RESEARCH ON REGIONAL VARIANCE OF DWELLING UNIT SIZE AND IT'S BACKGROUND : Focusing on comparison between heavy snow area and south sea area

In Japan, the size of the dwelling unit still varies between regions. This study tries to analyze the variance of dwelling unit size from the view of satisfaction rating between regions, using Housing Demand Survey. After dividing 47 prefectures into nine areas mainly through unit size, comparative studies were made. The occupant satisfaction rating to unit size is higher in the South Sea Area, which is inexplicable from differences of dwelling density. Through multivariate analysis of ten satisfaction rating elements, these elements were divided into two groups; unit size and housing performance. While rating to both two groups tends to be high in South Sea Area, rating to size is high in Big City Area, and rating to performance low in Heavy Snow Area for owner-occupied dwellings. In Heavy Snow Area, dwellings tend to be inherited among generations. In South Sea Area, dwellings are rather non-inherited, so that the satisfaction rating tends to be higher, thus expansion of floor spaces seems to be controlled under mild climates.