Single women own more homes than single men in US: study (2024)

(KRON) — “If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it,” sang Beyoncé in her 2008 hit “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).” Perhaps “ring” should be replaced with “house” when talking about single women.

Single women own more homes than single men in the United States, according to a recent study released this year. Online marketplace company LendingTree says single women in America own 2.64 million more homes than their male counterparts.

Nearly 11 million homes (10.76 million) are owned by single women (12.9%) while single men own approximately 8.12 million (10.06%) homes in the country, the study says.

This comes despite American women making less than men in median earnings for 2021. For that year, women earn 83.1 cents for every dollar a man makes, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

A “single” person is defined by the study as someone who lives by themselves. The study adds that single women are more likely to own a home in 48 of 50 states.

Some notable findings by LendingTree are below. The percentages listed are out of the total homeowners in that particular state.

States with the most single-women homeowners

1. Louisiana (15.16%)
2. Alabama (14.98%)
3. South Carolina (14.84%)

States with the most single-men homeowners

1. North Dakota (12.70%)
2. Wyoming (12.06%)
3. South Dakota (11.97%)

States with the widest gap of more women homeowners than men

1. Florida
   • Single women homeowners:14.80%
   • Single men homeowners:10.25%
2. Maryland
   • Single women homeowners:13.39%
   • Single men homeowners:8.86%
3. Delaware
   • Single women homeowners:14.44%
   • Single men homeowners:9.94%

California did not crack the top ten in either of those lists. LendingTree’s full rankings of the gender gap between single women and single men homeowners can be viewed below.

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Methodology

LendingTree used U.S. Census Bureau data from 2021 with one-year estimates to find how many homeowners in each state are single men or women. To find out the percentage of single homeowners (men and women), the number of homes owned by men or women who lived alone was divided by the total number of owner-occupied homes in a state.

However, the study added the percentages don’t add up to 100% after factoring in other kinds of homeowners, such as married couples.

The full study and its methodology can be viewed HERE.