Women Outpace Men in 47 States
Single women are outpacing single men in homeownership across nearly all of America, a striking new LendingTree analysis of Census Bureau data concludes. Single females currently hold close to 2.7 million more properties than their male counterparts nationwide.
The study reveals women living independently own an average 13% of owner-occupied houses across the 50 states. Compare that to just 10% for solitary male owners.
“A home for most people is going to represent the biggest portion of their overall net worth,” said report author Jacob Channel. “Owning a home helps you access considerably more wealth.”
Highest Rates Concentrated in These 10 States
The top 10 states where solo female ownership reigns reveal lopsided gender gaps favoring women occupiers:
- Delaware
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- Florida
- New Mexico
- South Carolina
- West Virginia
- Maryland
- Illinois
Delaware exhibits the biggest divide with a sizeable 15.34% of homes held by single women. Alaska, North Dakota and South Dakota remain the only states where men lead ownership rates.
Removing Barriers to Access
“If there’s one really important thing about this study, it’s that there’s a lot going on here that’s influencing women’s wealth,” Channel commented. “We’ll need a lot more information before we can really definitively say why things are the way they are.”
The uptick in female-led households and purchasing power signals changing social dynamics. But clearly obstacles remain for many still struggling to land that crucial first home.
