In North America this seems to be a highly regional decision. NEC or local code may prohibit >150V-to-ground in residential structures—limiting interior circuits to 208Y/120V. Three-phase service in single-family homes has become more common in NorCal, for once prohibited at all costs, to permitted if at a commercial tariff, to permitted for larger service, but the cost of all additional {above 1ø} utility-provided facilities paid for prior to a single kilowatthour sold.
In some regions, 3ø single-family residential is old hat. 1200-ampere boards are not unheard of.
There is a home about a mile from me that has a 600-ampere switchboard, with dedicated 75kVA 208Y/120 padmount. Well pump and hermetic refrigeration compressors are 3ø, which clearly have much higher reliability that their 1ø equivalents.
[On Paul’s comments, there was a recent usenet thread re “standard” 15½-ampere 3ø 230/400V service for (assumedly single-family) residences in an area of Portugal.]
