Homes That Former Presidents Lived in After the White House

Although every other president on this list had the chance to live in the White House, George Washington didn't. Sure, he ordered the presidential home to be built, but the White House was completed in 1800 - and Washington's term ended in 1797. Because of this, he had to run the country from elsewhere, and he chose to serve as president from his own Mount Vernon estate in Fairfax County.

Former president of the United States, Lyndon B. Johnson, spent six years living in the White House. But when he had a few days off or just wanted a break from Washington, he would always make his way back down south to live in what he called his 'Texas White House.' He always considered this Texan ranch his home, and tried to conduct his work and host political visitors there as much as he was able to.

It's not hard to understand why Lyndon B. Johnson put a huge amount of time and effort into making his 'Texas White House' his dream home. As it doubled as his office, he made sure that it could serve as a remote Oval Office - and he installed a whopping 300 phone lines so he could keep in contact with anyone. This worked in his favor, as he ultimately spent 490 days of his time in office at his home office. 

Before Thomas Jefferson became the 3rd president of the United States, the esteemed statesman and Founding Father wanted to build his dream home for his family. So, he found a plot of land on the side of the Monticello mountain that he used to play on when he was a child, just a stone's throw away from the plantation that his father owned. Then, he became president and moved into the White House.

Many of the presidents on this list come from influential, rich families. As a result, estates and mansions were passed down the family line - like the Madisons' Montpelier home in Virginia. This large mansion had been in the family long before James was even born, and the former president spent his younger years roaming the halls of the grand estate and enjoying the nearby grounds. However, he moved away as soon as he could.

Andrew Jackson's Hermitage House is perhaps the most well-known of the presidential homes on this list. It's a popular destination for history buffs and the 425-acre estate in Tennessee is regarded as an architectural marvel. But one thing you might not realize is that Andrew Jackson bought this estate before he made his way to the White House. During his time in Washington, however, he ordered the home to be remodeled with columns and porches. 

Although Richard Nixon moved to Washington to become the 37th president of the United States, he was a California man through and through. He was born in California and practised law there before moving to enhance his political career. But when he became president, he knew he wanted to have a slice of home - so he bought this oceanfront property in San Clemente called 'The Western White House.' 

Although Richard Nixon loved his oceanfront estate, there's no doubt about the fact that adjustments had to be made when he decided to take a break from the White House. After all, he was the president of the United States, and that required Secret Service detail at all times. As a result, Nixon had to build a sky-high security wall around his estate and allowed his team to stay in a guest house. 

With a huge amount of space - and beachfront - to enjoy at his oceanfront estate, it's no wonder that Nixon chose to spend as much time there as possible during his presidency. But a few years after his presidency ended, he decided to swap his beachside office and his palm trees for life in the Big Apple instead. In fact, he swapped the ocean for the Upper East Side. 

With the prestige that comes with a presidency, many of the former presidents on this list chose to buy bigger and better houses when their terms came to an end. This wasn't the case for Abraham Lincoln, though. Despite his stint in the White House, Lincoln always called the house in Springfield, Illinois, his home. The house - which was bought for $1,500 in 1844 - remained his primary residence until he died. 

Franklin D. Roosevelt was always destined for greatness, as he came from a wealthy New York family with impressive contacts and an equally as impressive house. And while the Hyde Park mansion in New York was built way before he was born, he always saw that place as his home. So, even before he made his way to the White House, he made it his mission to renovate the home and restore it to its former glory.

Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is a popular tourist destination for many, but for the Kennedy family, it was their favorite vacation home. The home has been in the Kennedy family for centuries, and former president JFK spent his early years enjoying the six-acre plot that sits right next to the water. There was also enough space for the whole family, as the plot offered various guest houses alongside the main mansion.

Ronald Reagan seemed to crave warmer climes during his stint in the White House, and we can only imagine that he looked back fondly on his former acting career. That's why he chose to escape to a Bel Air mansion on the weekends and when he had a spare moment. Interestingly, though, Reagan did not buy this mansion when he moved in in 1986. Instead, his friends bought it for him. 

Although Bill Clinton grew up in Arkansas, went to college in Washington and Connecticut, and then lived in the White House during his presidency, there was something about New York that piqued his interest. So, nearing the end of his term as president of the United States, he and his wife, Hillary, bought a $1.7 million Dutch Colonial barn house in Chappaqua, New York. And the 1.1 acres of land to go with it, of course. 

While Bill and Hillary loved the seclusion of their Dutch colonial home, it's fair to say that it proved to be extremely practical when the years went by. Spurred on by her husband's success and confidence in her own ability, Hillary launched her own bid to become president in 2016. For this, she set up a campaign headquarters in Brooklyn - just a quick and easy commute away from their home. 

Practicality aside, the Clintons made a very savvy decision when they decided to buy this barn-style home. Although ​Chappaqua was an up-and-coming area back in the day, it's now considered to be one of the most expensive areas in the United States. According to Forbes, the average salary of someone living in Chappaqua is $105,000, and the average price of a home in this area is a whopping $1.2 million. 

Donald Trump was already extremely rich and famous before he made his way into the White House, and some would say that his non-presidential home was much more lavish than his presidential one. After all, Trump bought the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach back in 1985 for just $5 million and has since spent years turning it into a giant compound that includes numerous guest homes and one main mansion.

While Kamala Harris has only recently made a worldwide name for herself, she's been in the limelight for decades - and she also has a hefty net worth under her belt. However, it was her husband who decided to purchase this 3,500-square-foot house in Brentwood, Los Angeles back in 2012. At the time, they weren't together, but when they got married he signed half of the house over to her so she owned her own portion, too.

As Kamala Harris worked her way up the political ladder, she knew that she needed to be closer to Washington D.C. And when she was elected into the Senate in 2017, she decided to take the plunge and buy a place for herself. She opted for a $1.775 condo in Washington's West End, making it perfect for her commute to work. It had everything she needed in a home, too.

Over the course of her political career, Kamala Harris has lived in many different cities. And when she became the attorney general for San Francisco back in 2004, she decided to set up shop in the SoMa neighborhood - an affluent area of San Francisco. In fact, the South of Market neighborhood is often compared to Silicon Valley thanks to the many tech companies that have set up headquarters in the area. 

Joe Biden has spent the last few years in the White House, but it's fair to say that he doesn't spend all of his time hanging out in the Oval Office or wandering the grounds. When he gets the rare day off or vacation from Washington, he makes his way to his primary residence in Greenville, Delaware. It's well-known that he loves this home, largely because he built it from the ground up.

Woodrow Wilson lived in the White House for two terms during some of America's most turbulent years, so it's no wonder that he decided to buy a lovely home for himself when he left. He didn't have to travel too far, either, as the Georgian Revival townhouse he bought was just a short car journey away from Embassy Row. And it's fair to say that he went from one impressive building to another. 

While the whole of Woodrow Wilson's DC Townhouse is now a popular historical attraction, there's no doubt about the fact that certain rooms are more popular than most. Most notably, history buffs are excited to see Wilson's old library, which he filled with over 8,000 books. They also like to check out the home's balcony, which was where Wilson addressed a crowd of adoring fans for the last time in 1923. 

Dwight D. Eisenhower will forever be remembered as the 34th President of the United States, but what many people don't realize about him is that he was a small-town man from a humble family. His German ancestors moved across the pond and started a new life for themselves in Pennsylvania, and while he was brought up in Kansas, he chose to honor his family's legacy when his presidential run came to an end. 

Although Dwight and Mamie loved the overall aesthetic and the architecture of their farmhouse, they decided to remodel the whole thing just a few months into ownership. They wanted to put their own stamp on the house, and they wanted to add some more space for their growing family and the high-profile guests that would often stay with them. In the end, they had eight bedrooms, nine bathrooms and even a butler's pantry. 

As with many of the other former presidents on this list, George H. W. Bush had a summer vacation home that served as his escape during particularly stressful moments in his career. And when his term came to an end, George and his wife intended to live full-time at a home they were building in Houston. But as construction hadn't been completed, they moved into their Maine vacation compound instead. 

Thankfully, the Maine compound was plenty big enough for Bush, his team, his security detail, and any family that happened to be hanging around. After all, it offered nine bedrooms, four living rooms, a library, a boathouse, a pool, a dock, and so much more. And while it was first and foremost a family home for the Bush family, that didn't stop George from hosting other politicians and world leaders.