Most common home renovation projects regionally across the US

Canva – Midwest: #8 most common home renovation project – Northeast: Did not rank in top 10 – South: #8 most common home renovation project – West: Did not rank in top 10 U.S. lawns occupy between 60,000 and 65,000 square miles of the nation’s land–about enough grass to cover the state of Florida. After World War II, when many Americans began moving from cities into suburban developments, lawns–especially backyards–became a staple, a desirable private outdoor haven. And around those backyards, fences are standard for privacy, safety, and aesthetics. HGTV even says it’s becoming trendy to install a “good neighbor fence,” making property lines clear and making the home and landscaping look better. With urban lot sizes largest in the Midwestern city of Indianapolis and closely followed by the Southern cities of Jacksonville, Austin, Charlotte, and Dallas, it’s not surprising that fences are among the most common home renovation projects in the Midwest and South. Lot sizes are much smaller in the Northern cities of New York City and Philadelphia and the Western city of San Francisco–though the Midwestern city of Chicago also has small lot sizes. Pool Lucy Clark // Shutterstock – Midwest: Did not rank in top 10 – Northeast: #10 most common home renovation project – South: #6 most common home renovation project – West: #7 most common home renovation project The South is home to several states often considered to have some of the best weather in the nation, including Texas, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Louisiana. Arizona and California, in the Western region of the U.S., also have great weather, with relatively little rain and frequent moderate temperatures. With so much sun and even hot weather, a pool is a highly coveted addition to a home. Deck tab62 // Shutterstock – Midwest: #7 most common home renovation project – Northeast: #7 most common home renovation project – South: #7 most common home renovation project – West: #9 most common home renovation project As with patios, decks became a popular home renovation project partly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. And because the pandemic affected the entire U.S., decks were a common home renovation project across all regions. Water filtration system Canva – Midwest: #2 most common home renovation project – Northeast: #2 most common home renovation project – South: Did not rank in top 10 – West: #2 most common home renovation project Like exterior painting, interior painting is also an attractively inexpensive home renovation. Professionals often charge between $150 and $700, but that can depend on how many rooms are involved. DIY repainting is even cheaper, as it’s mainly just the cost of paint and a few basic supplies. This story originally appeared on Realm and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.