Recent research shows the average American home is getting bigger at the same time the size of the typical household is shrinking. In short, that means Americans today have more square feet of living space, per person, than ever before. According to an analysis of the Census Bureau’s Characteristics of New Housing done by the American Enterprise Institute, the average amount of living space per person has doubled since 1973. In fact, the average American home has increased from 1,660 square feet to 2,690 square feet over the past 40 years. At the same time, the average household has fallen from 3.01 persons in 1973 to an all-time low of 2.54 persons in 2014. That means, the average American home now offers just over 1,000 square feet of living space per person. By comparison, Americans in 1973 enjoyed far less space, with only 551 square feet of living space per person. A separate analysis from selfstorage.com shows it’s not just the size of homes that has been changing. Since 1994, newly built homes have more bathrooms and bedrooms, fewer fireplaces, and more air conditioning as well. In fact, over the past 20 years, the percentage of new homes with air conditioning has risen from 79 percent to 91 percent. More here.