Prediction 6: House size will continue to grow The average single-family home size in America almost doubled in the last century to more than 2,430 square feet in 2020, even as the average number of people living in a house fell from 454 people to 2 58 people. On the other hand, the typical remal unit size in a metropolitan area shrank by 596, though rents increased by 2896. These dynamics drive the appeal of suburban and rural residence for city dwellers. Another factor of the growth of house sizes is the possibility of making more profit on a home sale. According to Louis Hyman, a historian at Cornell University. Americans began to view their homes is assets that could appreciate, rather than merely living space: "You borrow as much as you possibly can you buy the biggest possible house you can, and then you can make more money on the upside if you think house prices are going to go up