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When it comes to architecture, most people may not know the word for the type of building they like — they just know they like it. They might be attracted to the swooping lines and sunburst patterns of Art Deco hotels, for instance, or the ornate gargoyles and buttresses that define Gothic cathedrals.
The same goes for our homes; where one person’s dream house might be a quaint, thatched-roof cottage, another person’s might be a sleek and sprawling modernist mansion. All of these homes will generally fall under an architectural label, often a style popular in a particular time period. In the U.S., most home styles tend to be associated with a particular region.
But just because a type of house is common in your neck of the woods doesn’t mean you have to like it. So have you ever wondered how taste in the look of a house might differ from place to place? To find out, the team here at American Home Shield analyzed thousands of Zillow listings across the U.S. to reveal the most and least admired of the country’s most common home styles.
What We Did
We first compiled a list of 65 architectural styles for homes in the U.S. Using Zillow filters, we then retrieved the total number of home listings of each architectural style in each state and major city. Each of those listings gave us the total number of listing views and the number of days spent on the market, enabling us to calculate the number of median views per listing of each style across the U.S. and by state and major city. Maine (ME) was excluded from the State’s analysis due to insufficient data.
Key Findings
- The most desired home style in America is the octagon — a typical listing for this type of house receives a median of 56 views a day on Zillow.
- But shipping container-style homes are the least admired, garnering just 2.8 views a day.
- Ranch-style homes are the most admired in 19 states — more than any other home style.
- Tiny houses are the least admired in 11 states — more than any other home style.
The Most Desired Home Styles in America, Revealed
Who needs four walls when you can have eight? The most desired home style in America is the octagon, the likes of which see a median of 56 views per day on Zillow. Phrenologist Orson S. Fowler pioneered this style of eight-sided house in the 19th century, believing that a circular-shaped house with fewer sharp angles offered more floor space and an improved “interchange of friendly and benevolent feeling.” They never quite caught on in the mainstream, though; only 2,077 of these homes exist today.
