The Era of Ever-Larger Dwellings Came to an End

Housing size is one of key indicators of housing quality. Between the 1950s and the 2020s, dwelling sizes expanded significantly, driven by two primary factors: a housing stock that grew faster than the population, and an increasing trend toward larger newly built units. Consequently, most residents in Europe, North America, and Australia now enjoy comfortable and spacious living conditions. However, this long-term upward trend has reversed. The average size of newly constructed dwellings has begun to decline, with the onset of this reversal varying by country—starting as early as 1999 in some regions and as late as 2012 in others. This is becoming a widespread phenomenon, and within a few years, its effects will begin to register in the average size of the overall housing stock.