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A look at where the ownership gap is greatest and smallest across the U.S.
Single women own and occupy more homes than single men in the United States, despite earning only about 83 cents for every dollar that men earn, according to a new study.
The report, by the online lending marketplace LendingTree, analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau 2021 American Community Survey with one-year estimates. It found that 10.76 million U.S. homes were owned and occupied by single women, while 8.12 million were owned and occupied by single men. Single men were found to own and occupy a larger percentage of homes in only two states: North Dakota (about 13 percent, to 11 percent for single women) and South Dakota (12 percent to 11 percent).
How could this be, considering the wage gap? The study suggests several possible explanations. First, not all women are lower earners. This is especially true of women under 30, whose earnings meet or exceed that of their male counterparts in 22 U.S. metros, and meet or exceed at least 90 percent of men’s earnings in another 107, according to the report. A National Association of Realtors report posited that single women spend less for homes than men do, and are willing to make more financial sacrifices to make it happen.
Women also have a longer life expectancy than men, so some portion of single women who own and occupy their homes are widows who previously lived with a spouse. This could help explain why retirement-friendly Florida had the largest gap in homeownership rates among single women and single men — about 4.5 percent in favor of the women, according to LendingTree.
This week’s chart shows the states with the largest percentage point gaps between homes owned by single women and single men.
Single Women and Homeownership
Single women own and occupy a larger percentage of homes than single men in all but two U.S. states. Below, the states in which the percentage point gap is greatest and smallest.
Greatest Difference
Homes owned and
occupied by single men
Homes owned and
occupied by single women
Percentage
point gap
State
Florida
Maryland
Delaware
Vermont
Massachusetts
Louisiana
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Alabama
New York
New Jersey
591,712
141,740
28,551
18,360
151,182
131,519
25,485
156,953
149,740
421,470
184,787
854,297
214,387
41,455
26,920
225,428
182,277
37,165
218,728
206,608
594,728
275,755
+4.55
+4.53
+4.50
+4.34
+4.26
+4.22
+4.19
+4.19
+4.13
+4.09
+4.03
%
tie
Smallest Difference
Homes owned and
occupied by single men
Homes owned and
occupied by single women
Percentage
point gap
State
Colorado
Wisconsin
Idaho
Iowa
Montana
Nevada
Alaska
Wyoming
South Dakota
North Dakota
154,502
175,782
46,187
102,224
34,216
76,469
20,146
20,886
29,132
25,941
184,327
204,144
53,796
115,687
38,565
85,805
21,303
21,564
27,480
22,639
+1.92
+1.69
+1.53
+1.44
+1.40
+1.32
+0.62
+0.39
–0.68
–1.62
%
Greatest Difference
Homes owned
and occupied
by single men
Homes owned
and occupied
by single women
Percentage
point gap
Florida
Maryland
Delaware
Vermont
Massachusetts
Louisiana
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Alabama
New York
New Jersey
+4.55
+4.53
+4.50
+4.34
+4.26
+4.22
+4.19
+4.19
+4.13
+4.09
+4.03
%
591,712
141,740
28,551
18,360
151,182
131,519
25,485
156,953
149,740
421,470
184,787
854,297
214,387
41,455
26,920
225,428
182,277
37,165
218,728
206,608
594,728
275,755
tie
Smallest Difference
Homes owned
and occupied
by single men
Homes owned
and occupied
by single women
Percentage
point gap
Colorado
Wisconsin
Idaho
Iowa
Montana
Nevada
Alaska
Wyoming
South Dakota
North Dakota
+1.92
+1.69
+1.53
+1.44
+1.40
+1.32
+0.62
+0.39
–0.68
–1.62
%
154,502
175,782
46,187
102,224
34,216
76,469
20,146
20,886
29,132
25,941
184,327
204,144
53,796
115,687
38,565
85,805
21,303
21,564
27,480
22,639
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A version of this article appears in print on , Section
RE
, Page
2
of the New York edition
with the headline:
Gender Imbalance for Owned Homes. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe
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