Peak Oil Task Force Report - City of Bloomington - State of Indiana

Number of People per Square Foot
While homes have become more energy efficient per square foot the effect of these
efficiencies has been counteracted by the size of our homes. Over time, the size of our
homes has increased, while the number of people living in those homes has decreased. In
2000 the national average household size was 2.59 people. As shown below, this is
significantly less than the average of 3.67 in 1940, while over that same time period the
number of average square feet per house, and per person, has increased:
Number of Persons
4
3
2
1
0
0
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Change in Household Size, House Size and Square Feet Per Person ­ 1940 to 2000
Persons per household Square feet per person Square feet per house
Adapted from Plan C: Community Survival Strategies for Peak Oil and Climate Change 187
Bloomington tracks – indeed exceeds – national trends. In 2000, the average Bloomington
household has shrunk while the average size of a single‐family residence has increased. In
2000, the average household size in Bloomington was 2.09 people – 0.50 fewer people than
the national average. 188 From 2000 to 2009, homes built in Monroe County averaged 2,547
square feet, 189 almost 400 square feet larger than the U.S. average.
187 Murphy, 146.
188 U.S. Census 2000. Bloomington’s small household size is very likely due to its large student population.
189 Personal communication, Monroe County Building Department.
Report of the Bloomington Peak Oil Task Force
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
Square feet
156