How the Modern Farmhouse Conquered America—and What It Says About the Economy

It has been called “inauthentic,” a tool of gentrification, the “modern McMansion.” It has been mocked, copied, and declared dead.But whatever you think about the modern farmhouse, there’s little question that it's become the defining look of the new American home.The signature white siding, board-and-batten accents, clean gables, and black-framed windows can be found in new-construction homes from suburbs to cities. By 2017, builder design awards were already identifying those features as major trends. And as recently as early 2025, modern farmhouse plans were outselling other styles by 36%.Its rise is often attributed to taste—fueled by "Fixer Upper," Chip and Joanna Gaines, and an insatiable American appetite for nostalgia. But liking a style and building it everywhere are two different things."Material costs are a major determining factor when it comes to the type of new-home inventory being offered, especially among smaller builders who don't have scale advantages for purchasing," explains Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com®.And while some critics have derided the movement toward cheaper building as the erosion of American aesthetics, architectural historian Gwendoly...