Research into house sizes across the world has shown that in 2009 Australians had the largest floor area per person and the largest increase in new house sizes.[1]
The average floor area of new homes in Australia hit a record 214.6 square metres in the 2008 financial year. The average floor area of new free-standing houses was also at a record high of 245.3 square metres, up 4.4 per cent over the past five years.
While Australian home sizes have risen 10 per cent over the past decade, research shows sizes of new American homes has fallen from a peak of 212 square metres to 201.5 square metres.
In Europe, Denmark has the biggest homes followed by Greece and the Netherlands. Homes in Britain are the smallest in Europe with an average of 76 square metres.
Comparison of new house sizes across the world
| Country | House size (m²) |
| Australia | 214.6 |
| United States | 201.5 |
| New Zealand | 196.2 |
| Denmark | 137.0 |
| Greece | 126.4 |
| Belgium | 119.0 |
| Netherlands | 115.5 |
| France | 112.5 |
| Germany | 109.2 |
| Luxembourg | 104.1 |
| Spain | 96.6 |
| Austria | 96.0 |
| Ireland | 87.7 |
| Finland | 87.1 |
| Sweden | 83.0 |
| Portugal | 82.2 |
| Italy | 81.5 |
| United Kingdom | 76 |
Source report (PDF): Australian homes are biggest in the world, Craig James, Commsec, 30 November 2009
House sizes across Australia
The average floor area of new homes in Australia hit a record 214.6 square metres in the 2008 financial year. The average floor area of new free-standing houses was also at a record high of 245.3 square metres, up 4.4 per cent over the past five years.
Victoria has Australia’s biggest homes (224.5 square metres), followed by Western Australia, Queensland, Northern Territory, NSW, Tasmania, South Australia and the ACT.
In the mid-1950s, the average size of new houses was around 115 square metres – half the size of an average new house in 2009.[2]
See also
External links
- No govt plan to tax wealthy homes: Swan, The Age, 15 August 2009
- High-rise plan to halt the sprawl, The Age, 30 April 2009
- Is bigger really better? The great house-size divide, Sydney Morning Herald, 15 March 2007
References
- Welcome to Victoria, home to super-sized houses, The Age, 30 November 2009
- Afflueza in Australia, ecosmagazine.com (PDF), AUG–SEP 2005
