In July, we introduced a series of Friday entries called “The Summer of Trends.” The simple premise – a weekly entry about home building or design trends – caught on, so we’ve decided to extend the feature into August (and likely September). We take The Summer of Trends into August with an age-old question: one story or two?

The National Association of Home Builders asked thousands of home buyers that very question in a recently published survey titled “What 21st Century Home Buyers Want.” When asked if they’d prefer a one-story, two-story or split-level home, 52 percent of survey respondents opted for a one-story model like the Excel Homes Cadwell pictured above. The two-story home got 35 percent of the vote, while the split level received the remaining 13 percent of responses.

So why are more home owners choosing ranches over colonials? For many, it comes down to ease of navigation. As the Baby Boomer generation ages (or move in with their children), single-story homes without staircases are simply easier to move around in.

Predictably, the desire for a one-story home rises with age, but preferences for two-story designs increase with income. Two-story homes are also more popular in the Northeast, with one-story models coming out on top in the South Central and South Atlantic regions.