McMansions

May 15,2025: Despite ongoing criticism, McMansions continue to be a fixture in many suburban neighborhoods. These sprawling, super-sized homes come packed with multiple bedrooms—each with its own bath, as well as grand dining rooms, family rooms, media rooms, home offices, game rooms, gyms, commercial-sized kitchens, and many other amenities. For growing families or anyone who can afford the McMansion lifestyle, they offer an ultra-comfortable way to live.

Suburban land, when it’s available, is usually much cheaper than land in urban areas. That makes it a lot easier to justify building big. Developers also frequently tear down older homes on large lots in these neighborhoods to meet the demand for newer, larger houses.

For many people, a large house is the ultimate status symbol. Imposing façades, dramatic entryways, and expansive living spaces all create a sense of prestige that’s especially appealing to upwardly mobile buyers. There’s the practical side, too: large families, multigenerational households, and people who work from home or love to host guests genuinely appreciate all that extra space.

There’s also an economic reason these homes keep getting built. New construction isn’t cheap, but scaling up tends to make sense. Building a 5,000-square-foot house doesn’t cost twice as much as building a 2,500-square-foot one. Buyers get “more house for the money,” and for those chasing square footage, that’s a big draw.

Critics may raise concerns about sustainability and aesthetics, but McMansions tap into the deep-rooted desire for comfort, status, and room to spread out. In towns across Bergen County, New Jersey, where I live, it seems like new McMansion projects are springing up everywhere.

Here is a short YouTube video on the story of McMansions: