Some of the largest homes in America were built more than a century ago, during the country’s so-called Gilded Age, when railroad barons, industrial magnates, and financiers competed to outdo one another with lavish estates. Many of these massive residences have since been preserved as museums or adapted to serve as university buildings, conference centers, or historic hotels. A few remain in private hands, standing as reminders of immense family fortunes.
A handful of houses on our list are new builds, though still a show of extravagant wealth. Unlike the Gilded Age mansions, these modern estates belong to contemporary billionaires, real estate moguls, and company CEOs. These sprawling homes feature amenities like private theaters, indoor pools, multi-car garages, and bowling alleys. The grand scale of these modern-day homes reveals the same timeless desire to showcase wealth and status through architecture.
To put their scale in perspective, the average American home today is roughly 2,480–2,600 square feet, according to U.S. Census data. By contrast, the mansions on this list are astonishingly larger, ranging from around 70,000 to an almost unimaginable 175,000 square feet!
This article covers the 15 largest houses in America, starting with the one in 15th place, including who owned them, and their current use. We used sites like Explore, Family Handy Man, and Largest to gather information about these exorbitant family homes.
This post was updated on October 3, 2025 to clarify the average home size, Vanderbilt philanthropy, number of rooms in Woodlea, the date of the original Idle Hour build, current use of Indian-Neck Hall, Versailles’ ongoing construction, Meadow Brook Hall acreage, President Wilson’s connection to Shadow Lawn, current use of Winterthur as a museum, the value of the du Ponts’ collection, and the original owner of The One.
Why This Matters
Some of the biggest homes in America are owned by some of the wealthiest Americans.
The wealthy people who have built the mansions on our list have had a major influence on the American economy and culture. For example, the Vanderbilt Family has multiple homes listed here. This family built their wealth from the American railroad industry in the 1800s. They not only built lavish mansions but became philanthropic, donating millions to universities, churches, and hospitals in New York City.
15. Woodlea
There are a total of 140 rooms in the Woodlea home.
- Square Footage: 70,000
- Location: New York
- When Built: 1895
A Victorian Beauty
The home is now a place for golfing enthusiasts to meet up and hang out.
Woodlea, situated in Briarcliff Manor, New York, is a beautiful Victorian-style home. This 70,000-square-foot home was first built for Elliott Fitch Shepard, a prominent lawyer married to Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt Shepard (a Vanderbilt daughter). The massive estate featured 140 different rooms within its walls. They later sold the house to Sleepy Hollow Country Club. Now fully converted to host all sorts of golfers, the home still retains much of its original details and beauty.
14. Idle Hour
The Vanderbilt family once owned the Idle Hour home.
- Square Footage: 70,000
- Location: New York
- When Built: 1882 (The original Idle Hour was built earlier, but the large mansion burned in 1899 and was rebuilt in 1901.)
A Piece of Art
There are many places named after the Vanderbilt family, such as Vanderbilt University.
This home, finished in 1882, was built for William Vanderbilt of the Vanderbilt family. This one consists of 110 rooms. It was considered one of the most beautiful homes in all of America for a while. In 1920, William passed away, and the house went through several different owners. At one time, it became part of Dowling College’s campus, and after the college’s bankruptcy (2016), it was auctioned off.
13. Pensmore
- Pensmore was designed to last up to 2,000 years by its millionaire owner.
- Square Footage: 72,215
- Location: Missouri
- When Built: 2016 (Construction actually began around 2008 and was substantially completed by 2016, but parts of the project dragged beyond that.)
Sturdy Construction
The Ozark Mountains offer beautiful scenery and a beautiful home.
Pensmore is a newer build, started in 2008 and completed in 2016. It can be found in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri. Steven Huff built the residence and still currently lives in the home; he built the place to withstand all sorts of natural disasters and emergencies like tornadoes, earthquakes, and even bombs. With five stories, 12-inch-thick walls, and 13 bedrooms, Huff claims the house will last at least 2,000 years.
12. Indian Neck Hall
At the time it was built, Indian Neck Hall was the largest home on Long Island.
- Square Footage: 75,000
- Location: New York
- When Built: 1897
A Bourne Legacy
Indian Neck Hall was La Salle Military Academy for a while.
In 1897, Frederick Gilbert Bourne, president of Singer Manufacturing Company, built Indian Neck Hall. At the time it was built, this 110-room home was the largest on Long Island. The family stayed in the home until Frederick passed away. Then, his children sold the estate. In 1926, it became La Salle Military Academy, which later closed. It is now used for St. John’s Prep School–related purposes, though not the university’s main Queens campus.
11. Florham
The Florham home in New Jersey is yet another home once built by the Vanderbilt family.
- Square Footage: 80,000
- Location: New Jersey
- When Built: 1899
The Vanderbilt Fortune
Florham was inspired by Hampton Court Palace, pictured above.
This house also has Vanderbilt roots, built by Florence Adele Vanderbilt Twombly. It was thought the home cost about $5 million to build this mansion, which is about equal to $185 million today. In 1955, the estate was broken up, with Fairleigh Dickinson University acquiring the mansion and 178 acres of garden.
10. Versailles
The Versailles home has undergone numerous construction issues over 20 years.
- Square Footage: 85,000
- Location: Florida
- When Built: Construction started in 2004, stalled during the 2008 recession, and has dragged on for years. As of 2025, it’s still unfinished (though portions are habitable).
Exorbitant Expense
Not even the town hall of Windermere can stand up to the impressive Versailles home.
This house has everything you may need, including 14 bedrooms, nine kitchens, three indoor pools, a 20,000-bottle wine cellar, and a video arcade (though the house is unfinished and plans are still evolving). This extravagant residence is believed to have cost over $100 million to build, putting it in fourth place for the most expensive house in U.S. history. This home is located in Windermere, Florida, and belongs to David Siegel.
9. Meadow Brook Hall
Meadow Brook Hall’s property was extended for up to 15,000 acres when it was completed.
- Square Footage: 88,000
- Location: Michigan
- When Built: 1929
A Mansion Museum
The heir of the creator of these useful trucks was commissioned and lived in Meadow Brook Hall.
Matilda Dodge Wilson, heir to the Dodge Motor Company, had Meadow Brook Hall designed and built for her personal use. The home has 110 rooms and almost 1,500 acres and cost roughly $4 million. In 1957, Matilda donated the house to Michigan to help create Oakland University. Now, it’s a historic museum, the fourth largest in the United States.
8. Shadow Lawn
Shadow Lawn was once the summer home of former President Woodrow Wilson.
- Square Footage: 90,000
- Location: New Jersey
- When Built: 1929
Now Part of the University
Shadow Lawn was one of the largest homes in the U.S. before the Great Depression. Multiple decades later, in 1985, the home became a National Historic Landmark. President Woodrow Wilson vacationed at the first Shadow Lawn, which was built in 1903, but destroyed by fire in 1927. The current mansion was built in 1929 for Hubert T. Parson, a Woolworth executive. The home features over 130 rooms. In 1956, the house became part of Monmouth University. It was also used in the movie Annie as the home of the character Oliver Warbucks.
7. Winterthur
The wealthy du Pont family still owns the Winterthur house.
- Square Footage: 96,582
- Location: Delaware
- When Built: 1937
Ever-Growing
In addition to the ever-growing home, Winterthur had cows, greenhouses, hogs, sheep, chickens, gardens, a sawmill, and even a post office.
Though 1937 marked the year Winterthur was originally finished, it has undergone several renovations since then. In fact, since 1937, the house has doubled in size! The du Pont family originally built the house. It is currently operated as the Winterthur Museum, Garden, and Library, which opened to the public in 1951. The house contains 90,000+ decorative art objects, one of the most important collections of its kind in the U.S.
6. Arden House
The Arden house has been converted into a conference center for a nonprofit.
- Square Footage: 97,188
- Location: New York
- When Built: 1909
A House for Research
Arden House is only 40 miles away from Midtown, New York City.
The Arden House took five years to build for Edward Henry Harriman, a railroad magnate. The home was built in Harriman, New York. Currently, the home is used by the Research Center on Natural Conservation, a nonprofit. The home offers a conference center with dozens of rooms for visitors and workers.
5. Whitehall
Whitehall was built by Henry Flagler, who encouraged tourism down to Florida.
- Square Footage: 100,000
- Location: Florida
- When Built: 1902
Galas Galore
Palm Beach is where you’ll find the Henry Morrison Flagler Museum.
Whitehall was built in 1902 for Henry Flagler (one of the founders of Standard Oil) as a wedding gift for his third wife, Mary Lily Kenan. Today, it’s a public museum and venue for galas and balls. The home-turned-museum in Palm Beach, Florida has 75 rooms.
4. The One
Now owned by the Fashion Nova founder, The One even has a bowling alley.
- Square Footage: 105,000
- Location: California
- When Built: 2021
A Newer Mansion
Bel Air, California, is home to many mansions, including The One.
This impressive home is the newest on this list, started in 2014 and finished in 2021. The One was built by Nile Niami, before Richard Saghain, owner of Nova Fashion, bought it at auction in 2022 for $126 million. This 105,000-square-foot home in Bel Air, California has 21 bedrooms, 42 bathrooms, a 30-car garage, a bowling alley, and five swimming pools. Saghian bought the home from the developer for $126 million.
3. Oheka Castle
Oheka Castle is still considered to be the largest home in New York State.
- Square Footage: 109,000
- Location: New York
- When Built: 1919
From Castle to Hotel
This beautiful building now operates as a hotel.
Despite its impressive size of 109,000 square feet, this home only took four years to build. At the time, it cost around $11 million, roughly $158 million today. The owner of the home is Otto Hermann Kahn, a financer who worked in various industries. It’s currently one of the largest homes in all of New York with 127 rooms. However, it’s no longer a private home; instead, it is a hotel.
2. Fair Field
The Fair Field home was built by a junk bond billionaire and has its power plant.
- Square Footage: 110,000
- Location: New York
- When Built: 2003
A Battle For First Place
The home is so big that it supposedly has an on-site power facility.
Ira Rennert, a junk bond billionaire, created this home in 2003. He already had a 63-acre estate known as Fair Field, and this house went onto that property. This house and surrounding buildings are big enough, with the main home having 29 bedrooms, 39 bathrooms, three pools, a theater, and more. Fair Field is worth somewhere between $267 and $500 million.
1. Biltmore Estate
- Square Footage: 175,000
- Location: North Carolina
- When Built: 1895
More Than Enough Space
The estate is so large that you can see it even from across lakes.
There’s absolutely no doubt that the largest home in America is the Biltmore House, located just outside of Asheville, North Carolina. This property has 175,000 square feet with 250 rooms. There are 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. The home was built and is still owned by Vanderbilt, specifically, the family of George Washington Vanderbilt II. As big as it is, you could stay on this property forever without growing bored.
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