Front Door or Back Door? (house, neighborhoods, subdivisions)

[Colddiamond102]

Since Im a fan of seeing what my countrymen think of random subjects, here's one ya'll probably dont think about that often.

Which door in your home gets used most often? The front door or the back door?

My house: Back door. Back is for family and friends. Front is for guests,strangers and deliveries.

I was wondering if its the same around the country, or if its just me.

[blueva]

I use both doors. We have a nice front porch and back porch. Because in Richmond the heat and humidity in the summah time are such that most people like to stay inside. But we do enjoy our porches! The back door when I have groceries and the front door when I am getting the mail.

[Colddiamond102]

We use them both, dont get me wrong...and I never use my porch in the summer. I just noticed that I use each door for different purposes/people.

[NCyank]

Oh, I have thought of this often, it is definitely regional. I am from PA and we are front door people. Many people here in NC (also in TN but not in TX) go to the back door or even through the garage if the door is open. There is even a DOORBELL inside my garage!! I don't get it at all. To me the front door is the appropriate place to welcome guests, friends, family and accept package deliveries.

I am not at all comfortable walking through someone's back yard or garage so I always go to the front door unless specifically instructed otherwise. Imagine my surprise when people tell me they haven't used their front door in years or that I am the only one they know who ever uses it!!

What is especially puzzling to me is that some newer homes here have 2 doors on the front of the house. One is the 'front' door and the other enters into a mud room or laundry room...but both are on the front of the house 20-30 feet from each other. What?!?! It just looks odd to me, like having a side or back door stuck on the front....makes no sense.

[backdrifter]

Out here we generally have fences hindering access to the back/side door(s). I've seen pictures of neighborhoods and subdivisions in places like West Virginia and the Atlanta burbs with no fences for their yards and it just looks so bizarre to me.

So I'd say 95+ percent of people go through the front door always because it'd be out of the way to go through the side/back door. Unless you have an adjoining garage and come in through there.

[missionhome]

California, at least the southern half, is 100% front door. The backyards are all fenced off here and there are gates to get to the back and it is not appropriate or culturally right to just walk into someones backyard here. Friends, visiting family, mailman, UPS, neighbors, etc.... all go up to the front door. The backdoors are simply a way to get to the backyard and have a barbaque or something.

[j33]

Front door except for when I take out the garbage. The back door goes through the gangway to the alley, and nobody comes up to that door to my house for a visit (and if they did, I'd wonder about them )

[wickedripeplum]

The back entrance of my place opens up into my bedroom, goes down the back stairwell and opens into the outdoor seating of a restaurant, so front door all the way.

Though in the house I grew up in we always used the back door. The front door was for big parties and mail.

[20yrsinBranson]

totally front door here. My dh goes to people's side door (if there is one). Back yards usually have dogs, so you wouldn't dare. I have never gone to anything but a front door and would think it strange if someone knocked on my back door. Interesting question!

20yrsinBranson

[Colddiamond102]

Eh...If I know someone well enough to invite them to my home, then they are either a very close friend or a family member.
Never liked the idea of having mere aquaintances in my house...and for the categories mentioned above, the front door seems so formal...
But thats just me.