The "New American Home" is shrinking

Is it a shift in wants and needs, or the economy?

By buchtjd

January 19, 2012 at 9:43PM
(JAMES_F_WILSON/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Photos courtesy James F. Wilson
Photos courtesy James F. Wilson (JAMES_F_WILSON/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Did you know that the size of the average American home keeps getting smaller? A story in the Wall Street Journal documents the trend, focusing on a cool new demonstration house (shown above) that was built for the National Association of Home Builders annual convention in early February.

With 4,181 square feet, it's one of the smallest in the show's 29 years; last year's house had 6,800 square feet. According to the NAHB the average new house will have 2,152 square feet, down from a peak of 2,500 square feet just four years ago.

James F. Wilson/courtesy BUILDER Magazine
James F. Wilson/courtesy BUILDER Magazine (JAMES_F_WILSON/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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