One-story homes are the norm in the Midwest but exceedingly rare in the Northeast.
According to data obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC) and tabulated by NAHB, 53 percent of homes built in the Midwest in 2015 were one-story, while 83 percent of houses built in the Northeast last year were two stories or more.
Across the nation, including the South and West, new homes with two or more stories are more common than the single-story options. As a whole, 58 percent of homes built in 2015 have multiple levels.
These findings don’t quite match up with what homebuyers want, however. A recent NAHB survey indicated that 64 percent of all buyers preferred single-story homes. The survey was dominated by older buyers who wanted homes that make it easier to age in place.