Characteristics of New Housing report for 2007

According to the Census Bureaus’ Characteristics of New Housing report for 2007, the average square footage of homes is currently at a historic high. On average, a completed single-family home had 2,521 square-feet, up 2.1 percent from 2,469 square-feet in 2006. Additionally, the report provides characteristics on indoor and outdoor housing features. Data from this report gives insight into current trends to better understand today’s buyer.  

Home-size findings from the report include:

• The average square footage of new homes completed has grown about 46.6 percent since 1977, when the average was 1,720 square-feet.
• About 26 percent of all new single-family homes completed in 2007 had 3,000 or more square-feet of space, up from 24 percent in 2006 and 11 percent in 1988.
• The percentage of new single-family completed with 1,200 square-feet or less of floor area shrank from 25 percent in 1973 to 4 percent in 2007. 

Housing characteristics of single-family, newly-completed homes include:

• In homes with 4 or more bedrooms, over half had 3 bathrooms or more.
• Across the country, half of all homes had at least one fireplace.
• 90 percent of all homes had air conditioning.
• 67 percent of all new homes used gas as the primary source of heating fuel.
• At 32 percent, vinyl siding is the most commonly used material for the exterior of a home. 

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