Rising Trends in Number of Bathrooms in Single-Family Homes

A majority of single-family homes started in 2023 continued to have two full bathrooms. According to the latest release of the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction, 64.7% of new single-family homes had two full bathrooms, 23.8% had three full bathrooms, 6.9% had four or more full bathrooms, and only 4.6% had one full bathroom or less.
The share of single-family homes with two bathrooms increased from 62.3% to 64.7% — the largest increase since 2018. This reverses a two-year trend of consecutive decreases. The share of single-family starts with three full bathrooms fell for the second straight year, down to 23.8%, and the share of single-family homes started with 4 or more bathrooms share decreased to 6.9%, after increasing the prior two years. Meanwhile, the share of single-family starts with one full bathroom or less rose to 4.6% — the third straight increase.
Geographically, the New England census division had the highest share of new single-family starts with two full bathrooms at 75.6%. This share jumped by 22.2 percentage points from 2022, and this was the first time since 2017 that the New England share was the largest in the nation. The lowest share census division was the Middle Atlantic, with 50.0% of new single-family starts reporting two full bathrooms. The share of new single-family started with two full bathrooms fell 9.2 percentage points from 2022 in the Middle Atlantic.
Jesse Wade, NAHB director of tax and trade policy analysis, provides more details, including trends on half bathrooms, in this Eye on Housing post.
Latest from NAHBNow
Sep 26, 2025
Apply Today: NAHB Awards Programs Open Through Oct. 6Don't miss your chance to enter NAHB's prestigious awards programs, which highlight the best and brightest in the home building industry in a variety of categories.
Sep 25, 2025
5 Key Principles for Avoiding Costly Pitfalls in Construction and RenovationIn today’s competitive construction landscape, where deadlines are tighter and budgets are scrutinized more than ever, precision and efficiency are critical to staying profitable and maintaining your client's trust. By focusing on five key principles, contractors and remodelers can dramatically reduce these risks while improving overall ROI.
Latest Economic News
Sep 24, 2025
New Home Sales Post Unexpected Large Gain in AugustA modest drop in mortgage rates led to a surprisingly large jump in new home sales in August, though the figure may be revised downward in the coming month.
Sep 24, 2025
Single-Family Construction Loan Volume Falls BackThe NAHB Land Acquisition, Development and Construction (AD&C) loan survey in the second quarter reported tightening credit conditions for builders. Consequently, FDIC data reporting the outstanding volume of 1-4 family construction loans fell in the second quarter.
Sep 23, 2025
Beyond the Official Unemployment Rate: A Deep Dive into U.S. UnemploymentIn August, the official, or standardly referenced, unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.3%, up from 4.2% in July. This marks the highest level in nearly four years, though it remains historically low.