The cities with the largest homes in America

American families tend to spend about a third of their annual income on housing. Yet, depending on their location and the level of the family's income, home sizes can vary widely. Based on data from property listings website Realtor.com, the largest homes in the U.S. are located in the Provo-Orem, Utah metropolitan statistical area, with a median home containing nearly 2,000 square feet.

Areas with the largest median home sizes also had among the nation's higher estimated median home prices. Homes in seven of the 10 urban areas had median prices of more than $200,000 as of November 2014. A typical home in Boulder, Colorado cost $380,000, the 14th highest estimated median home price among all large metro areas.
While it is not particularly surprising that larger homes cost more, in many spacious homes were also pricier by square foot. In seven of the 10 cities the median price per square foot of property was in the top half of all metro areas reviewed, at over $105.
Relatively high incomes are required to afford these larger homes. All of the areas with the largest homes had median household incomes well above the national figure of $52,250 in 2013. Residents of Boulder were particularly wealthy, with a median household income of more than $71,000 last year.
While large urban areas tend to be relatively densely populated, the areas with the largest homes are on the whole more sparsely populated. The population density was well below the average across all metro areas of 6,321 people per square mile in all of these areas. Raleigh, North Carolina had just over 1,850 residents per square mile, one of the lower densities nationwide. By contrast, the areas surrounding Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City all had well over 10,000 people per square mile.
To identify the cities with the largest houses, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed median home square footage in the 200 largest core-based statistical area (CBSA) from Realtor.com. CBSAs are larger than most other geographies organized by the Census Bureau, and they often include several metropolitan areas. Median household income and educational attainment rates came from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Figures on population density are from the 2010 Census. Metropolitan area names and boundaries may have changed slightly since the data was collected. Unemployment rates came from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and are for October 2014.
These are the cities with the largest homes.
1. Provo-Orem, Utah
> Median square feet: 1,980
> Median estimated price: $226,000 (43rd highest)
> Median household income: $60,051 (44th highest)
> Unemployment rate: 3.2%
With a median livable area of nearly 2,000 square feet, Provo-Orem homes are the nation's largest. They are also quite expensive, with a typical home valued at $226,000 last year, one of the higher figures reviewed. As in the rest of Utah, Provo-Orem's unemployment rate has trended well below that of the nation. Just over 3% of the area's workforce was unemployed in October. Households are also relatively well-off, with a median income of more than $60,000, one of the highest figures compared to the rest of the state and far above national median income.
2. Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land
> Median square feet: 1,900
> Median estimated price: $144,000 (78th lowest)
> Median household income: $57,366 (63rd highest)
> Unemployment rate: 4.7%
Unlike many other areas with larger-than-average homes, the housing market in the Houston area is relatively affordable. A typical square foot in the area had an estimated price of just $75, one of the lower figures nationwide. Put another way, a median-sized home with 1,900 square feet of living space, typically cost less than $145,000. Residents were financially well-off. A typical household earned $57,366 in 2013, among the highest figures statewide, and more than the national median household income of $52,250.
3. Colorado Springs
> Median square feet: 1,899
> Median estimated price: $213,000 (51st highest)
> Median household income: $57,484 (61st highest)
> Unemployment rate: 4.7%
Homes in Colorado Springs are both large and pricey. A typical home was worth $213,000 in November, one of the higher median home prices. Area households had a median income of $57,484, not particularly wealthy compared to people in other Colorado urban regions, but higher than the national figure of $52,250. Residents were also well-educated, with more than 35% of adults having attained at least a bachelor's degree as of 2013. In addition, Colorado Springs had a relatively low poverty rate, at 10.8%. By contrast, the nation's poverty rate was nearly 16%.
4. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
> Median square feet: 1,872
> Median estimated price: $162,000 (98th highest)
> Median household income: $55,733 (79th highest)
> Unemployment rate: 7.0%
Larger homes are not only typically more expensive, but they also tend to cost more per square foot. In the Atlanta-Sandy area, however, the median estimated price per square foot was just $86, one of the lower figures in the nation. A typical home in its entirety cost $162,000 as of this November, among the lower figures on this list, but still on the high end compared to other U.S. metro areas. Like a majority of cities with large homes, the area had a relatively low population density. In 2010, there were 2,173 people per square mile, one of the less dense areas. By comparison, the average population density across the nation's metro areas that year was 6,321 people per square mile.
5. Raleigh, N.C.
> Median square feet: 1,871
> Median estimated price: $207,000 (57th highest)
> Median household income: $61,710 (33rd highest)
> Unemployment rate: 4.5%
There were less than 1,900 people per square mile in Raleigh in 2010, one of the lower population densities reviewed. This could partly explain the prevalence of large homes. A typical house in the area had 1,871 square feet of living space. The median home price in Raleigh was also well above $200,000 in November, one of the higher figures nationwide. Area residents were wealthier than in any other North Carolina metro area, with a median household income of $61,710 last year. Raleigh also had an unemployment rate of just 4.5%.