Single Women Outpace Men in U.S. Homeownership

Generally speaking, women are paid less than men. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median weekly income for women is 83.6% of that of men. However, when it comes to homeownership, single women might have a one-up on their male counterparts. Jacob Channel, Senior Economist at LendingTree, revealed just how far the gender homeownership gap really goes.

According to new LendingTree research, homeownership is one important area where women are expected to score better than men, despite data finding that women are generally less wealthy than men.

In 47 out of 50 states, single women who live alone are more likely to own a home than single men who live alone, according to a LendingTree analysis of the most recent U.S. Census Bureau statistics. Additionally, according to our research, women own around 2.72 million more homes than men do.

Top 10 States w/ the Widest Gender Gap in Homeownership Rates Between Single Homeowners:

1. Delaware
2. Connecticut
3. Maryland
4. North Carolina
5. New Jersey
6. South Carolina
7. Florida
8. New York
9. Massachusetts
10. Mississippi
    

Delaware (statistical findings):

• Owner-occupied households: 307,275
• Households owned and occupied by single women: 14.06%
• Households owned and occupied by single men: 8.83%
• Gender gap between single homeowners: 5.23 percentage points

Battle of the Sexes: Homeownership Trends & Differences

Single women own 2,719,923 more homes than single men in all 50 states in the country. There are 11.14 million residences owned by single women and 8.42 million by single males. In other words, 9.83% of owner-occupied residences are owned by single males, whereas 13.01% are owned by single women.

Since 2022, there has been a small growth in the gender disparity in homeownership. In 2022, 10.95 million residences were owned by single women in the United States, compared to 8.24 million by men, a 2.71 million disparity. This indicates that the gender disparity in homeownership in 2023 will be 14,780 dwelling units greater than that in 2022.

Delaware and Connecticut have the biggest gender disparity in homeownership. Delaware and Connecticut are the only states where the homeownership gender disparity exceeds five percentage points, with homeownership gender disparities of 5.23 and 5.06 percentage points, respectively, despite neither state having the highest homeownership rate for single women.

In West Virginia, Mississippi, and New Mexico, the majority of residences are owned by unmarried women. Women who live alone own 15.26% of owner-occupied dwelling units in New Mexico. That percentage is 15.07% in Mississippi and 14.73% in West Virginia. In contrast, 12.48%, 11.04%, and 12.75% of owner-occupied households in the same states are owned by single men.

In North Dakota, South Dakota, and Alaska, single men are most likely to be homeowners. 13.52%, 13.10%, and 12.79% of owner-occupied housing units in these states are owned by single men. These are the only three states where single males own more homes than single women, and they also have the greatest rates of homeownership among single men.

The number one state in the U.S. with the largest share of girl power… err, women homeownership, is the “Land of Enchantment,”—otherwise known as New Mexico.

Top 10 States w/ the Largest Share of Single-Women Homeowners:

1. New Mexico
2. Mississippi
3. West Virginia
4. Louisiana
5. South Carolina
6. Florida
7. Alabama
8. Kentucky
9. Ohio
10. Maryland
    

New Mexico (statistical findings):

• Owner-occupied households: 594,994
• Households owned and occupied by single women: 15.26%
• Households owned and occupied by single men: 12.48%
• Gender gap between single homeowners: 2.78 percentage points

Women who are unmarried have a greater advantage in homeownership, even though statistics indicate that women typically earn less than men. There are several reasons for this. There is some evidence, while limited, suggesting single women are more prepared to make compromises in order to become homeowners than single men.

Additionally, even while women typically make less money than males, this isn’t always the case, particularly among younger generations. For example, in six metro areas, including Portland, MA, and Allentown, PA, the average income of millennial women is higher than that of millennial men. Additionally, millennial women’s typical salaries in big cities including Providence, RI; Sacramento, CA; and Washington, D.C., are less than $2,000 less than millennial men’s.

Younger single women may also be more likely to own a property if they have comparable (or even higher) incomes and a stronger desire to do so.

Top 10 States w/ the Largest Share of Single-Men Homeowners:

1. North Dakota
2. South Dakota
3. Alaska
4. West Virginia
5. New Mexico
6. Montana
7. Wyoming
8. Louisiana
9. Michigan
10. Wisconsin

North Dakota (statistical findings):

• Owner-occupied households: 216,069
• Households owned and occupied by single women: 10.75%
• Households owned and occupied by single men: 13.52%
• Gender gap between single homeowners: -2.77 percentage points

However, homeownership is not solely a young person’s domain, and there are other elements outside personal income that play a role. It’s probable that some women who are now single homeowners purchased that house with the spouse they outlived, given that women tend to live longer and that there are more widowed women than widower males. Even while the pay disparity is greater for older Americans, this helps to explain why single-women homeowners tend to be older than their single-men peers.

It may be beneficial to remember that just because single women own more properties than single men does not imply that they are in a better financial situation. Furthermore, the data does not support the notion that women are more likely to benefit disproportionately from situations like divorce, despite the assumption held by some that higher homeownership rates are a sign of this. In contrast, women are more likely than males to experience long-term financial difficulties following a divorce. This demonstrates the amount of effort required to rectify the gender economic disparities.

To read the full report, including more data, charts, and methodology, click here.