Bedroom boom: 4 or more rooms is becoming the norm in America

8/22/23 8:00PM

The bedroom boom

‍Nearly half of all newly constructed homes in 2022 boasted at least 4 bedrooms, according to the latest data from the US Census Bureau, as homebuilders work to keep up with demand for extra rooms. This surge has dethroned the long-standing foundation of America’s housing stock, the 3 bedroom house, which accounted for only 43% of the ~1 million new single-family homes that were built last year.

‍Snooze and zoom

‍The more bedrooms trend has been slowly developing for decades. As recently as the early 1980s, less than 20% of newly built single-family homes in the US had space for 4 bedrooms. As the country’s economy has grown, it seems intuitive that more families would be able to afford larger homes. More recently, the rise of remote work has given the trend newfound momentum — amid the workspace shift, these "bedrooms" might not always sport a bed, but a desk.

Interestingly, more recent data shows that the total floor area for new houses has fallen below pre-pandemic levels, suggesting perhaps a small reversal of the longer-term “bigger homes” trend — if it’s a toss-up between a slightly bigger living space or a spare bedroom or home office, homeowners increasingly seem to opt for the latter.

Jake Lahut

PAIN AT THE PUMP

4/29/26

Analyst: US could see $5 gas by Memorial Day, $6 per gallon on the table

Gas could hit $5 per gallon by Memorial Day, $6 by later in the summer: “Nothing’s impossible at this point.”

Gas station in front of the Gordie Howe International Bridge under construction.

Tom Jones4/29/26

The UAE’s OPEC exit will hit the group in the barrels

After just shy of 60 years in OPEC, its membership even predating its status as a nation-state, the United Arab Emirates yesterday announced its shocking departure from the oil production group, effective May 1, as the knock-on effects of the Iran war continue to play out across the Middle East and the energy landscape.

For context, the UAE produces the third-highest amount of oil in the group, per April data and OPEC’s latest set of annual statistics.

According to the cartel’s 2025 Annual Statistical Bulletin, the OPEC group was collectively exporting some 19 million barrels of crude oil a day last year, with the United Arab Emirates accounting for some 14% of that daily output.

UAExit means UAExit

The nation, whose energy minister told Reuters yesterday that the decision was taken “after a careful look at current and future policies related to level of production” and wasn’t made following discussions with any other country, made up a healthy share of the group’s total confirmed crude oil reserves, as well.

Of the 12 nations in the core group, which was founded by just five oil superpowers back in September 1960, only two (Iraq and Saudi Arabia) exported more barrels of crude oil daily, pumping out 3.36 million and 6.05 million barrels, respectively, each day to nations around the world.

For its part, the UAE said it will “continue its responsible role by gradually and thoughtfully increasing production, in line with demand and market conditions,” per the official state news agency. Clearly, the nation now wants a little more control of just how much oil it can pump around the world, with the UAE having to eat a large proportion of lost revenues due to its healthy abundance and OPEC restrictions.