Single women who live by themselves are most likely to own a home than single men in 48 of 50 states, according to a new analysis by LendingTree.
LendingTree looked at data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and found that women own about 2.46 million more homes than single men.
Single women own about 10.76 million homes, about 12.90% of all owner-occupied homes in America, while men own only 8.12 million, 10.06%.
Louisiana has the highest share of homes owned by single women, but Florida has the largest gap in ownership rates among single men and women – 4.55% – nearly two percentage points higher than the national average of 2.84%.
North Dakota and South Dakota are the only states where single men own more homes than single women.
Data suggests that single women prioritize homeownership more than men.
“Women have a very strong preference for homeownership,” Jessica Lautz, vice president of demographics and behavioral insights at NAR, told Bankrate.
“They think it’s a good financial investment. They also are willing to make financial sacrifices. They traditionally have a lower household income, and they’re willing to cut expenses in other areas of their life to achieve homeownership.”
She noted that financial stability may factor into women’s homeownership dreams. Women younger than 30 earn at least as much or more than their male counterparts in 22 metros. As a result, they may be in a better position to purchase a home.
Regardless of their finances, many women report wanting to own a home before finding a spouse. A Bank of America survey found that 65% of prospective single female homebuyers said they would rather buy a home before marrying, unlike their baby boomer counterparts.
“The trend is reversing,” Kathy Cummings, a senior vice president at Bank of America, said. “The message is reversing. You don’t need a man anymore.”
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