07/09/2026
What happened to the starter home?
I've had this question stuck in my head for weeks.
Not because I have the answer...
But because I realized I may not even know what a "starter home" originally was.
Today, we often picture a starter home as:
• 3 bedrooms
• 2 bathrooms
• Around 1,600–2,000 square feet
• Attached garage
• Modern kitchen
But was that always the definition?
Or have our expectations quietly changed over time?
The average new home built in 1950 was just under 1,000 square feet.
Many families raised multiple children in those homes.
Before that, many middle-class Americans lived in Folk Victorian homes, Craftsmans, bungalows, and row houses that weren't dramatically larger.
The more I looked into housing affordability, the more I realized I wasn't even sure we were comparing the same kinds of homes across generations.
So, it made me wonder...
When did the starter home stop being small?
Or...
Did it ever?
Then another question came up.
Builders today rarely construct 900- to 1,100-square-foot homes.
Why?
Is it because buyers don't want them?
Or is there another explanation?
Some possibilities I've come across include:
Land costs have increased.
Infrastructure is more expensive.
Modern building codes require more.
Labor costs have risen.
Buyers expect more bathrooms and larger kitchens.
Builders often earn better margins on larger homes.
I don't know which of those is the biggest factor yet.
Maybe it's all of them.
I'm going to keep researching this because I think it's a fascinating question.
If you're a real estate agent, builder, architect, lender, planner, historian, or anyone who has insight about this topic...
I'd love to hear your perspective!
What happened to the starter home?
