Medium-density housing

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Medium-density housing" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. You may improve this article, discuss the issue on the talk page, or create a new article, as appropriate. (July 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Medium-density housing is a term used within urban planning and academic literature to refer to a category of residential development that falls between detached suburban housing and large multi-story buildings. There is no singular definition of medium-density housing as its precise definition tends to vary between jurisdiction. Scholars however, have found that medium density housing ranges from about 25 to 80 dwellings per hectare, although most commonly sits around 30 and 40 dwellings/hectare.^[1][2][3] Typical examples of medium-density housing include duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, row homes, detached homes with garden suites, and walk-up apartment buildings.^[2][3]

In Australia the density of standard suburban residential areas has traditionally been between 8-15 dwellings per hectare.^[1] In New Zealand medium-density development is defined as four or more units with an average density of less than 350m².^[4] Such developments typically consist of semi-attached and multi-unit housing (also known as grouped housing) and low-rise apartments.

In the United States, medium-density housing is usually referred to as middle-sized or cluster development that fits between neighborhoods with single family homes and high-rise apartments. This kind of development is usually intended to bridge the gap between low- and high-density neighborhoods. Because this kind of housing refers to density specifically, the type of building or number of units can vary. Medium-density housing in America has historically been perceived as undesirable due to the affordable nature of the housing that attracts low-income residents, and its perceived breach on the established suburban lifestyle.^[5] The various styles of medium-density housing are now being considered as more sustainable development options to help solve the housing crisis in America.^[6]