If you’re looking for a house with a supersized backyard, you’re best bet is to search in the Eastern U.S.
Only one Western state — Montana at No. 2, with a median lot size of 73,616 square feet — ranked in the top 10 for states with the largest median lot sizes for sale, based on properties for sale at real estate search site Realtor.com in September.
In fact, a majority of the states ranking in the list of top 10 list for largest median lot sizes that month were found in states east of the Mississippi River.
Vermont topped the list with a median lot size of 75,794 square feet. Two other Northeast states were in the top five: New Hampshire, at No. 4 with a median lot size of 48,787 square feet; and Maine, ranked fifth with a median lot size of 44,431 square
feet.
Median lot size by state dropped drastically from the largest to the 10th largest, from Vermont’s 75,794 square feet to Tennessee’s 27,443 square feet, a difference of 48,351 square feet. The nationwide average median lot size was 12,632 square feet.
While median home price didn’t track exactly with median lot size, four of the highest median-priced homes on the list were in the top five. They are (in order of lot size, highest to lowest): Vermont (ranked No. 1) at $249,000; Montana, No. 2, at $250,000;
New Hampshire, No. 4, at $244,900; and Maine, No. 5, at $219,000. All were above the national average median home price of $195,000.
All top 10 states with the largest median lot sizes had a median of three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
(View the full list of median house sizes for all 50 states and Washington, D.C.)
State: Vermont
| Median lot size (sq. ft.) | 75,794 |
| Median house size (sq. ft.) | 1,815 |
| Median price | $249,000 |
| Lot cost per sq. ft. | $3.29 |
Vermont mountain ski home image via Shutterstock.
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State: Montana
| Median lot size (sq. ft.) | 73,616 |
| Median house size (sq. ft.) |
2,040 |
| Median price | $250,000 |
| Lot cost per sq. ft. | $3.40 |
Montana Ranch house image via Shutterstock.
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State: Mississippi
| Median lot size (sq. ft.) | 56,628 |
| Median house size (sq. ft.) | 1,879 |
| Median price | $118,000 |
| Lot cost per sq. ft. | $2.08 |
Antebellum plantation home on the banks of the Mississippi River image via Shutterstock.
…CONTINUED
State: New Hampshire
| Median lot size (sq. ft.) | 48,787 |
| Median house size (sq. ft.) | 1,768 |
| Median price | $244,900 |
| Lot cost per sq. ft. | $5.02 |
New Hampshire home image via Shutterstock.
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State: Maine
| Median lot size (sq. ft.) | 44,431 |
| Median house size (sq. ft.) | 1,663 |
| Median price | $219,000 |
| Lot cost per sq. ft. | $4.93 |
New England home in Acadia National Park, Maine, image via Shutterstock.
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State: Louisiana
| Median lot size (sq. ft.) | 43,560 |
| Median house size (sq. ft.) | 1,768 |
| Median price | $169,900 |
| Lot cost per sq. ft. | $3.90 |
Louisiana two-story home image via Shutterstock.
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State: West Virginia
| Median lot size (sq. ft.) | 40,511 |
| Median house size (sq. ft.) | 1,714 |
| Median price | $149,900 |
| Lot cost per sq. ft. | $3.70 |
West Virginia home image via Shutterstock.
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State: Arkansas
| Median lot size (sq. ft.) | 32,234 |
| Median house size (sq. ft.) | 1,792 |
| Median price | $149,900 |
| Lot cost per sq. ft | $4.65 |
Sunset at Arkansas farm image via Shutterstock.
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State: Wisconsin
| Median lot size (sq. ft.) | 30,000 |
| Median house size (sq. ft.) | 1,669 |
| Median price | $174,900 |
| Lot cost per sq. ft | $5.83 |
Wisconsin lakeside house image via Shutterstock.
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State: Tennessee
| Median lot size (sq. ft.) | 27,443 |
| Median house size (sq. ft.) | 1,848 |
| Median price | $169,900 |
| Lot cost per sq. ft | $6.19 |
Antebellum Nashville, Tenn., home image via Shutterstock.
Inman News reporter Paul Hagey compiled this report.
View the full list of median house sizes for all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
More Real Estate Top 10 Markets Reports:
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10 U.S. hotspots for smallest house sizes
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10 states with the biggest houses
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Top 10 hottest neighborhoods for real estate searches
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Top 10 hottest neighborhoods for real estate searches
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Top 10 hottest neighborhoods for real estate searches
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Top 10 hottest neighborhoods for foreclosure searches
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10 metros with greatest 5-year gain in real estate values
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10 real estate markets with largest 5-year drop in home values
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10 best markets for real estate investors
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10 Real Estate Markets to Watch in 2011
…CONTINUED
Median square foot lot size of homes for sale at Realtor.com (September 2011)
| State | Sq. ft. |
|---|---|
| U.S. | 12,632 |
| Vermont | 75,794 |
| Montana | 73,616 |
| Mississippi | 56,628 |
| New Hampshire | 48,787 |
| Maine | 44,431 |
| Louisiana | 43,560 |
| West Virginia | 40,511 |
| Arkansas | 32,234 |
| Wisconsin | 30,000 |
| Tennessee | 27,443 |
| Alaska | 26,572 |
| Georgia | 26,572 |
| Alabama | 26,136 |
| Connecticut | 21,780 |
| Michigan | 21,780 |
| Wyoming | 21,780 |
| Hawaii | 21,778 |
| Kentucky | 21,344 |
| North Carolina | 20,038 |
| South Carolina | 19,166 |
| Nebraska | 19,107 |
| Virginia | 18,731 |
| Massachusetts | 16,553 |
| New Mexico | 14,375 |
| Minnesota | 14,375 |
| Illinois | 13,939 |
| Indiana | 13,504 |
| Idaho | 13,068 |
| New York | 13,068 |
| Missouri | 12,636 |
| Kansas | 12,632 |
| Oklahoma | 12,197 |
| Pennsylvania | 12,197 |
| South Dakota | 12,066 |
| Ohio | 12,023 |
| Washington | 11,761 |
| North Dakota | 11,250 |
| Delaware | 10,890 |
| Iowa | 10,800 |
| Rhode Island | 10,441 |
| Colorado | 10,202 |
| Maryland | 10,047 |
| Florida | 10,026 |
| New Jersey | 10,019 |
| Oregon | 10,019 |
| Utah | 10,019 |
| Texas | 9,583 |
| Arizona | 8,276 |
| California | 7,200 |
| Nevada | 6,098 |
| Washington, D.C. | 2,375 |
Source: Realtor.com