American Homes Are Getting Smaller

Posted by Carol Coletta on October 11, 2009

Seriously?  McMansions are on the wane? 

The trends seem to suggest that, yes, it's true.  The median size of new houses in the U.S. shrank last year, reversing a decades-long trend. And this year,  the trend continues, with houses nearly 200 square feet smaller than two years ago.  Average new home size in the U.S. peaked in 2007 at 2521 square feet.  And though home sizes are on the decline, U.S. homes are still much larger than those in Germany and France (1200 square feet) and in England (900 square feet). 

Is America ready to trade off more private space for better public space?  And if so, are urban leaders ready to respond?