Nearly 24 percent of new single-family homes in 2016 included decks, according to a new analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data from the National Association of Home Builders. The percentage is up slightly from 23.3 percent in 2015.
New England and the East South Central region of the U.S.—which includes Tennessee, Mississippi, Kentucky, and Alabama—are showing some of the biggest upticks in single-family homes with decks. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the East South Central area is also seeing the most new homes featuring porches.
The average size of a deck on a new single-family home is about 230 square feet. The most common materials used for decks are treated wood and composite (a mixture of wood fibers and plastic), according to the 2017 Annual Builder Practices Survey, which is based on 2016 data. The Pacific region shows a higher preference for cedar and redwood than any other region.
While the number of new homes with a deck is rising, it's still below historic norms. From 2005 to 2008, the share of new homes with decks was consistently above 25 percent, according to the NAHB. In 2009, the share of new homes with decks started to decline below 25 percent, a trend that continued until 2012, when the share gradually started to increase.
But it's not just new homes where the popularity of this feature is evident. Many homeowners opt to add in a deck as a remodeling project later on. Twenty-five percent of NAHB remodelers reported that adding a deck to an existing home was a common project in 2016.
Source: “Share of New Homes With Decks Edges Up,” National Association of Home Builders’ Eye on Housing blog (Dec. 4, 2017)
