Americans Want More Living Space

The average living space in the United States is 1,841 square feet, but 51% of Americans want more space, according to a survey of 800 homeowners completed by All Star Home.

The top reasons for needing more living space were needing more storage for stuff (59%), needing room for a pet (37%) and working from home (30%). Those wanting more space also reported that their current space wasn’t big enough to begin with (31%) or that they had since outgrown their current space (25%).

Survey participants most desired space upgrades to their kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms, as well as more overall storage and a garage.

However, despite over half of surveyed homeowners reporting a need for more space, the upgrade isn’t in the budget for the majority of them. In fact, 63% said they can’t afford more living space right now and 33% don’t believe they will ever be able to afford it.

Financial issues are a top concern when it comes to thinking about upgrading homes. Top reasons for not moving into a bigger home included moving expenses (46%), high home prices (40%), high interest rates (33%), moving-related hassles (28%) and building expenses (28%).

There are some financial benefits to living in small spaces, though. For the right price, 49% of Americans would consider downsizing to cut costs. Additionally, 79% believe smaller spaces are easier to maintain and 73% reported that they could live in a smaller space.

Still, small spaces are not for everyone. Fifty-eight percent say they couldn’t live in a tiny home or a studio apartment, and 80% would never move to a place that is notorious for small living spaces. The top three major U.S. cities with tiny living spaces were San Francisco (667 square feet), Riverside, Calif. (673 square feet) and Los Angeles (675 square feet).

It may come as a surprise, but New York City, a city often mentioned for its tiny apartments, is only fourth on the list with an average living space of 720 square feet.