennessee allows builders to construct larger homes on larger lots without regulatory friction. These states also see higher concentrations of non-traditional housing types, such as barndominiums , which are permitted more easily in rural and semi-rural zoning environments.
Migration patterns
States receiving large inflows of domestic migration often see upward pressure on new home sizes as arriving buyers with higher purchasing power from expensive markets pursue the larger homes that drew them to the destination state. This is part of what is driving size growth in Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida as buyers from California and New York relocate.
National trend: homes peaked and are now shrinking slightly
The median size of a newly completed single-family home in the US peaked at 2,467 sq ft in 2015, according to the Census Bureau, and was 2,142 sq ft in 2025, as affordability pressures have pushed builders toward smaller, more efficiently priced homes. Entry-level buyers priced out of larger homes have driven demand for smaller new construction in many markets.
See our full breakdown of average US home square footage by decade for the historical trend.
Why the stated square footage may not match the real size
Whether you are buying in Utah's large-home market or California's compact-home market, the square footage shown on a listing is not always accurate. MLS figures frequently pull from county assessor records that are out of date or that measure square footage differently than appraisers do. For a detailed look at how common these discrepancies are and what you can do about them, see our guide on MLS square footage errors.
Appraisers measure independently using exterior dimensions and ANSI Z765 standards, which exclude below-grade space, garages, and unheated areas regardless of what any other source says. In states where finished basements are common (upper Midwest, Mountain West), assessor figures often include basement square footage that an appraiser would report separately, making portal figures appear larger than the appraised GLA will be.
If a listing has a to-scale floor plan, you can verify the above-grade GLA yourself before making an offer. Upload it to MeasureFloorPlan, trace the perimeter, set a reference dimension, and get your own number in under two minutes.
Related: Average Square Footage of a House in the US · How Big Is a 1,500 Square Foot House? · How Big Is a 2,000 Square Foot House? · How Big Is a 3,000 Square Foot House? · Average Bathroom Square Footage · What Counts as Square Footage? · Listing Square Footage Accuracy · Square Footage and Property Taxes
Measure Your Floor Plan in Minutes
Upload a plan, set the scale with one known wall, and measure anything: wall lengths, room areas, and total size. Try the free demo, then measure your own plan for $9. No signup required.
Upload Floor PlanFrequently Asked Questions
Which states have the largest average home sizes?
In EIA's 2024 Residential Energy Consumption Survey, Utah had the largest average home size at 2,244 sq ft, followed by New Hampshire (2,209), North Dakota (2,158), Georgia (2,128) and Iowa (2,126). These are averages across all occupied homes, including apartments, and they count basements.
Which states have the smallest average home sizes?
Washington, DC had the smallest average at 1,224 sq ft, followed by Hawaii (1,352), California (1,538), New York (1,585) and New Mexico (1,603), according to EIA's 2024 survey.
How has average home size changed over time in the U.S.?
For new single-family homes, the Census Bureau puts the median at 1,525 sq ft in 1973. It peaked at 2,467 sq ft in 2015 and was 2,142 sq ft in 2025.
What is the national average home size in the U.S. today?
Across all occupied homes, EIA puts the average at 1,845 sq ft for 2024 (preliminary). For new single-family homes completed in 2025, the Census Bureau reports a median of 2,142 sq ft and an average of 2,378 sq ft.
Why do some states have larger homes than others?
Land cost, the age of the housing stock and the share of apartments all matter. Places with many apartments or scarce land, such as DC, Hawaii, California and New York, have the lowest averages. EIA's figures also include basements, which lifts averages in northern states where basements are common.
How does new construction home size differ from existing homes?
New homes run larger than the existing stock. The 2025 median new single-family home completed was 2,142 sq ft (Census), while EIA puts the average across all occupied homes, including apartments and older houses, at 1,845 sq ft in 2024.
Does average home size affect price per square foot?
Yes, inversely. Larger homes almost always have lower prices per square foot than smaller homes in the same market. Fixed costs, lot, foundation, roof, utility connections, are spread over more area in a larger home, reducing cost per square foot. This is why a 1,200 sq ft home often costs more per square foot than a 2,400 sq ft home on a comparable lot.
Official Sources
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2024 Residential Energy Consumption Survey, state square footage table, preliminary average square footage of occupied homes for all 50 states and DC (March 2026).
- U.S. Census Bureau, Characteristics of New Housing, Annual data on size, features, and construction of new single-family homes by state and region.
- American Housing Survey (AHS), Biennial Census survey of housing characteristics including square footage, age, and unit size for the U.S. housing stock.
More guides on measuring square footage:
- How to Measure a Room's Square Footage
- How to Measure Condo Square Footage
- Does Square Footage Include Walls?
- Measuring Square Footage for a Building Permit
- Square Footage: The Complete Guide
- Average Square Footage of a House
- How to Calculate Price Per Square Foot
- Price Per Square Foot in Real Estate: How to Use and Interpret It
- How Big Is a 1,500 Square Foot House?
- How Big Is a 2,000 Square Foot House?
- How Big Is a 2,500 Square Foot House?
- How Big Is a 3,000 Square Foot House?
Related Resources
- Average Bathroom Square Footage: Full Bath, Half Bath, Primary Suite
- Average Bedroom Square Footage: What Is Normal?
- Average Living Room Square Footage: What Is Normal?
- Average Kitchen Square Footage: What Is Normal?
- Square Footage Per Person: How Much Space Do You Actually Need?
- How Big Is a 1,500 Square Foot House? Room Breakdown
- How Big Is a 2,000 Square Foot House? Room Breakdown + Visuals
- How Big Is a 2,500 Square Foot House? Room Breakdown
- How Big Is a 3,000 Square Foot House? Room Breakdown
- Two-Bedroom House Square Footage: Average Sizes and What to Expect
- Three-Bedroom House Square Footage: Average Sizes by Type and Era
- How Many Square Feet Is an Acre? (With Lot Size Examples)
- Open Floor Plan Square Footage: How Layout Affects Measured Area
- Minimum Square Footage Per Bedroom: Code Requirements and Appraisal Standards
- Closet Square Footage in Appraisals: Does It Count as GLA?
- Floor Plan Measurement Tool: Calculate Square Footage from Any Floor Plan
- Free Price Per Square Foot Calculator
- Free Absorption Rate Calculator: Measure Market Supply Speed by State
- Tiny House Square Footage Rules: GLA, Codes, and Financing
- Manufactured Home Square Footage in Appraisals: HUD Code and GLA Rules
- Modular Home Square Footage in Appraisals: How It Differs from Site-Built
- FAQ: How Does Square Footage Affect Home Value?
- FAQ: Why Is the Appraisal Square Footage Different from the Listing?
- FAQ: What Counts as GLA in a Real Estate Appraisal?
- Zillow vs Redfin Square Footage Accuracy: Which Is More Reliable?
- Is Zillow Square Footage Accurate? Why It Often Isn't
- Is Redfin Square Footage Accurate? Where the Data Comes From
- GLA vs Total Square Footage: What Is the Difference?
- Furniture Floor Plan: How to Use One to Verify Room Square Footage
- Home Office Square Footage Tax Deduction: IRS Rules and How to Calculate It
- Minimum Square Footage for a Mortgage: FHA, VA, USDA, and Conventional Rules
- FHA Square Footage Requirements: Minimum Size and GLA Rules
- How to Add Square Footage to a Home: Additions, Conversions, and Permits
- Construction Takeoff Software: Best Tools for Measuring Plans
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- Takeoff Estimating Software: Choosing the Right Tool