In the South, the U.S. Census region that includes Virginia, the median new single-family home fell to 2,162 square feet in 2025, down 14.1 percent from its 2015 peak, according to Census Bureau data.

Having a small studio apartment or a loft means that space is a luxury. An open floor plan means that all of the rooms bleed into each other, and it takes some finagling to carve out separate living ...