Do the President of the United States and his family have to live in the White House?

The President of the United States and their family are not legally required to live in the White House. While it has been the tradition for every president since John Adams to reside in the White House, there is no law that mandates this.

Historically, there have been instances where presidents did not live in the White House for various reasons. For example, after the White House was burned by British forces in 1814, President James Madison lived at the Octagon House for a period. During the major renovation of the White House in 1948, President Harry S. Truman resided at Blair House across Pennsylvania Avenue23.

Despite the absence of a legal requirement, the White House serves as a national symbol of the presidency and provides extensive security, working space, and other amenities that make it highly practical for the president and their family to live there13.