After a slow rise in the two decades prior, the average size of a single-family house fell by three square feet in 2008.
Since then, new houses have been getting bigger. Through Census data, CityLab found that between 2010 and 2011, the average size of a new house grew from 2,392 square feet to 2,480 square feet, the highest rate in 20 years. Last year, the average square footage for a new house broke the 2,600 mark for the first time.
While houses are getting larger, lots are shrinking. Land in metro areas and inner-ring suburbs is scarce. Builders capitalize on the smaller lots by constructing larger homes.
