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The Hill
Single women in the United States are outpacing single men in homeownership. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey using 2022 census data found that single women owned 58 percent of the nearly 35.2 million homes owned by unmarried Americans, while single men owned 42 percent. While the Pew report found that the gender difference in homeownership rates was limited to older unmarried adults, the National Association of Realtors®' (NAR) 2024 annual homebuyer and sellers generational trend report shows single women bought homes at higher rates than single men last year regardless of age. Overall, the NAR report found single women accounted for 19 percent of homebuyers, while single men made up 10 percent. That difference is similar among several age groups, though it narrows among older Gen Zers and Millennials while widening among most older adults. NAR's Deputy Chief Economist Jessica Lautz told The Hill it's hard to determine why single women are outperforming their male counterparts in home buying. But she said women's disproportionate caregiving responsibilities may have something to do with it. "They're more likely to be single moms, and they're more likely to be purchasing a multi-generational home," said Lautz. "So, they may have an elderly relative within that home as well."