Special Report

The Size of a Home the Year You Were Born

1950 house
Source: doe-oakridge / Flickr / Wikimedia Commons

> Avg. floor area of a new single-family home: 983 sq ft
> Avg. floor area per person: 292 sq ft
> New homes started: 1.95 million
> GDP per capita: $16,057

1951 house

> Avg. floor area of a new single-family home: 874 sq ft
> Avg. floor area per person: 262 sq ft
> New homes started: 1.49 million
> GDP per capita: $17,059

1952 house
Source: John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland / Wikimedia Commons

> Avg. floor area of a new single-family home: 910 sq ft
> Avg. floor area per person: 274 sq ft
> New homes started: 1.50 million
> GDP per capita: $17,452

1953 house
Source: Seattle Municipal Archives / Wikimedia Commons

> Avg. floor area of a new single-family home: 917 sq ft
> Avg. floor area per person: 279 sq ft
> New homes started: 1.44 million
> GDP per capita: $17,972

1954 bubble house

> Avg. floor area of a new single-family home: 1,140 sq ft
> Avg. floor area per person: 341 sq ft
> New homes started: 1.55 million
> GDP per capita: $17,560

1955 model house
Source: Boston Public Library / Flickr

> Avg. floor area of a new single-family home: 1,170 sq ft
> Avg. floor area per person: 351 sq ft
> New homes started: 1.65 million
> GDP per capita: $18,483

1956 modern house

> Avg. floor area of a new single-family home: 1,230 sq ft
> Avg. floor area per person: 370 sq ft
> New homes started: 1.35 million
> GDP per capita: $18,547

1957 farmhouse

> Avg. floor area of a new single-family home: 1,305 sq ft
> Avg. floor area per person: 392 sq ft
> New homes started: 1.22 million
> GDP per capita: $18,599

1958 house

> Avg. floor area of a new single-family home: 1,289 sq ft
> Avg. floor area per person: 386 sq ft
> New homes started: 1.38 million
> GDP per capita: $18,158

1959 house

> Avg. floor area of a new single-family home: 1,300 sq ft
> Avg. floor area per person: 389 sq ft
> New homes started: 1.55 million
> GDP per capita: $19,084

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