Guest bedroom numbers hit record high across America

Families across the United States are getting ready to welcome guests for the holidays, with many having ample space to accommodate them. According to a recent analysis by Realtor.com's economic research team, both the number of guest bedrooms and the proportion of homes featuring these extra rooms have reached unprecedented levels.

The total number of spare bedrooms in the U.S. increased to 31.9 million last year, up from 31.3 million the previous year, and significantly higher than the 7 million recorded in 1980. The study also highlighted that 8.8% of all bedrooms could be considered guest rooms, an increase from 8.7% the prior year and more than double the rate in 1980.

Realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale commented on this trend: "During the holidays we often feel the need for more room, especially for guests. However, we are in a golden age of extra bedrooms."

The study attributes this rise in spare rooms to two main factors: an increase in bedrooms per home and a decrease in household size. Since 1970, while the average number of bedrooms per home rose from 2.5 to 2.8 by 2013, it has since plateaued at that figure as of last year.

More significantly, there has been a decline in household size from a peak of 3.1 people per household in 1970 to a record low of 2.5 people per household in 2023. This demographic shift is influenced by baby boomers becoming empty nesters and millennials marrying later and having fewer children.

Geographically, this trend is most evident in regions like the Mountain West and South where building space is plentiful, resulting in homes with more rooms and larger square footage. In contrast, densely populated urban areas such as Miami—where only 5.9% of all bedrooms qualify as potential guest rooms—tend to have fewer spare bedrooms due to limited land availability.

Ogden, Utah stands out as having the highest percentage of potential guest bedrooms at 12.2%, earning it recognition as the nation's guest bedroom capital.