In late 2025 and continuing on to 2026, social media pundits – often those with expert sounding titles – have been comparing home prices of the 1960s or 1970s to today, and sometimes even comparing them to the incomes of the day.
But not one of these comparisons bothers to note that today’s homes are generally twice the size, have more bedrooms, more bathrooms and larger garages. They cannot be directly compared.
(Side note – never trust anything in the media or on social media, or trust someone who is an “expert” or has a fancy title. I am appalled at the lack of critical thinking skills and you should be too.)
The average new single‑family home in the U.S. is about 2,386–2,408 square feet, most commonly has two bathrooms, and typically comes with a two‑car garage.
Compare to average new home size of 1500 sq ft in 1970, 1 car garage, 1 bathroom, often uninsulated. Few appliances, no central HVAC.
The market for homes in 1970 also included a large supply of homes built in the 1950s, 1960s and even earlier – which were typically 2 bedroom, 900-1200 sq ft, 1 bathroom, no garage/carport or one car garage.
Compare this to today’s buyer expectations to purchase a typical 2400 sq ft home with 2-3 bathrooms, 2 car garage, central HVAC, and a full complement of appliances. And then they complain that today’s homes cost more than in 1970.
📊 Average Size of New Homes (2025)
- Square footage:
- Census Bureau & NAHB data show the average new home size is ~2,386–2,408 sq. ft.
- Median size is slightly smaller (~2,172 sq. ft.), reflecting affordability pressures.
- This is nearly 60% larger than homes built in 1970 (~1,500 sq. ft.), showing long‑term asset inflation.
🚽 Bathrooms
- Most common configuration:
- 65% of new homes have two full bathrooms.
- 23% have three bathrooms, while fewer than 10% have one or four+ bathrooms.
- Trend: Builders are prioritizing at least two bathrooms even in smaller homes, reflecting modern expectations of convenience.
🚗 Garage Stalls
- Garage size distribution (2024 data):
- 65% of new homes have two‑car garages.
- 15% have three‑car garages.
- 9% have one‑car garages (highest share in decades).
- About 9% of homes have no garage at all, often in dense urban areas.
- Trend: Two‑car garages remain the standard, but affordability and lot size constraints are reviving single‑car garages in some regions.
⚖️ Interpretation
- Home size: Still large by international standards, though shrinking slightly from the 2010s peak (~2,500 sq. ft.).
- Bathrooms: Two is the baseline expectation; one bathroom is now rare.
- Garages: Two‑car garages dominate, but three‑car garages are declining as affordability pressures grow.
✅ Bottom line in 2025
- Average new home size (2025): ~2,386–2,408 sq. ft.
- Bathrooms: 2 (most common).
- Garage: 2 stalls (standard).
Sources: NAHB/Eye on Housing; Census Bureau Survey of Construction; NAHB Parking Trends.
