Retirement
What Size House Do Retirees Really Need?
The honest square footage answer, and the three rooms that matter more than the total.
By Lisa Copeland · 5 min read
Most right-sized households land between 1,400 and 2,200 square feet — but the total is the least useful number.
What matters is the primary suite on the main floor, one genuinely comfortable guest room, and a flexible room that can be an office today and something else later.
Open, well-lit shared space does more for daily happiness than an extra bedroom nobody sleeps in.
Count storage carefully. Under-planned storage is the most common regret in a downsized home.
