If you’re scrolling through homes on real estate websites and see ranch-style houses, don’t look for cattle in the backyard. Finding yourself asking, “What is a ranch-style house?” isn’t unusual.
After all, this style of home was quite popular during most of the 20th century. In the 1950s, as suburbs were under construction, nine out of every 10 houses built were ranch-style house.
A Ranch-Style Home in a Nutshell
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So back to the original question: “What is a ranch-style house?” If you see a single-story, sprawling home built at ground level, it’s most likely a ranch-style house.
During much of the 20th century, three-bedroom and two-bath ranch homes were extremely popular in America. Hence, there are plenty of ranch-style homes available.
What Is a Ranch House? The Long Answer
There’s more to a ranch-style house than just being one story. Believed to have originated in California during the 1930s, a time when the Golden State saw plenty of population growth, these simple homes have several features that set them apart.
Because ranch-style houses are easier and faster to build, they accommodated families during the nation’s rapid population growth in the middle years of the 20th century. The ranch moniker may confuse you when the house isn’t on a ranch, but don’t be.
Ranch-style homes tend to be perfect for people who love the mid-century style or are searching for their first home. Among the features seen in ranch-style houses are these:
1. Single Story
The hallmark of a ranch-style house is one story. While single-story ranch-style homes lost popularity in the 1970s, they’re a perfect fit for smaller families.
These homes are perfect for those who don’t want to climb up and down stairs every day. For those with mobility issues, a ranch house can be a good choice, needing minimal renovations.
2. Ground Level
Ranch-style houses, in a departure from craftsman-style houses, are at ground level, so there are few steps to climb to get to the front door. For those with mobility issues, a ground-level ranch-style house can be perfect.
In wetter areas of the country, this can be a disadvantage unless the ranch-style home is on high ground. For this reason, driveways to ranch-style houses may lead uphill from street level.
3. Low Roof
Ranch-style houses have low-slung and wide roofs, setting them apart from earlier styles of houses with steep roofs and mansards.
Ranch-style houses also have deeply overhanging eaves to bring shade and keep the house cooler.
4. Lower Ceilings
The high ceilings of earlier homes and the homes of the 1980s and later aren’t seen in ranch-style homes. Ranch-style houses tend to have ceilings of about 7.5 feet.
High ceilings keep houses cooler, but since ranch-style houses became popular when air conditioning was available, this wasn’t a problem.
5. Sprawling Style
Ranch houses don’t have the small, segmented rooms of houses built in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The sprawling style of ranch-style homes has a more open arrangement of rooms.
In the 1940s and 1950s, this was a style revolution and the height of modernity. Expanded ranch-style homes rambled into L-shapes or U-shapes.
6. Built From the 1930s to Mid-to-Late 1970s
Though anyone could build a ranch-style home from the ground up now, they built most American ranch-style houses between the 1930s and the mid-to-late 1970s.
In the years following World War II, when veterans came home and started families, the building of ranch-style homes in the suburbs escalated. Today, cities work to protect these historic ranch-style homes.
Types of Ranch-Style Homes
You may see terms such as “California Ranch,” “Storybook Ranch,” and “Split-Level Ranch” when looking at ranch-style houses. These are a few of the varieties of ranch-style houses.
1. California Ranch
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This is the original style of ranch home. California ranch-style homes are single-story, ground-level homes with floor plans that are more open than earlier styles of homes.
The ranch-style house was first built in the 1930s and was the country’s most popular house style by the 1940s and 1950s.
The ranch-style house makes the most of West Coast living, especially with patio space in the back for enjoying California sunshine.
2. Storybook Ranch
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A ranch-style house with decorative trim, exposed rafters, diamond-shaped windows, and other features is a storybook ranch.
These added details may give the ranch-style house a Spanish flair. Others have Tudor-style touches, a farmhouse look, or decorative Cape Cod-style windows. Some have colonial touches for an early American look.
3. Split-level Ranch
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A split-level ranch-style house may look like a one-story house, but inside, it can actually have two or three stories with anywhere from a step to a series of steps leading to the next level.
Split-level ranch-style houses can follow the contours of their lot. Sometimes entries into these homes are higher, with guests stepping down into living rooms or dens that are lower.
4. Suburban Ranch
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As the name implies, suburban ranch houses are in suburban neighborhoods that sprung up in the 1950s.
These single-story homes have open floor plans and were the height of mid-century style. Watch a television sitcom from that era, and you’ll be able to spot plenty of suburban ranch-style houses.
5. Raised Ranch
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While a ranch-style house is usually a one-story home, a raised ranch has a second story for additional space, but in the boxy mid-century design of a ranch house, the front door may be at ground level.
But there’s a stairway leading upstairs to common spaces such as the living room and dining area. Other raised ranches keep the living space on the ground level, with bedrooms on the second floor.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may have even more questions about ranch-style houses. These FAQs may give you the answers you want:
So What Is a Ranch-Style House?
Ranch-style houses are a part of American history. Housing families during a time of population growth and economic expansion, ranch-style homes are where Baby Boomers grew up and may have also been the homes where they raised their own families.
Since they built so many ranch-style homes, these homes are readily available in most parts of the country. They’re often available at lower prices, especially if they need updates, making them a great choice for families looking for their first home.
Ranch-style homes can also be a great choice for empty-nester couples who are looking to downsize. For Baby Boomers, ranch-style homes may give them a feeling of nostalgia, since many Boomers grew up in ranch-style houses.
Fans of mid-century design also love these houses for their retro feel. Rather than try to update their ranch-style home, these homeowners will often use popular color schemes from the time they built the home and even decorate their home’s interior to fit that era.
Ranch-style houses are plentiful as well as varied. A vibrant part of suburbia, ranch-style homes are worth a look for their versatility, affordability, and comfortable style of living.