Owner-occupied housing accounts for almost one-quarter of U.S. household assets. Research shows that rates of home ownership vary significantly across demographic groups, however, suggesting the financial benefits don’t reach each group equally.
NAHB recently released a special report exploring black home ownership rates and the gap between white and black home ownership rates by county. In general, the report found that black home-ownership rates are highest in counties in the South, and lower in the Northeast, Midwest, and West. NAHB’s Eye on Housing reports:
To help explain the geographic differences between white and black home ownership, the special study also examines demographic variables previously shown to be significantly associated with home ownership, such as marriage rates and age. Using these variables, a fixed effects regression model is employed. It shows that, even when controlling for age, marriage rates, and price-to-income ratios (home value to household income ratios), black home ownership is still 22 percent lower than white home ownership rates, suggesting that factors beyond demographics are affecting the differences.
Read More
