Real Estate
The Median Lot Size in Every U.S. State in 2022
The Median Lot Size in Every U.S. State in 2022
The “American Dream” is often associated with imagery of spacious estates adorned with white picket fences, wrap-around porches, and sprawling green lawns that seem to go on forever.
But in reality, modern American life has become much more compact. Over the last few decades, the typical lot size in the U.S. has decreased significantly—from 18,760 square feet in 1978 to 13,896 in 2020.
While lot sizes are getting smaller overall, there are still large discrepancies in lot sizes from state to state. This graphic by Angi uses data from the 2022 U.S. Lot Size Index to show the median lot size in every U.S. State, using data from 312,456 Zillow listings as of May 2022.
Largest and Smallest Median Lot Sizes by State
When it comes to the states with the largest plots of land, New England dominates the ranking, with Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine at the top of the list.
Rank | State | Median lot size (sq.ft.) |
---|---|---|
1 | Vermont | 78,408 |
2 | New Hampshire | 49,223 |
3 | Maine | 45,738 |
4 | Montana | 43,560 |
5 | Alaska | 42,423 |
6 | Mississippi | 31,799 |
7 | Connecticut | 30,928 |
8 | Arkansas | 24,829 |
9 | Tennessee | 24,394 |
10 | Georgia | 22,215 |
New England was one of the first regions settled by the Europeans in Colonial America. This long history, along with a large rural population, could explain why the area has strict zoning policies that limit density and require large minimum lot sizes for new builds.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Nevada ranks as the state with the smallest median lot size:
Rank | State | Median lot size (sq.ft.) |
---|---|---|
1 | Nevada | 7,405 |
2 | California | 8,327 |
3 | Arizona | 8,726 |
4 | Illinois | 9,025 |
5 | Texas | 9,540 |
6 | Colorado | 10,019 |
7 | Florida | 10,019 |
8 | North Dakota | 10,019 |
9 | New Jersey | 10,019 |
10 | Ohio | 10,019 |
One possible explanation is that Nevada’s population boom—and subsequent development—is relatively recent. Newer homes listed in the dataset tend to have smaller lot sizes, and in Nevada, 34.6% of homes included in the research were built in 2000 or later.
Comparing Lot Size to Land Price
Generally speaking, the states with the biggest lots also tend to have the cheapest land when broken down per square foot. For instance, in Vermont, properties sold for a median $5.95 per square foot.
View the full-size infographic
On the flip side, in Nevada, land sold for a median $82.80 per square foot—that’s the third most expensive of any state.
Of course, other factors are at play here when it comes to the cost of land. Like anything else that’s for sale, the price of a lot is governed largely by the laws of supply and demand.
For example, housing supply is scarce in Hawaii, where only 4.9% of the land is zoned for residential development, and the median home size is much smaller than in other parts of the country. Not surprisingly, the median plot of land in Hawaii costs $110.86 per square foot, the most expensive on the list.
The Future of Housing in America
Lot sizes remain relatively large in some states for now, but as the U.S. population continues to become more urbanized, living conditions in America could get even tighter.
Will America hold onto its spacious way of living, or could life in the U.S. start to resemble more densely populated regions in the future?

This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.
Real Estate
Mapped: The Income Needed to Buy a Home in Every U.S. State
One of the top five has one of the smallest populations.

Map: Income Needed to Buy a Home in Every U.S. State in 2025
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
As home prices continue to climb and mortgage rates remain elevated, buying a home in the U.S. has become increasingly out of reach for the average household.
In 2025, buyers now need six-figure salaries to afford a median-priced home in all but 15 states.
This visualization, using data from Realtor.com, maps the annual income required to purchase a typical three-bedroom home in every state, based on a 10% down payment, a 6.65% interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage, and a 30% income-to-housing cost threshold (which includes taxes and insurance).
The Growing Gap Between Income and Home Prices
A recent study found that nearly 50% of U.S. households cannot afford a home priced at $250,000. This is particularly concerning when the median price of a new single-family home nationwide has reached $495,750, according to the National Association of Home Builders.
In many states, the income needed to comfortably afford a median-priced home far exceeds what a typical family earns.
Where Buying a Home Requires the Highest Salaries
Here are the top five most expensive states for homebuyers in 2025:
State | Income Needed (USD) |
---|---|
Hawaii | $229K |
Massachusetts | $216K |
California | $210K |
New York | $190K |
Montana | $177K |
Hawaii tops the list, where buying a median three-bedroom home requires an annual income of $229,000—the highest in the country. Despite its small population, Montana has climbed into the top five least affordable states, driven by a widening gap between soaring home prices and relatively modest local incomes.
In contrast, in West Virginia a buyer would need a salary of just $71,000 to afford a median-priced home—well below the state’s median household income of $90,000. Other states with lower thresholds include Mississippi, Ohio, and Indiana.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
What’s the cost of a median price house in every U.S. state? Find out in this map on Voronoi.
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