Modern Family: Ranking The Main Sets & Locations From Least To Most Important

Although Modern Family is set in the big city of Los Angeles, there aren’t too many locations that are part of each episode. As a sitcom that focuses on a family, everyone’s houses play a major role, and then there are the schools and workplaces where the main characters spend their time.

Just like viewers love each character’s unique personality, there are certain sets that come up again and again and bring something new to the table. These are the settings on Modern Family that are significant for the main story.

10 Nerp

In season 9, Haley begins working at Nerp, a website that talks about lifestyle topics. This setting is definitely significant, as Haley really wants to work here, and she has many funny scenes with her boss, Nicole Rosemary Page.

Fans love watching Haley’s journey as she becomes more used to the working world and as she feels passionate about making a career for herself. But since this location doesn’t appear in every season of the show, it’s ranked last in terms of importance.

9 Jay’s Country Club

Jay’s country club is another significant location on the show. It has played a part in many major events for the family, especially in the season five finale episode “The Wedding.”

As fans know, this episode saw Cam and Mitch’s wedding get postponed and it seems like nothing is going well. However, Jay does manage to find a solution for them both at the last minute. He says he has the perfect setting for the wedding: his country club. He tells Cam and Mitch that they deserve an amazing wedding, and everything works out. The country club is also where Jay, Cam, and Phil play golf in a sweet scene, and Luke and Haley work there at one point, too.

8 Missouri

The family takes many types of vacations, from city to country to beach, and something exciting and hilarious happens on each trip.

For Mitch, Cam, and Lily, they often decide to go to Missouri for their vacations so they can see Cam’s family. This isn’t a major location on the show, but since it’s important for Lily and Mitch to get to know Cam’s relatives and see where he grew up, it’s a crucial place. It also allows viewers to see that while Cam has grown up, moved away, and started his own life and family, he still cares a lot about his background, which is endearing.

7 Watson Elementary

Lily’s elementary school is another important location on Modern Family. Lily loves school and even gets upset about not having a teacher who she can learn from.

This school also plays an important role in the season 5 episode “First Days” as Mitch has a meeting that he can’t miss but he also has to bring Lily to school. Mitch and Cam are often talking about how to balance their professions with their family life and so this is a significant storyline for them.

6 Palisades High School

Alex wasn’t always super smart, but for much of this popular sitcom, she was the family member who studied the hardest and cared about school the most. For that reason alone, it doesn’t really come as a surprise to fans when they see why  Palisades High School is an important setting.

Not only is this the place where Alex spends most of her time, but it is also the place where Cam establishes a career for himself too, going from being a substitute teacher to a football coach to Vice Principal. A lot of character growth occurred here.

5 The Dunphy’s Neighborhood

Phil’s career as a real estate agent plays a big role on Modern Family. In several episodes, viewers see him dealing with the highs and lows of this profession.

Phil is sometimes shown trying to sell a house in his own neighborhood, making this area another major setting. In one episode, he’s trying to sell the house right next door, and he and Claire want to be in control of the people that move in. They don’t love the new neighbors, although they bond later on. In another, he is seen trying to sell the house Cam and Claire flipped, and who could forget how they used the houses to participate in their Halloween shenanigans? All these were important to Phil’s growth.

4 Pritchett’s Closet And Blinds

Jay’s company is the next most important setting on Modern Family. At first, it’s not the place where Jay is seen the most, but once Claire gets a job there, fans see it more often.

It’s a big deal for Claire to start working here, as she had been a stay-at-home-mother for many years. Then, in season six she’s offered the opportunity to work elsewhere, and she struggles with saying yes because she doesn’t want to hurt or disappoint her dad. When Jay retires and leaves the company to Claire, this setting becomes even more of a key player, as Claire later has a big decision to make when she realizes she wants to leave and see her family more.

3 Mitch And Cam’s Apartment

Fans love watching Mitch and Cam, from their joking around to their wedding, which was full of surprises. It’s where they bring home Lily and start a new life together, plan their wedding, and wonder if they should have a second child.

The characters often wonder if they should buy the unit above their apartment, especially when Cam comes into some money after a relative passes away. Most of Mitch and Cam’s scenes take place here, and it’s where fans get to know them and their warm, good-natured dynamic.

2 Jay And Gloria’s House

Jay and Gloria’s house is the second most significant location on the show, as it’s the meeting place for the whole family.

Everyone is often seen gathering for dinner and some time by the pool, and Phil loves spending time in the backyard. It’s the setting for many lessons that Manny has to learn about life and love, and in one hilarious scene, Phil gets Jay a fancy new grill but can’t figure out how to work it properly, sending roast chicken everywhere. The show would feel different without this place as it gets so much screen time.

1 The Dunphy House

Like other sitcoms, Modern Family sees the Dunphy family sitting on their couch, talking to the audience and making jokes.

The Dunphy house is the most important location on the show. It appears in most of the storylines featuring Phil and Claire, along with their kids, and since Claire is a stay-at-home mom for much of the series, it’s where viewers get to know her and her organized, Type A personality. It’s also the place where Luke and Phil joke around and invent things, Haley got married, and Alex feels safe to study and dream of her future.

About The Author

Aya Tsintziras
(1737 Articles Published)

Aya Tsintziras is a freelance writer who writes about pop culture and TV. She has a Political Science degree from the University of Toronto and a Masters of Journalism from Ryerson University. She loves coffee, reading, working out, and watching TV. She lives in Toronto with her husband.

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