While some people are jumping on the tiny house train, others are in search of a bit more space, according to Trulia. Depending on the metro, homebuyers looking for more room to roam may find the process more challenging than others. And as Trulia found out last year, 43 percent of homebuyers in the U.S. are interested in having a bigger home.

  • Houston ranked within the top five metros for having the highest amount of square footage in all three categories of homes.
  • Detroit homebuyers of trade-up homes and premium homes will find the smallest properties, but starter homes are the smallest in Honolulu.
  • Homebuyers climbing the housing ladder will get the biggest gains in square footage in Memphis, Los Angeles and West Palm Beach.

While some people are jumping on the tiny house train, others are in search of a bit more space, according to Trulia. Depending on the metro, homebuyers looking for more room to roam may find the process more challenging than others. And as Trulia found out last year, 43 percent of homebuyers in the U.S. are interested in having a bigger home.

The real estate website‘s research team studied the median square footage for starter homes, trade-ups and premium homes throughout metros across the nation, with Texas having a big presence on the list for all three categories.

Austin ranked as having the highest square footage for starter homes (1,428 square feet), and Houston ranked in the top spot for trade-up homes, with a median of 1,997 square feet. While the top spot for premium homes went to Colorado Springs (3,056 square feet), Dallas ranked in the second spot, with 2,945 square feet.

However, Houston was the only Texas state to make it in the top five for all three categories. Houston also ranked in the no. 3 spot for the biggest gain in square footage from starter homes to trade-ups homes, at a 51.7 percent increase.

Screen Shot 2016-08-08 at 11.57.45 AM

The top five list of metros with the smallest homes didn’t feature a Texas city, but it did see a few Midwestern markets listed. Detroit was in the no. 1 spot for small trade-ups and premium homes, and in the second spot for starter homes. Honolulu took the no. 1 spot for starter homes, with a median square footage of just 945.

Minneapolis and St. Louis also made appearances on the list for smallest homes.

Chicago had a median square footage of 1,104 for a starter home, which is on par with the median size of a trade-up home in Detroit. In the Chicagoland area, the median trade-up home was 1,384 square feet, and the median size for a premium home was 2,152 square feet.

Miami ranked in the no. 5 spot for small premium homes, coming in with a median 1,922 square feet. In nearby West Palm Beach, residents buying premium homes are really stepping up, gaining 65.6 percent more square footage when jumping from a trade-up home to premium homes.

Memphis ranked in the no. 1 spot for space increase from trade-ups to premiums, with a 67.4 percent gain. The median size of a starter home in Memphis is 1,152 square feet, and a trade-up is 1,480 square feet. The median size of a premium home is 2,072 square feet.

Along the west coast

In Los Angeles, homeowners moving up into a premium home from a trade-up will gain 65.7 percent more square footage.

In San Francisco, the median size of a starter home is 1,080 square feet; a trade up is just a bit more, at 1,375 square feet. Residents who move from a trade-up to a premium home will gain a decent amount of space, with a median premium home size of 2,020 square feet in San Francisco.

To the east

In the country’s largest city, a starter home is actually a pretty decent size — that is, if you can afford a home in New York City. The median size for a starter home in the Big Apple is 1,270 square feet, and a trade-up has a median square footage of 1,654. The median size of a premium home isn’t outstanding, at 2,000 square feet, but buying a premium home in NYC doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a mansion.

The median size of a premium home in Washington D.C. is just 220 square feet more than in NYC, at 2,220 square feet. Starter homes in the D.C. Metro are 1,196 square feet, and a trade-up home is 1,663 square feet.

Email Kimberly Manning

Show Comments Hide Comments
Sign up for Inman’s Morning Headlines
What you need to know to start your day with all the latest industry developments
By submitting your email address, you agree to receive marketing emails from Inman.
Success!
Thank you for subscribing to Morning Headlines.
Back to top
Only 3 days left to register for Inman Connect Las Vegas before prices go up! Don't miss the premier event for real estate pros.Register Now ×
Limited Time Offer: Get 1 year of Inman Select for $199SUBSCRIBE×
Log in
If you created your account with Google or Facebook
Don't have an account?
Forgot your password?
No Problem

Simply enter the email address you used to create your account and click "Reset Password". You will receive additional instructions via email.

Forgot your username? If so please contact customer support at (510) 658-9252

Password Reset Confirmation

Password Reset Instructions have been sent to

Subscribe to The Weekender
Get the week's leading headlines delivered straight to your inbox.
Top headlines from around the real estate industry. Breaking news as it happens.
15 stories covering tech, special reports, video and opinion.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
Unique features from hacker profiles to portal watch and video interviews.
It looks like you’re already a Select Member!
To subscribe to exclusive newsletters, visit your email preferences in the account settings.
Up-to-the-minute news and interviews in your inbox, ticket discounts for Inman events and more
1-Step CheckoutPay with a credit card
By continuing, you agree to Inman’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

You will be charged . Your subscription will automatically renew for on . For more details on our payment terms and how to cancel, click here.

Interested in a group subscription?
Finish setting up your subscription
×