Homeownership Statistics Every Homeowner Needs to Know

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Whether you own your home outright or have been looking into purchasing one, you should be up to date on the latest homeownership statistics. They’ll give you a good idea of the current housing market and might help you understand when to buy or sell. 

Key Homeownership Statistics 

Although many younger adults seemingly struggle to enter the housing market, most people in the United States own homes. Using a population-based measure, the U.S. homeownership rate was about 53% in 2026. 

This high homeownership rate has a caveat. In 2024, over 12 million households spent more than 50% of their income on housing. Today, the regular American homebuyer would need to spend 37.6% of their income to buy a house based on the median-priced U.S. home. However, despite the percentage going down, only one in five homebuyers in 2026 was a first-time purchaser.  

It’s not hard to see why people are struggling to break into the housing market. In July 2026, there were 51% more sellers than homebuyers. Increasing prices are a big factor to consider. Between the second quarters of 2025 and 2026, prices have risen in 46 states, with a steady 2.1% year-over-year increase.

Many prospective buyers are facing market conditions that remain difficult to afford. Currently, only 23% of available residential properties in the U.S. are affordable for middle-class buyers due to increasing income inequality. 

The 2026 housing market is defined by key economic pressures. National home price appreciation has slowed significantly to a 1.3% annual gain, as of October 2025. That’s primarily because mortgage rates in the 6%-6.5% range have reduced buyer affordability and dampened demand.

Homeownership Statistics By State

As of the second quarter of 2026, the country’s homeownership rate ranged from 38% to 78.7%, with Delaware having the highest rate and the District of Columbia the lowest.

Since coastal areas tend to have a higher cost of living, homeownership rates are generally lower there than in the country’s central region. In 2026, the Midwest homeownership rate reached 69%, while the South followed closely at 66.9%, and the Northeast and West trailed at 61.6% and 60.7%, respectively. 

The States With the Highest Homeownership

The U.S. Census Bureau’s dataset has been broken down to make it easier to skim. Since most of the state’s numbers are similar, searching them line by line would be time-consuming. So, which states have the highest homeownership rate?

Delaware leads the country with an impressive 78.7%. West Virginia follows behind with 76.6%. Mississippi, Maine, Vermont, Wyoming, Indiana, New Hampshire, Kentucky and South Carolina sit at 78.7%, 76.6%, 74.3%, 73.9%, 73.8%, 73.7%, 73.0%, 73.0%, 72.8% and 72.7%, respectively. 

The States With the Lowest Homeownership

Which states have the lowest homeownership rate? According to U.S. Census Bureau statistics, the District of Columbia ranks at the bottom, with a homeownership rate of 38%. New York, an infamously expensive place to live, is second with 52.4%. 

New York, California and Massachusetts sit at 52.4%, 54.3% and 59.5%, respectively. Nevada’s homeownership rate is 60.4%, and Oregon’s is 62.7%. North Dakota, Washington, Hawaii and Tennessee follow with 63.1%, 63.5%, 64.0% and 64.4%, respectively. 

Homeownership Statistics By Age

In 2026, a significant gap in homeownership exists between generations, with adults 65 and over at 78.4%, while fewer than 37% of those under 35 own a home.

Compared to the first quarter of 2025, homeownership rates remained stable across most age groups, with the notable exception of a slight decrease among Gen Xers aged 45 to 54. This generation also leads the market in both single female home purchases and multigenerational living arrangements.

Homeownership Statistics By Owner Type

The role of investors in the housing market has shifted. While a 2026 Realtor.com report states that large institutional investors have pulled back, smaller “mom-and-pop” investors now make up the majority of investor activity. Depending on the quarter and source, investors still accounted for a significant share of home purchases, with Realtor.com reporting 11.3%.

The situation for first-time buyers remains challenging. A 2026 report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) found that the share of first-time homebuyers has fallen to just 21% of all buyers, which is the lowest amount since NAR began tracking this data in 1981. This confirms that many new buyers are struggling to enter the market, in part due to competition from investors in the entry-level housing tier.

Regarding how long people stay in their homes, the typical home seller lives in their house for 12 years, but this varies by generation. Younger millennials sell after only five years, while older baby boomers wait 15 years.

The Reality of Owning a Home in the U.S.

Breaking into the housing market will be challenging for younger generations, underserved groups and middle-income earners if the trends of investor-backed purchases, all-cash transactions and paying over asking continue.

Note: This article was first published on May 4, 2024, and was revised on August 31, 2026, to reflect the most current information.