Undoubtedly, where you reside can profoundly shape your identity. Equally telling, however, is where you aspire to live.

What Is the Most Common Home Style in the U.S.?

The most common style of home in the U.S. is the one-story ranch. They're so widespread that pinpointing their exact origin within the country is challenging, but it's believed they began to gain popularity in 1930s California.

RELATED: 7 Things Every Kid Wished Their House Had When They Were Growing

Perhaps the most famous example of a ranch-style home is the Golden Girls house, which went on the market for the first time in 2020. Ironically, it resides in Brentwood, California, while the show was set in Miami, Florida. Confused yet?

The exterior of the Golden Girls house in Brentwood, California
Brandon Valente, Brandon V Photography
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We Are Going Beyond Ranch Homes

One thing is for sure—when it comes to dream homes, you can throw all the rules out the chic black-framed double-hung window!

While some home designs appear tied to specific regions, the ease of relocation, access to design inspiration (like Pinterest), and diverse individual tastes suggest that, in general, any style of house could be constructed anywhere.

Choose Your Dream Home Style

Let's look at eight iconic home styles (beyond the ranch) from across the country and you choose which one you'd like to be your forever home. We'll share what we believe your choice says about you, focusing on the positive. No style-shaming here!

NOTE: Considering the vast array of home styles, we've harnessed the power of AI to combine features from similar styles. Therefore, what you are seeing here are not actual homes but rather a combo.

East Coast Victorian Elegance
Canva AI/Magic Media
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East Coast Victorian Elegance

You're the epitome of a dreamer. Secret passages and dumbwaiters are essential in the home where you spend your days—a place that oozes history as much as it radiates timeless style. You'd keep the rickety record player spinning vintage tunes in the parlor nonstop, and you'd gladly invite neighbors (or any curious passersby) in for tea and viewings of Practical Magic.

New England Charmer
Canva AI/Magic Media
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New England Charmer

You're a cozy connoisseur.  With a golden retriever sporting a human name ("Hank loves heirloom apples!") and cider perpetually warming in the crockpot, your home exudes warmth year-round. Even in the heat of August, you're already imagining family football games and leaf-raking festivities. And that white picket fence? You're prepared to tackle it at a moment's notice, keeping a trusty pair of overalls close by for any home improvement emergency.

Southern Grand Dame
Canva AI/Magic Media
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Southern Grand Dame

You love a balcony moment. Is there a single room that doesn't have enormous bunches of magnolia blooms? I dare say no. You relish the opportunity to call on the neighbors for a sweet tea break on the porch, but once it's over, you'll politely announce it's over. You'll need some time to stroll wistfully through your mysterious back garden.

Midwest Cozy Farmhouse
Canva AI/Magic Media
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Midwest Cozy Farmhouse

You affectionately refer to your chickens as "the ladies." A bit of mud tracked in on your boots only adds to the rustic charm of country living. Your cozy abode boasts shiplap walls that have stood for a century, long before Joanna Gaines was the twinkle in someone's eye, and when someone suggests the trend is over, you simply chuckle and offer them an icy cold drink from the porch cooler.

Southwest Earthy & Rustic
Canva AI/Magic Media
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Southwest Earthy & Rustic

You are an artist at heart. It's only fitting that your perfect home would be a work of art, a living sculpture. Your days are filled with "rescuing" turquoise jewelry on eBay, refining your yoga poses, and basking in the desert sun while finding serenity in the rustic allure of your adobe sanctuary.

Rock Mountain High
Canva AI/Magic Studio
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Rocky Mountain High

You're a breath of fresh air to everyone you meet. So why not surround yourself with perpetual freshness, even if it means a bit less oxygen? As you run your hands along the sturdy logs of your home, you express gratitude for their sacrifice. Encountering a grizzly doesn't faze you, after all, your ability to handle any situation is evident in the local fauna gracing your walls.

California Cool
Canva AI/Magic Media
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California Cool

You're an open book. That's a good thing, since living in a glass house where every passerby on the beach can catch a glimpse inside is not for everyone. Yet, your worries about others' opinions are as fleeting as the ocean breeze sweeping through your hair. Celebrity neighbors do not fluster you because your focus is solely on 100% embracing the beach vibe, where everyone is welcome.

Pacific Northbest
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Pacific Northbest

You embody Northwest coziness. The comforting aroma of freshly-brewed organic coffee permeates every room, accompanied by half-finished puzzles adorning every flat surface. While you rock the plaid like nobody's business, you understand boundaries. Misty mornings offer moments for reflection and quick walks with your rescue dog.

A Little Bit of Everything
Canva AI/Magic Studio
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BONUS: A Little Bit of Everything

You're a kaleidoscope of styles. Walking into Home Depot, you're more likely to buy one of each tile style, creating an eclectic mural rather than settling on just one. Theme rooms excite you, and if someone says "That doesn't go together..." you know you've made the right choice.

LOOK: Here are the 50 best beach towns in America

Every beach town has its share of pluses and minuses, which got us thinking about what makes a beach town the best one to live in. To find out, Stacker consulted data from WalletHub, released June 17, 2020, that compares U.S. beach towns. Ratings are based on six categories: affordability, weather, safety, economy, education and health, and quality of life. The cities ranged in population from 10,000 to 150,000, but they had to have at least one local beach listed on TripAdvisor. Read the full methodology here. From those rankings, we selected the top 50. Readers who live in California and Florida will be unsurprised to learn that many of towns featured here are in one of those two states.

Keep reading to see if your favorite beach town made the cut.

Gallery Credit: Keri Wiginton

LOOK: Here are the best lake towns to live in

Many of the included towns jump out at the casual observer as popular summer-rental spots--the Ozarks' Branson, Missouri, or Arizona's Lake Havasu--it might surprise you to dive deeper into some quality-of-life offerings beyond the beach and vacation homes. You'll likely pick up some knowledge from a wide range of Americana: one of the last remaining 1950s-style drive-ins in the Midwest; a Florida town that started as a Civil War veteran retirement area; an island boasting some of the country's top public schools and wealth-earners right in the middle of a lake between Seattle and Bellevue; and even a California town containing much more than Johnny Cash's prison blues.

Gallery Credit: Peter Richman

 

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