Lawn-Liest Cities in America: 2025’s Smallest Yards

Love is in the air — but is it in your yard? 

To mark Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) and show love to cities where outdoor space is in short supply, LawnStarter ranked 2025’s Lawn-Liest Cities in America.

We compared the 2,000 biggest U.S. cities based on the average yard sizes of single-family homes from the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Unearth our ranking below. To learn how we ranked the cities, see our methodology.

Contents

• City Rankings
• Top 5 Close Up
• Key Insights
• Ask the Experts
• Methodology
• Final Thoughts: Love Your Lawn No Matter the Size

City Rankings

See how each city fared in our ranking:

Top 5 Close Up 

Check out the slideshow below for highlights on each of our top 5 cities.

Key Insights

Love may be grand, but yards in big cities are anything but. New York (No. 8) and San Francisco (No. 3) top our ranking with some of the tiniest plots. Meanwhile, small-city charm comes with space to spare, with each of our bottom 10 cities boasting populations under 50,000. 

California and New Jersey might be breaking the hearts of gardeners when it comes to yard size. With 17 Garden State Cities and 10 from the Golden State landing in the top 150, finding space to plant love — or even a rose bush — could be a challenge. 

Highlights

• The top 97 cities have an average yard size of less than 0.1 acres. If space is your love language, head to the bottom of our ranking. Carney, MD, (No. 2,000) and Linton Hall, VA, (No. 1,999) stand alone as the only cities with yards averaging over 1 acre.
  
• Nearly every city in Delaware, Rhode Island, and Vermont found their spots in the top half of our ranking — except Dover, DE, (No. 1,089), Cranston, RI, (No. 1,444), and Middletown, DE, (No. 1,727), which boast more breathing room.
  
• Room to Roam in the South: If you’re looking for a spacious yard, Texas and North Carolina are the places to be. Both states had 15 cities land in the bottom 150 of our ranking — meaning bigger yards and plenty of space to spread out. 
  
• From “Farm-to-Table” to “Patio-to-Plate”: All but the bottom 150 cities in our ranking average yards smaller than the national average of half an acre. It seems urban gardening is less about rolling fields and more about maximizing space with vertical gardening, container cultivation, or a rooftop tomato patch. 

Ask the Experts

Owning a home with a spacious yard can be a dream come true, but with great space comes great responsibility.

We asked a panel of experts for their insights on maintaining large yards, the impact of yard size in today’s housing market, and the best ways to make the most of any outdoor space. Check out their advice below:

Muriel Fernandez

Lecturer

Lei Wedge

Associate Professor

Muriel Fernandez

Lecturer

Cal Poly Pomona, Department of Landscape Architecture

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Muriel Fernandez

Lecturer

Cal Poly Pomona, Department of Landscape Architecture

What are three of the biggest challenges that come with owning a home with a lot of yard space?

Knowing what you want to use it for: recreational, habitat, or mix of both. Or, simply a beautiful garden (possibly a cut garden).

What are your top three tips for managing a large lawn?

1. Remove the lawn.

2. If you must have a lawn, know the type of lawn that will do best on your site.

3. Water and aerate your lawn every year.

What is one way to make a small backyard seem bigger?

Play with the edges of your backyard. For small yards, creating an overflow of plants coming into the pathways is one way.

What are three pieces of lawn care equipment necessary for maintaining a big property?

1. Plug aerators.

2. Invest in a GOOD rake (helps to pick up leaves).

3. An electric lawnmower.

4. (Bonus) An edge trimmer.

Lei Wedge

Associate Professor

University of South Florida

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Lei Wedge

Associate Professor

University of South Florida

What are three of the biggest challenges that come with owning a home with a lot of yard space?

1. Keeping up with the yard.

2. Cost of maintaining the yard.

3. Additional cost in property tax.

How important are yard sizes in today’s housing market?

It depends on the city. In the North, it is quite important. In the Southern newer cities like Tampa, it’s not as important. We have tons of master-planned communities with tiny yards. People are used to lot sizes 40 by 100 in starter homes. 50 by 100 is a decent bigger lot in those newer neighborhoods.

What are your top three tips for managing a large lawn?

1. Get a good lawn person with big equipment.

2. If you try to do it yourself, make sure you have plenty of free time and energy.

3. If in Florida, summertime is brutal, and the grass grows very fast with the rain.

What is one way to make a small backyard seem bigger?

Do not clutter. Keep it open. Fences actually help small yards out a lot and make it very private.

What are three pieces of lawn care equipment necessary for maintaining a big property?

1. Lawn mower.

2. Weed eater.

3. Edger.

4. Leafblower.

You need all four. A hedge trimmer is helpful too.

Some homeowners associations (HOAs) pay for front yard maintenance. Is this worth the HOA fee?

Townhome HOAs usually cover lawn care. Single-family home (SFH) HOAs rarely cover the lawn.

It depends on your yard size and how busy your schedule is. Usually, the ones that cover yard maintenance have smaller lots. Compare the HOA fee with your own cost of lawn maintenance to decide.

A lot of times the communities with HOA covering lawns also charge for cable and other community expenses, and HOA fees tend to be pretty high.

Methodology

First, we determined the factors (metrics) that are most relevant to rank the Lawn-Liest Cities in America. We then gathered the average yard acreage for each of the 2,000 biggest U.S. cities from the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Finally, we calculated scores (out of 100 points) for each city to determine its rank. The highest Overall Score ranked “Smallest” (No. 1) and the lowest “Biggest” (No. 2,000).

Note:

• Population data was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau for reference purposes only.

Final Thoughts: Love Your Lawn No Matter the Size

A small yard doesn’t mean you can’t create a dreamy outdoor retreat. Whether you’re planning a romantic evening under the stars or setting up the perfect space for a cozy gathering, a little creativity goes a long way. 

Show your small yard some love with these simple upgrades: 

• Set the mood with lighting: String lights, globes, or solar-powered path lights can turn any backyard into a romantic hideaway. 
• Get cozy: A small bistro table, a hammock, or a cushioned bench can make your space feel inviting. 
• Grow a garden for two: Vertical gardens, potted plants, or a tiny herb patch can bring life (and fresh flavors) to your backyard. 
• Turn up the heat: A fire pit or tabletop fireplace adds warmth and ambiance for year-round enjoyment. 
• Privacy please: Clever landscaping, like raised garden beds or trellises, can add depth and beauty without taking up too much room. 
• Love your little lawn: When space is limited, there’s no need for a bulky riding mower. Keep your turf looking sharp with a small push mower.  

For those lucky enough to have room to roam, here’s how to make the most of your space: 

• Love your lawn: Keep an eye out for lawn diseases before they break your heart. 
• Mow with affection: The right lawn mower makes all the difference. A riding mower or zero-turn model can save you time so you can spend more moments with your loved ones. 
• Xeriscape your way to romance: Reduce watering worries and yard chores by planting drought-tolerant flowers and greenery. 
• Spark romance: A small pond or outdoor fireplace adds the perfect ambiance for cozy evenings under the stars. 
• Sealed with a hedge: A well-placed fence or living fence can wrap your yard in a cozy embrace. 

Too busy wooing to worry about lawn care – in your small or big yard? Hire a local LawnStarter pro to handle the heavy lifting while you focus on creating a backyard you love.

Media Resources

• High-resolution images of cities

Main Photo Credit:Barbara Helgason / Adobe Stock / License

Kimberly Magerl

Kimberly Magerl is a writer and editor specializing in landscaping, gardening, lawn care, and pest control. She enjoys growing orchids, tending to fruits and vegetables in her garden, and cooking with her home-grown herbs.

Posts by Kimberly Magerl