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America is known as a land of excess—from pop culture to mega-mansions, wealth and luxury are paramount markers of success in our society. Despite "the COVID years," the U.S. historically only had pockets of wealth congregating in the metro areas. In 2024, however, finding a suffering real estate market anywhere is challenging as property values hold steady and grow. Below, you will find the 10 largest homes in America and the costs of each.
Why We're Writing This
We know investors and real estate mavens want to see where the money in our country lives and when it shifts around geographically. By showcasing the 10 largest homes in America, you can understand how construction costs have shifted over time while admiring architectural choices and regional influences. When appropriate, we will update you on any massive changes to our lists; this one is current until 2024.
Methodology
When creating the list for this article, we sourced information from leading real estate sites and local market indexes, like Redfin and Zillow. Our findings lined up most closely with those of Largest.org site. Below are the top 10 largest homes in America, with number 1 being the largest.
10. Versailles
- Size: 85,000 square feet
- Location: Windermere, Florida
- Year Built: 2004
- Features: An astounding 13 bedrooms, 23 bathrooms, and a 30-car garage
- Cost: $75M+
Considered one of the largest single-family homes in the United States, this stunner in Windermere is still under construction. What began in 2004 has become a never-ending slew of delayed projects and funding. The 2008 financial crisis and other supply chain issues have held up the completion of this French look-a-like for decades. Equipped with a 30-car garage and a remarkable 23 bathrooms, this impressive mansion deserves to make the list.
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9. Meadow Brook Hall
- Size: 88,000 square feet
- Location: Rochester Hills, Michigan
- Year Built: 1929
- Features: 110 rooms, European-style architecture, lush gardens
- Cost: $4M
Constructed between 1926 and 1929 and designed in Tudor Revival style, this gorgeous Michigan mansion is surrounded by lush gardens and greenways. Built for about $4M, equivalent to approximately $60M today, the home was commissioned by the widow of auto-pioneer John Dodge. It's now a historical landmark open for tours and viewing.
8. Shadow Lawn
- Size: 90,000 square feet
- Location: West Long Branch, New Jersey
- Year Built: 1927
- Features: 52-room palace
- Cost: $10.5M
Designated a historic landmark in 1985, this mega-mansion replaced the original version burnt down by a fire in 1903. Built originally for Hubert T. Parson, then president of the F.W. Woolworth Company, the home boasts an unbelievable 52 rooms and 110,000 square feet of space. While it only cost a mere $10.5M to construct in 1927, this palace would be estimated at around $160M to create today. It now serves as an administrative building for Monmouth University.
7. Cornelius Vanderbilt II House
- Size: 125,339 square feet
- Location: Newport, Rhode Island
- Year Built: 1895
- Features: 70 rooms,
- Cost: $7M
In 1994, this beautiful Vanderbilt residence, often called The Breakers, was designated a historical landmark. Used as a summer residence with 70 rooms, extensive gardens, and gorgeous water views, it would likely cost upwards of $220M to construct today. Designed in Renaissasaine Italian style, The Breakers welcomes tourists in daily, as a museum open to the public.
6. Winterthur
- Size: 96,582 square feet
- Location: Winterthur, Delaware
- Year Built: 1837, 1931 (expanded)
- Features: 175 rooms, extensive art collection, 60-acre garden
- Cost: N/A
Formerly the home of Henry Francis Du Pont and significantly expanded between 1928 and 1931, this massive home is known mostly for Du Pont's American decorative arts collection and 60-acre garden. Now designated a national historic landmark, Winterthur welcomes guests worldwide to its educational programs, museum, and gardens.
5. Arden House
- Size: 97,188 square feet
- Location: Harriman, New York
- Year Built: 1905-1909
- Features: 97 rooms, combining Tudor and Elizabethan architectural styles
- Cost: $2M
The estate's $2M construction cost would be closer to $60M today, featuring extensive gardens, a large conservatory, a private lake, and many outer buildings. Guests enjoy stunning views of the surrounding Hudson Highlands and Hudson River, as the property is used for conferences and retreats today.
4. Whitemarsh Hall
- Size: 147,000 square feet
- Location: Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania
- Year Built : 1916-1921 (demolished, 1980)
- Features: 147 rooms, marble, intricate plaster ceilings
- Cost: $10M
Spanning over 147,000 square feet with 147 rooms decorated in marble, detailed woodwork, and dramatic plaster ceilings, it stood as one of the country's largest private residences. The mansion itself sits on over 300,000 acres of land. Designed by architect Horace Trumbauer and surrounded by expansive gardens curated by Jacques Gréber, Whitemarsh Hall was a social hub, hosting extravagant gatherings for America's elite.
3. The One
- Size: 105,000 square feet
- Location: Bel Air, Beverly Hills, CA
- Year Built: 2021
- Features: Nightclub, bowling alley, multiple pools
- Cost: $500M+
Completed around 2021, this mega-mansion boasts extravagant interiors and state-of-the-art amenities. It features a nightclub, bowling alley, movie theater, and expansive indoor and outdoor pools. Set against the backdrop of the Los Angeles skyline, "The One" exemplifies the ultimate in contemporary residential design and represents a new standard of luxury living.
2. Oheka Castle
- Size: 109,000 square feet
- Location: Huntington, New York
- Year Built: 1914-1919
- Features: 127 rooms, lush gardens, fountains, and a reflecting pool
- Cost: $11M
This 127-room estate is an example of French château-style architecture and would cost the equivalent of approximately $160 million to build it today. Adorned with marble fireplaces and intricate woodwork, set atop 443 acres, its expansive grounds feature lush gardens and a reflecting pool. Once a vibrant social center, Oheka Castle is now a luxury hotel and event space.
1. Biltmore Estate
- Size: 178,926 square feet
- Location: Asheville, NC
- Year Built: 1889-1895
- Features: 250 rooms, 65 fireplaces, an indoor swimming pool, and a bowling alley
- Cost: $6M
Rounding out our list at number 1 is an iconic symbol of Gilded Age opulence, designed in the Châteauesque style by architect Richard Morris Hunt; the estate is America's largest privately-owned residence. Biltmore is America's first managed forest across 8,000 acres, showcasing Vanderbilt's vision for the outdoors and sustainability. Today, Biltmore is a National Historic Landmark, open for tours and guests.
Conclusion
The 10 largest homes in America exemplify their respective eras' trends and historical significance. From the iconic Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, to the modern marvel "The One" in Bel Air, California, each mansion reflects the vision and wealth of its builders and the period in which it was built. These estates not only showcase architectural brilliance and luxurious amenities but also serve as cultural landmarks and post markers for regional wealth centers in our country.
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