The US presidency is synonymous with one iconic American building: the White House. The hallowed halls of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue have been home to centuries of US presidents and its walls are steeped with history. But what of the less high-profile private residences occupied by the former leaders of the free world? Join us as we take a look at the places that America's commanders-in-chief called home sweet home before and after the White House. 

From Abraham Lincoln to Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, click or scroll to step inside the private homes of US presidents...

Often called 'The Father of His Country', George Washington was the first President of the United States and a key figure in leading the colonial troops to victory during the American Revolutionary War. After the war, he served for eight years, between 1789 and 1797, as the president of the newly-created nation. 

Born in 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia, to a wealthy planter family, he inherited the family estate, Mount Vernon, from his half-brother's family in 1761. It was here that Washington retreated to after his two terms in office.

Perched on the banks of the Potomac River in northern Virginia, the Mount Vernon estate had been in the Washington family since 1674. The bones of the mansion were built by George’s father in 1734 and the first US president expanded the house twice. It remained his home for his entire life.

As a plantation and farm of 8,000 acres (3,237ha), the estate was also home to hundreds of enslaved people, who worked the land and served in the house under Washington's control.

The mansion itself is a striking example of colonial architecture. It was built from wood but made to look like stone through a technique known as rustication.

At almost 11,000 square feet (1,021sqm) with three storeys, 21 rooms and a cellar, the mansion dwarfed most houses in Virginia in the late 18th century.

Despite his many absences, Washington oversaw each renovation, advising on design and decoration. He selected architectural features that expressed his growing status as a Virginia gentleman and ultimately the leader of a new nation.  

One of the home's most striking spaces is the dining room, which is part of the original house. In 1785, vibrant verdigris-green paint was added, which Washington remarked was "grateful to the eye” and less likely than other colours to fade.

In contrast, quarters for the enslaved people who worked on the estate mostly comprised bunkrooms and barracks. There were also multiple one-room log cabins with wooden chimneys and dirt floors. 

Washington had a complex relationship with slavery. By the time of his death in 1799, there were 317 enslaved people at Mount Vernon. And while he never spoke out against slavery publicly and ran his estate through forced labour, he made provisions in his will for the eventual emancipation of the people enslaved at Mount Vernon upon the death of his wife, Martha.

Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, having been elected to office in 1861. Born in a log cabin in Kentucky, the iconic American leader grew up in poverty. Largely self-educated, he went on to become a lawyer and politician, known for his commitment to justice. He made his opposition to slavery very clear when he ran for the presidency. Lincoln steered the country through the Civil War, preserving the Union and declaring the legal end to slavery with the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.

While he was re-elected in 1864, Lincoln was assassinated in April 1865 just days after the Civil War ended.

Before his time in office, Lincoln's work as a lawyer took him to Illinois, where he married Mary Todd in 1842. He bought his primary residence, now known as the Lincoln Home, in Springfield for $1,200, just over $50,000 (£38k) in today’s money. He purchased the property in 1844 from Reverend Charles Dresser, who had officiated his marriage two years earlier. 

Originally a small cottage, Lincoln made several renovations as his career advanced and his family grew, with the home expanding into a beautiful two-storey home. The house remained the Lincoln home for 17 years until he left for Washington, DC in 1861.

The family always intended to return to their Springfield residence, however. The home was rented rather than sold and their best furniture was placed in storage for their eventual return. 

Despite Lincoln’s rise in society, he remained a humble man and his home was comfortably but modestly furnished. Even when he was living in the White House, his tastes remained simple and he was known for wearing plain clothes and had little interest in luxury or formality. 

The Lincolns had separate bedrooms at their home in Springfield, which was not uncommon for couples during the 19th century, particularly amongst the upper classes. It's a set-up that the couple likely recreated at the White House too – many historic presidents and first ladies had separate bedrooms at the executive mansion.

While the furnishings and décor may appear quite chintzy, they reflect as closely as possible what the home was thought to have looked like in 1860.

Best remembered for leading the nation in the First World War, Woodrow Wilson left 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue for the last time on 4 March 1921 following two full terms as president.

Several months prior, the 28th POTUS bought an imposing Georgian Revival townhouse down the road in Washington, DC's leafy Kalorama neighbourhood for his beloved wife Edith. It was here the couple resided post-White House.

Wilson had suffered a severe stroke in 1919 after contracting Spanish flu. With his health ailing by the time he moved into the home, the couple lived here quietly until the former president's death in 1924.

Following Edith's passing in 1961, the house was bequeathed to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and opened to the public. Shown here is the elegant drawing room, which boasts fine velvet-upholstered furniture and a Steinway grand piano.

Wilson added shelves in the library to accommodate his huge book collection. The house was fitted with all the mod cons from a dumb waiter to a solarium and even an elevator which was rare at the time. Many of the prized objects inside the perfectly preserved property were gifts given to the president during his First World War victory tour of Europe.

Intriguingly, the house is said to be a hotbed of paranormal activity. Over the years, staff and visitors alike have reported seeing the president's ghost and hearing a man sobbing.

Everything remains how it was when the former first lady died, including the grand master bedroom, reportedly modelled after the White House's Lincoln bedroom. 

Wilson's legacy has long permeated American public life, with schools, roads and landmarks named after the former president. But a name change might be on the cards. Blighting his legacy, Wilson's racist views and support of segregation have drawn increasing focus in recent years, prompting numerous buildings and organisations named in his honour to adopt new, less controversial monikers.

The only president to be elected four times, Franklin D. Roosevelt, also known as FDR, led the United States through two of the greatest crises of the 20th century: the Great Depression and the Second World War, introducing a series of progressive reforms known as the New Deal. 

Roosevelt became president in 1932, however, he struggled with ill health following his diagnosis of polio a decade before, which affected his mobility. Sadly, he died in April 1945 during his fourth term in office from a cerebral haemorrhage. He was 63 years old.

Nevertheless, Roosevelt and his wife, Eleanor, left their mark on US history. Eleanor redefined the role of first lady, actively engaging in social issues and civil rights and became a significant political figure in her own right. 

Had he lived longer, he would have no doubt retired to his family home in Hyde Park, New York, officially named Springwood. The 32nd and longest-serving president was born here in January 1882 and often returned to renew his spirits during times of personal and political crisis. 

Springwood was built around 1793 and went through several redesigns to become the Italianate-style villa we see today. FDR’s father, James Roosevelt, purchased the 110-acre (44.5ha) estate in 1867 for $40,000, which is the equivalent of $850,000 (£639k) in today’s money.

When FDR married Eleanor in 1905, they lived between Hyde Park and their New York townhouse. The couple had six children and FDR supervised the expansion of the house to accommodate his growing family.

The library is furnished with ample bookcases and display cases to house his many collections of stamps, prints, books and manuscripts. Also of note is the special wheelchair that FDR designed himself and used at home. He adapted a dining chair and replaced the legs with wheels, allowing him to move independently around the sprawling home.

Pictured here, FDR is joined by the first lady and his mother, Sara Roosevelt, who also resided in the house, by the east fireplace in the library.  The president was famous for his so-called 'fireside chats', which were a series of radio broadcasts. They were initially intended to foster support for his New Deal policies, but the broadcasts became a source of hope at a time of despair. 

After his death in April 1945, FDR was buried in the rose garden adjacent to the house. His wife Eleanor joined him there following her death in 1962.

After a successful two-term presidency during which America reached new heights of prosperity amid a backdrop of simmering Cold War tensions, Dwight D. Eisenhower departed the White House with his wife Mamie on 20 January 1961.

They were bound for their charming farmhouse in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Second World War five-star general and 34th president had purchased the property in 1951.

Not long after buying the farm, the Eisenhowers remodelled the main house, transforming it into a modified Georgian farmhouse with eight bedrooms, nine bathrooms, a living room, dining room, kitchen and butler's pantry.

The couple's favourite space of all is said to have been the glass-enclosed sun porch and they described the farm as their “oasis of relaxation”.

The living room pictured here was the heart of the Eisenhower home. Mamie was especially fond of decorating this space for the holiday season and some of her prized decorations have survived. The standout features of the room include the large portrait of the former FLOTUS by Thomas E. Stephens and the Italian marble mantel salvaged from the 1873 restoration of the White House.

As well as Christmas, Mamie loved the colour pink and went all out decorating the couple's bedroom in the rosy hue.

The former president and first lady donated their home and farm to the National Park Service in 1967. Eisenhower died two years later, while Mamie continued to live at the property until her death in 1979. The house, looking much like it did when the president was alive, was opened to the public in 1980.

The 35th POTUS, John F. Kennedy, or JFK as he was known, guided the US through the tensions of the Cold War. His administration was marked by major events such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, but he is also known for his championing of civil rights and the launch of the space race.

Tragically, JFK didn't live long enough to enjoy life after the White House. The youngest-ever president of the US was assassinated on 22 November 1963 while his motorcade was driving through downtown Dallas.

Born into a prominent, wealthy family, President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jackie Kennedy were the closest thing to American royalty the country had ever known and resided in some stunning homes over the course of their lives. 

The most famous, however, is the white clapboard home in Hyannis Port, which was purchased by JFK’s father, Joe, in 1928 for $25,000. That's the equivalent of around $460,000 (£346k) today, but it would certainly be worth a whole lot more these days, should it ever hit the market. 

The family went on to renovate and extend the home, doubling its square footage and earning it the moniker of the Big House. The property included 11 bedrooms, a sauna, a pool, a tennis court and a basement film theatre. Joe Kennedy worked in the film industry at the time and would host movie nights for family and friends.

The property left a lasting impression on JFK, seen here with brothers Bobby and Edward, and it remained a special place to him throughout his life. 

In the 1950s, the Kennedys purchased two more properties adjacent to the Big House. Bobby and his wife Ethel bought one of the homes, while JFK and Jackie acquired what would later become known as the President’s House in 1957. The compound now totals six acres (2.4ha) of waterfront property.

JFK and Jackie, pictured here in the Big House, spent many summers at Cape Cod and the compound served as the base for his successful presidential campaign in 1960.

Furnished in antique American furniture, art and rugs, the home was nonetheless a laid-back, relaxing space where the family came together. 

The compound became a US National Landmark in 1972, however, it is not open to the public. Occupied by the family, Bobby's widow, Ethel, still lives in the couple's home on the estate. 

Having been at the helm since the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, the 36th US president, Lyndon B. Johnson, left office on 20 January 1969. His time in office saw him sign the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law, as well as escalate America's involvement in the Vietnam War.

Johnson and his wife Claudia, known as Lady Bird, made a beeline for the 'Texas White House'. This was the ranch in Stonewall they'd bought from the president's aunt in 1951. The couple are pictured here with their daughters Lynda and Luci.

The Johnsons added master bedrooms, an office wing and an incredible 300 phone lines, transforming the relatively humble ranch home into the first functioning remote White House. Johnson actually spent about a quarter of his presidency at the rural property, escaping to his refuge 74 times for a total of 490 days.

The house was decorated in a simple, no-nonsense style. Even the most formal rooms, like the Yellow Sitting Room seen here, are devoid of sparkling chandeliers and lavish antiques.

Along with the other key rooms in the house, the president's bedroom has been restored to its original 1960s appearance. It was here the former world leader died on 22 January 1973 after suffering a major heart attack.

Lady Bird continued to live at the ranch part-time until her death in 2007. She was buried next to her husband in the private Johnson family cemetery, just a few yards away from the house.

Following Lady Bird's passing, the ranch house, which was the first post-presidential pad to have a pool, was absorbed into the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historic Park, which includes the former president's reconstructed childhood home and first school.

Sadly, the Texas White House has been closed to the public since 2018 due to structural issues and renovation works. It is expected to reopen in late 2025 or 2026.

The only president to have ever resigned from office, Richard Nixon left the White House on 9 August 1974 after his involvement in the Watergate scandal made his position untenable.

Together with his wife Pat, the 37th president escaped to the sanctuary of La Casa Pacifica in San Clemente, California, the 9,000-square-foot (836sqm) oceanside hideaway he'd acquired in 1969 for around $1.4 million, the equivalent of around $12 million (£9m) in modern money.

The White House initially claimed the president paid $340,000 to downplay the home's true cost – which would've amounted to $2.9 million today (£2.2m) when adjusted for inflation. The true cost was only revealed following an investigation.

After buying the nine-bedroom, 14-bathroom property, Nixon made it secret service-ready. He installed a wall for extra security and replaced the tennis court with a swimming pool.

Arranged around a hacienda courtyard, the Mission Revival home welcomed an impressive array of VIPs in its heyday, including the likes of Frank Sinatra, John Wayne and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev.

The living room had matching yellow curtains and sofas. As is the case with the other rooms in the house, it positively screamed 1970s in style.

It's suggested Nixon penned his memoirs in the house, perhaps in this very room.

In 1980, the former POTUS decided to move to New York, swapping La Casa Pacifica for a swish red brick and stone townhouse in Manhattan's Upper East Side. The mansion was sold to his friend, Gavin Herbert, co-founder of pharmaceutical company Allergan, who struggled to sell the property. It was then listed in 2019 for $57.5 million (£43.2m), according to TopTenRealEstateDeals. It was relisted in 2021 for $65 million (£49m) but was taken off the market again in December of the same year.

After two eventful terms that saw the fall of Communism and everything from the Iran-Contra affair to massive financial deregulation, Ronald Reagan exited the White House with his wife Nancy on 20 January 1989 for the final time.

They moved into their three-bedroom, six-bathroom home in Bel Air, LA's prestigious property hotspot. The couple are seen here at the house in 2002.

A group of clearly super-generous friends bought the house for the pair back in 1986 for $2.5 million, which is around $7.2 million (£5.4m) in today's money.

All in all, the property has 17 rooms, which were decorated by the Reagans' interior designer Ted Graber and his team. He favoured an unpretentious style, which subtly mixes mid-century modern staples with antiques.

The 40th president of the US died at the Bel Air home in 2004 after living with Alzheimer's disease. The house was sold to billionaire and philanthropist Jerry Perenchio for $15 million (£11.3m) in 2015.

Following Nancy's death a year later, the contents of the house were put up for sale at a Christie's auction in New York, including items in this elegant reception room, which had once graced the Reagans' White House residence.

At the time of the house sale, the library was packed with leather-bound tomes and decorated with various gifts the former president and first lady had been given on their travels around the world.

“The library was their haven and often, just as they had in the White House, they would dine on trays while watching the TV or talking on telephones, discussing the news with politicians or close friends,” Peter Schifando, an interior designer and protégé of Ted Graber's, told Christie's. 

After a deep recession scuppered his chances of re-election, George H. W. Bush or George Bush Senior as he went on to be known, lost out to Bill Clinton and vacated 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue on 20 January 1993.

The house in West Oak, Houston that the one-term president and his wife Barbara intended to retire to was still under construction at the time, so the couple decamped instead to Walker's Point, their summer vacation compound in Kennebunkport, Maine.

Nicknamed the 'Summer White House' during his 1989 to 1993 presidency, the compound has been in the family for more than 100 years and will remain so, despite the death of the former president and his wife in 2018, according to British newspaper the Daily Mail.

The property consists of the New England Shingle-style main house, which has nine bedrooms, four sitting rooms, a dining room, den, library and more, as well as a guesthouse, garage, pool, boathouse and dock.

When Bush Senior was president, the estate hosted world leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Margaret Thatcher, but the pace of life at the compound slowed considerably when the POTUS left office.

The former commander-in-chief is pictured here in 2003 chilling on a Segway trying to catch the attention of his wife, who is standing in one of the four living rooms.

The compound was a place where the ex-president and his wife could welcome their entire family. Here they are snuggling up with some of the younger members in the master bedroom, which is refreshingly ordinary with its double bed and plain bedding, built-in shelving and very 1990s wallpaper border.

It reflects the rest of the property's décor, which Barbara described as a “hodgepodge – three houses of furniture put in one, no antiques, 15-year-old slipcovers – a house grandchildren are more than welcome in", as reported by American magazine Down East.

Having survived impeachment and navigated the nation through the longest period of peacetime economic expansion, Bill Clinton's two-term presidency came to an end on 20 January 2001 when he moved out of the White House with his wife Hillary.

The couple relocated to this Dutch Colonial farmhouse in Chappaqua, New York, which they'd purchased in 1999 for $1.7 million, the equivalent of around $3.2 million (£2.4m) in today's money.

The three-storey rural clapboard home dates from 1889 and has five bedrooms and four bathrooms, with a pool nestled in the grounds.

There is also a converted barn on the estate – rumoured to house the former president and first lady's secret service security detail. The structure caught fire in 2018, but thankfully no one was hurt. 

The Clintons treated Oprah to a tour of the 5,300-square-foot (492sqm) farmhouse back in 2004, which revealed a cosy and comfortable living environment, full of floral upholstery and treasured mementos. These included souvenirs from Nelson Mandela's 94th birthday party in 2012.

In this more formal reception room, dotted with photographs of his family, the former president is being interviewed by ABC News’ Diane Sawyer, following his recovery from heart surgery in 2004.

Like every good ex-president's home, there's a well-stocked library in the house and a study, where Clinton is seen here with his daughter Chelsea in 2000. After buying the three-bedroom house next door in 2016 for $1.2 million (£904k), the Clintons now own something of a compound.

While it may be a relaxing place to kick back in, it hasn't been without its drama. In 2015, the New York Times revealed that the private internet service Hillary used during her time at the State Department from 2009 to 2013 was registered to the family home in Chappaqua. An audit the following year found that it was a violation of federal rules.

George W. Bush's two-term presidency, which was overshadowed by the 9/11 attacks and the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars, finished on 20 January 2009.

The former leader of the free world and his wife, Laura, had bought a four-bedroom, four-and-a-half bathroom mansion in Preston Hollow, Dallas, but chose instead to move to their weekend and summer home, Prairie Chapel Ranch, in Texas' rural McLennan County.

The couple bought the 1,583-acre (640ha) lot in 1999 for an estimated $1.3 million, which equates to around $2.5 million (£1.9m) in modern money. They hired Austin architect David Heymann to create the eco-friendly single-level ranch house of their dreams.

They opted for a pared-down design for the contemporary property, which features three bedrooms and plenty of open-plan living space, along with a pool. When speaking to Oprah, the ex-president referred to it as “the whining pool” after his daughters repeatedly bugged him to install one.

As tradition now seems to dictate, the press called the ranch the 'Western White House' while the president was in office.

While in power, the 43rd leader of America hosted a succession of foreign dignitaries at the modern property, from UK Prime Minister Tony Blair to China's President Jiang Zemin and Spanish King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, as well as US VIPs. The president and first lady are pictured here with the then-attorney general Alberto Gonzales and his wife Rebecca.

The design of the home's contemporary yet welcoming interiors was overseen by Kenneth Blasingame, who worked previously with the Bushes on their private residence in the White House.

The estate also includes a guesthouse and an 11-acre (4.5ha) fishing pond. Bush reportedly joked: "I would say the best moment of all was when I caught a 7.5-pound (3.4kg) perch in my lake".

History-making Barack Obama, the nation's first African American president, bid farewell to the executive office on 20 January 2017 following two terms in which he steered the country through economic recovery, reform of the healthcare system and more.

After leaving the White House, Obama, First Lady Michelle and their daughters Malia and Sasha moved into a rented 8,200-square-foot (762sqm) mansion in the cool DC neighbourhood of Kalorama. 

The eight-bedroom, nine-and-a-half-bathroom brick home, which features a medieval-style turret, proved a big hit with the family. So much so that the former president and first lady made the decision not long after they moved in to buy it outright from the owners, who were Bill Clinton’s one-time White House press secretary Joe Lockhart and his wife Giovanna. The Obamas forked out $8.1 million (£6.1m).

This photo of the living room, from a 2014 listing with property agent Mark McFadden, shows the property before the family moved in, though it's likely they would have made the décor their own.

The Obamas have made some changes to the property such as installing an in-ground pool, but the overall look remains how it was when they bought the property.

Judging by the listing shots, the bedrooms look as tasteful and well-decorated as the reception rooms, meaning the Obamas probably wouldn't have had to alter much.

Since leaving power in 2017, the 44th president and Michelle have added another property to their portfolio, a Martha's Vineyard retreat the couple snapped up in 2019 for a reported $11.8 million (£8.9m).

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