Area Measurements for Real Estate: Square Feet, Meters, Acres, and Hectares

Whether you are buying property, planning a garden, or comparing living spaces internationally, understanding area measurements is crucial. Different countries and industries use different units, which can be confusing.

Common Area Units

Square Feet (ft²)

The standard unit for property measurement in the US, Canada, and parts of Asia. A typical American apartment might be 700-1,200 square feet.

Square Meters (m²)

Used in most countries outside North America. A typical European apartment might be 50-100 square meters. One square meter equals about 10.76 square feet.

Acres

Used for larger land areas in the US and UK. One acre is 43,560 square feet or about 4,047 square meters. A football field is about 1.32 acres.

Hectares

The metric equivalent for large land areas, widely used internationally. One hectare is 10,000 square meters or about 2.47 acres.

Quick Conversions

• 1 m² = 10.764 ft²
• 1 ft² = 0.0929 m²
• 1 acre = 43,560 ft² = 4,047 m²
• 1 hectare = 10,000 m² = 2.471 acres
• 1 km² = 100 hectares = 247.1 acres

Practical Size References

• Parking space: ~150 ft² (14 m²)
• Studio apartment: ~400-600 ft² (37-56 m²)
• Average US home: ~2,300 ft² (214 m²)
• Tennis court: ~2,808 ft² (261 m²)
• Soccer field: ~1.76 acres (0.71 hectares)
• City block: ~2-5 acres (0.8-2 hectares)