It turns out that investing in your outdoor space and garden could be a smart move. In some states across the country, the size of your garden can increase the value of your home.
By looking at the average home value and average yard size in each state, we found out that in some states, the size of your garden could impact your home value.
The States where your Garden can Increase your Home Value
By looking at the average yard size of each state and the average house value in each state, we found the best states where having a big garden can make your home more valuable. We gave each state a relative score out of 10 for both yard size and home value, and averaged those scores to find each state’s ‘yard value score’. The states with the highest yard value score are the states where having a large garden could improve your home value the most.
1. Hawaii - Yard Value Score: 8.68/10
Hawaii is a beach lover’s paradise and the ultimate place to live for those who love warm climates, the ocean and natural wildlife.
Famous for its luxury homes with large backyards, houses in Hawaii have the best chance of a large garden adding to the home value. We found that the average yard size in Hawaii is 20,470 square feet, while houses are valued at $615,300 on average.
Although the median yard size in Hawaii is the smallest out of our top three, houses in the state have the highest average value in the United States, at $615,300 - around $110,300 more than the average house value in California.
2. New Hampshire - Yard Value Score: 8.17/10
Although New Hampshire is one of the smallest states in the country, it is fourth on our list for the biggest median garden size by square feet.
Having a big garden in New Hampshire is also likely to add value to your home, as properties in the state are valued at around $261,700 - 16th in the United States.
2. Montana - Yard Value Score: 8.17/10
Those in Montana have large garden spaces on average, with the median yard size being 71,576 square feet.
Montana also comes in 18th place on our list of the state with the most valuable homes, making it one of the best states to have a big garden.
2. Vermont - Yard Value Score: 8.17/10
Vermont is one of the best states to have a big backyard. Vermont is the state with the largest average yard size, with the median size being around 73,979 square feet - that’s over 13 times bigger than California’s average yard size.
Houses in Vermont also have a higher median value than those in most states, with Vermont ranking 19th on our list for house value.
Which State has the Most Valuable Homes?
Hawaii - Median House Value: $615,300
The ‘Aloha State’ has the most valuable homes in all of the US on average, with the median house value being $615,300.
Hawaii also topped our list for the state where a large backyard is most likely to add value to your home.
Which State has the Biggest Gardens?
Vermont - Average Yard Size: 73,979 square foot
Houses in Vermont have the largest average yard size, according to information from Home Advisor. At 73,989 square feet, the median yard size in Vermont is far higher than the national average, which is around 10,871 square feet.
Vermont ranks in the top 20 US states for median home value, making it one of the best states for a big garden and high-value home.
Methodology
We wanted to find the states where a big garden can increase home value, so we looked at the median home value in each state, sourced from World Population Review and the median yard size in each state, sourced from Home Advisor.
We gave each state a normalized score out of 10 for the highest home value, and a normalized score out of 10 for the largest average yard size. By averaging these scores, we gave each state a Yard Value Score out of 10, which we used to form our ranking.