A recent analysis conducted by LendingTree using the latest U.S. Census Bureau data reveals that in 47 out of 50 states, single women who reside independently are more inclined to possess a home than their male counterparts living in similar circumstances. Furthermore, the study highlights that single women own approximately 2.71 million more homes than single men despite women’s median weekly earnings being only 83% of men’s, as per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
LendingTree report key findings:
Throughout the United States, single women possess a remarkable 2.71 million more homes than their single male counterparts. The tally stands at 10.95 million homes owned by single women, as opposed to 8.24 million owned by single men. Procentually, single women claim an average of 12.93% of the owner-occupied homes across all 50 states, surpassing the 10.22% held by single men.
The gender disparity in homeownership has seen a slight uptick since 2021. Last year, single women owned 10.76 million homes nationwide, while single men owned 8.12 million, resulting in a variance of 2.64 million. This signifies that the 2022 margin of 2.71 million exceeds that of 2021 by 70,000 homes.
Delaware boasts the highest proportion of homes owned by single women, thus presenting the most substantial gender gap in homeownership. A striking 15.34% of owner-occupied households in the state belong to single women, a figure 5.89% higher than the share of homes owned by single men.
Following Delaware, Louisiana and Mississippi register the highest homeownership rates among single women. These states exhibit ownership rates of 15.19% and 14.84% for owner-occupied households, respectively. By comparison, single men claim ownership of 10.71% and 10.85% of owner-occupied households in the same states.
Conversely, the highest homeownership rates among single men are observed in New Mexico, North Dakota, and Alaska. In these states, single men possess 12.85%, 12.74%, and 12.44% of all owner-occupied housing units, reflecting the gender disparity.
Alaska, North Dakota, and South Dakota are the sole states where single men hold a more significant share of homes than single women. In Alaska, the proportion of homes owned and occupied by single men exceeds that of single women by 2.16 percentage points. Meanwhile, North Dakota and South Dakota exhibit variances of 2.08 percentage points and 0.68 percentage points, respectively.
States with the largest share of single-women homeowners:
Delaware boasts a significant number of owner-occupied households, totaling 298,861, among which 15.34% are owned and occupied by single women, surpassing the 9.45% owned and occupied by single men.
In Louisiana, the number of owner-occupied households stands at 1,232,105, with single women owning and occupying 15.19% of these households, in contrast to the 10.71% owned and occupied by single men.
Meanwhile, Mississippi is home to 803,857 owner-occupied households, with 14.84% owned and occupied by single women, while single men own and occupy only 10.85% of such households.
The LendingTree Homeownership Gender Gap report also identifies factors likely to contribute to higher homeownership rates among single women and offers valuable tips for women homebuyers.
Victoria Udrea, a talented author who specializes in real estate and technology, is a valued contributor to Realty Biz News. With her keen eye for detail and passion for keeping readers informed, she diligently covers the latest developments in the industry, focusing particularly on the exciting realms of AI and smart home technology.
