In the NKBA’s study of new single-family homes, the average kitchen is 161 sq ft, “just under 13 feet by 13 feet”. It ranges from 103 sq ft in houses under 1,500 sq ft to 238 sq ft in houses of 4,000 sq ft or more. A kitchen can work in much less. With 25½ in counters and the NKBA’s 42 in aisle, a one-wall kitchen needs 5 ft 7½ in to the opposite wall, and a galley 7 ft 9 in wall to wall.
What is the average kitchen size?
The National Kitchen & Bath Association’s 2016 study, “Size of Kitchens in New U.S. Single Family Homes”, found an average of 161 sq ft, just under 13 × 13 ft. A square of 161 sq ft is about 12 ft 8 in on a side.
| New single-family homes | Average kitchen |
|---|---|
| Houses under 1,500 sq ft | 103 sq ft |
| All new houses | 161 sq ft |
| With a great room | 164 sq ft |
| Without a great room | 159 sq ft |
| Houses of 4,000 sq ft or more | 238 sq ft |
NKBA, 2016. Kitchens in older and smaller homes are often smaller.
The width each layout needs
| Layout | Width needed | How |
|---|---|---|
| One wall | 5 ft 7½ in | 25½ in counter + 42 in aisle, to the opposite wall |
| Galley | 7 ft 9 in | Two counters + 42 in aisle; 8 ft 3 in for two cooks |
| L-shape | 5 ft 7½ in each way | A 42 in aisle in front of each arm |
| U-shape | 7 ft 9 in, or 9 ft 3 in | 42 in between the arms; 60 in for wheelchair access |
| G-shape | 7 ft 9 in or more across the U | A U with a peninsula as a fourth side; 42 in between facing counters |
| With an island | 10 ft 9 in or more | See kitchen island dimensions |
Work aisles: 42 in for one cook, 48 in for two (NKBA); 60 in between the arms of a U for access (ICC A117.1, quoted in NKBA’s access standard; the 2010 ADA Standards ask the same in 804.2.2). Our arithmetic.
To see which layouts fit your own room, with its door, window and appliances, try the kitchen layout planner, or browse measured plans in kitchen layout ideas.
A one-wall kitchen, drawn to scale
A one-wall kitchen is the narrowest layout but needs the longest run. Figure 2 lines up a 30 in fridge, a 33 in sink and a 30 in range with every NKBA landing area between them, the 36 in prep counter beside the sink and the dishwasher under it: 171 in, or 14 ft 3 in. Even so it has only 78 in of countertop, about half the 158 in NKBA recommends in all; with the fridge, sink and range added, that total takes about 21 ft of run, which is why L and U kitchens fold it around corners. See one-wall kitchen layout for the layout in full.
What a kitchen is built from
- Counters: 25½ in deep over 24 in base cabinets, 36 in high (standard cabinet depth, standard counter height).
- Appliances: 24 in for a standard dishwasher (dishwasher dimensions); fridges and ranges about 30 in, sinks about 33 in, as drawn here (refrigerator sizes, standard kitchen sink size).
- Aisles: 42 in for one cook, 48 in for two, 36 in for a walkway (NKBA). See space between island and counter.
- Landing areas: 24 and 18 in at the sink, 12 and 15 in at the cooktop, 15 in at the fridge (NKBA).
- Work triangle: 4 to 9 ft per leg, 26 ft in all (NKBA). See the kitchen work triangle.
Questions people ask
What is the average size of a kitchen?
161 sq ft in new US single-family homes, just under 13 × 13 ft (NKBA, 2016): 103 sq ft in houses under 1,500 sq ft and 238 sq ft in houses of 4,000 sq ft or more.
Is there a standard kitchen size?
No. Kitchens follow the size of the house: the NKBA’s 2016 averages run from 103 to 238 sq ft. What is standard is the parts: counters 25½ in deep and 36 in high, and the 42 to 48 in aisles between them.
What is the average kitchen size in square meters?
About 15 m² (161 sq ft) in new US single-family homes: about 9.6 m² in houses under 1,500 sq ft and 22 m² in houses of 4,000 sq ft or more (NKBA, 2016).
What is the smallest a kitchen can be?
By width, a one-wall kitchen needs 5 ft 7½ in to the opposite wall for a 42 in aisle. Its run of counters is the limit: about 14 ft 3 in to fit a fridge, sink and range with every NKBA landing area.
How wide should a kitchen be?
7 ft 9 in wall to wall for a galley with one cook, 8 ft 3 in for two; 5 ft 7½ in for one wall of counters. With an island, from about 10 ft 9 in.
What size is a 10 × 10 kitchen?
100 sq ft, a little under the 103 sq ft average for houses under 1,500 sq ft (NKBA). Measured plans are in 10x10 kitchen layouts.
Sources
- National Kitchen & Bath Association, New NKBA Research Defines Average Kitchen Sizes Across U.S. (2016): 161, 103, 238, 164 and 159 sq ft
- National Kitchen & Bath Association, Kitchen Planning Guidelines with Access Standards: the work triangle, work aisles, walkways, the landing areas and how to combine them, the prep area, total countertop, and the ICC A117.1 access references. This is NKBA's older free edition; the paid 5th edition (June 2026) was not checked.
- U.S. Department of Justice, 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, 804.2.2 (U-shaped kitchens)
- Our standard counter height, standard cabinet depth and dishwasher dimensions guides
Checked 11 October 2026, and on 19 October 2026 against NKBA’s guidelines and the 2010 ADA Standards. Metric values are converted. Widths, run lengths and the one-wall plan are our arithmetic; appliance widths are typical sizes.