Women Outpace Men in Homeownership

Although U.S. women still trail men when it comes to pay, they are pulling ahead financially in one important way of building wealth: homeownership.

A recent study from LendingTree shows that single women own 2.7 million more homes than their male counterparts, with roughly 13% of those women holding the titles to their homes, compared to 10% of men.

Women have historically faced social and economic barriers to wealth creation, and they continue to earn an average of just 82 cents for every dollar men earn for the same work, according to research from the Pew Research Center.

LendingTree's study is based on an analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2022 American Community Survey and accounts for demographic factors including homeowners' age, income, education, and racial background.

Single Female Homeownership Outnumbers Male Peers in Most States

According to recent data, single female homeowners outnumber their male peers in 47 states across the United States. In states like Delaware and Louisiana, the rate of female homeownership is as high as 15%. However, in Alaska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, single males own more homes than single women. This is likely due to the prevalence of male-dominated industries in those states.

A 2020 U.S. Census Bureau report reveals that home equity accounts for nearly 28% of household wealth on average. It is important to note that most homes are owned by couples and families. Despite the increase in female homeownership, American women's net worth still falls well below that of men. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the median wealth of women-headed households is 45% lower than those headed by men.

"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, and we'll need a lot more information before we can really definitively say why things are the way they are," said an expert.