McMansion

Evolution of House Size

The concept of a house being oversized relates primarily to one's context and perception, but a house that is twice as large as the houses around it may well represent an oversized house. For the United States, that would be a house larger than 4,784 square feet, [Page 443]which represents twice the average size of a new house in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. However, size varies with location. The average size of a home is larger inside the metropolitan statistical area (MSA), when compared with those outside the MSA. Regionally speaking, homes are largest in the Northeast and smallest in the Midwest. Thus, the definition of being oversized might well vary with region and location in a metropolitan area.

For 37 years, house size in the United States has trended upward, with a few short-term decreases. From 1973 to 2010, the average house size grew 44%, peaking in 2007 at a 52% increase, before the housing market collapse. Once the housing market recovers and without major changes in gas prices or values, it will probably grow again.

Although house sizes have increased, household size and the average lot size have dropped, so the United States has fewer persons per house living in larger houses on smaller lots. From 1950 through 2005, the living area per family member tripled, and the percentage of newer houses with two-car garages, 2.5 or more bathrooms, central air-conditioning, and taller ceilings increased. Larger houses require more materials and energy to build and more energy to heat and cool, even when compared with an energy-inefficient smaller house.

Effects of McMansions

The effects of infill McMansions and greenfield McMansion plats differ. Infill McMansions, larger infill houses on smaller lots in already settled areas, can help revitalize first-ring suburbs and reduce sprawl. They are a compact form of development, in line with smart growth goals of promoting efficient use of land, reducing infrastructure costs (such as roads, public service, and housing occupancy costs), and reducing sprawl. They can reduce sprawl by allowing residents of first-ring suburbs, who would often move to a larger house in the exurbs, to get more house without moving to a new sprawling development. While greenfield McMansion plats may be associated with affordable housing, they have the opposite effects.

...