A residential development is shown under construction near the San Gabriel Mountains in Hesperia, California, on Feb. 23, 2026. (David McNew/Getty Images) Americans have long expressed a modest preference for communities with bigger houses – even if that means schools, stores and restaurants are farther away – over communities with smaller houses that are closer to those services. Americans’ preference for larger and farther apart houses eases slightly from its pandemic high % who say they would prefer to live in a community where the houses are … Note: No answer responses are not shown. Source: Survey of U.S. adults conducted Jan. 20-26, 2026. PEW RESEARCH CENTER Americans’ preference for larger and farther apart houses eases slightly from its pandemic high % who say they would prefer to live in a community where the houses are … Year Smaller and closer to each other Larger and farther apart 2019 47% 53% 2021 39% 60% 2023 42% 57% 2026 44% 55% Note: No answer responses are not shown. Source: Survey of U.S.…