Changes in Size and Style of the Typical American House

A typical new American home in 1900 was 700 to 1,200 square feet in two stories with two or three bedrooms and one or no bathroom, according to “Housing Facts, Figures and Trends 2001,” published by the National Assn. of Home Builders.

By 1950, the typical house had two bedrooms and one bathroom in a one-story plan of 1,000 or fewer square.

By 2000, the house had three or more bedrooms and 21/2 baths in a two-story 2,265-square-foot plan with a garage for two or more cars; it also had central air-conditioning and a fireplace.

In 1900, the homeownership rate was 46.5% nationwide. It increased to 67.5% in the first quarter of 2001.