Highest homeownership rate states
Ranked by share of housing units that are owner-occupied (Census ACS B25003).
The homeownership rate is one of the most cited and least examined housing statistics in the country. It measures the share of occupied housing units lived in by their owner. States with high rates tend to combine three things: durable affordability, a higher share of single-family stock, and population stability that gives families time to buy. States with low rates tend to be more expensive, more urban, or both. The Census ACS publishes the rate annually for every state. This ranking sorts from highest to lowest. A high homeownership rate is not a guarantee that buying is the right move for any individual; it is a signal that local conditions historically tilt that direction. Pair this list with the property tax and appreciation rankings, and run the rent-vs-buy calculator for your specific situation before drawing conclusions.
Top 20: highest homeownership share
Bars show percent of housing units that are owner-occupied.
Top 50 sortable table
Click any column to sort. Click a state name for full housing data.
| # | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michigan | 79.5% | $168,482 | $2,018 | 47.8% |
| 2 | Minnesota | 77.9% | $207,495 | $2,043 | 32.3% |
| 3 | West Virginia | 77.8% | $133,593 | $683 | 37.4% |
| 4 | Vermont | 76.8% | $254,557 | $4,543 | 59.9% |
| 5 | Utah | 76.4% | $337,238 | $1,677 | 41.3% |
| 6 | Maine | 75.9% | $215,438 | $2,525 | 60.5% |
| 7 | Indiana | 75.7% | $164,273 | $1,131 | 47.1% |
| 8 | Iowa | 75.6% | $149,558 | $2,073 | 39.1% |
| 9 | Wisconsin | 75.5% | $202,124 | $3,022 | 52.4% |
| 10 | Illinois | 75.4% | $139,829 | $2,720 | 48.5% |
| 11 | Idaho | 74.6% | $273,573 | $1,449 | 39.6% |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 73.9% | $187,894 | $2,606 | 43.8% |
| 13 | Nebraska | 73.9% | $141,087 | $1,863 | 42.2% |
| 14 | Wyoming | 73.7% | $291,909 | $1,571 | 43.0% |
| 15 | North Dakota | 73.7% | $162,140 | $1,411 | 34.6% |
| 16 | Tennessee | 73.5% | $182,359 | $979 | 51.9% |
| 17 | Florida | 73.5% | $231,560 | $1,757 | 50.7% |
| 18 | Kansas | 73.5% | $124,449 | $1,877 | 45.0% |
| 19 | Missouri | 73.4% | $151,083 | $1,157 | 47.0% |
| 20 | Delaware | 73.3% | $302,900 | $1,594 | 48.4% |
| 21 | New Hampshire | 73.3% | $287,100 | $5,531 | 57.2% |
| 22 | Ohio | 73.2% | $169,108 | $2,053 | 49.7% |
| 23 | Kentucky | 73.1% | $139,648 | $1,050 | 44.6% |
| 24 | Alabama | 72.9% | $140,207 | $485 | 44.4% |
| 25 | Montana | 72.6% | $229,793 | $1,734 | 51.7% |
| 26 | New Mexico | 72.3% | $169,015 | $993 | 41.7% |
| 27 | Texas | 72.3% | $158,253 | $2,075 | 35.6% |
| 28 | South Carolina | 72.3% | $165,220 | $893 | 58.4% |
| 29 | Oklahoma | 72.2% | $132,219 | $911 | 42.9% |
| 30 | Colorado | 72.0% | $359,531 | $1,450 | 28.7% |
| 31 | Maryland | 71.9% | $333,004 | $3,246 | 32.3% |
| 32 | South Dakota | 71.9% | $152,567 | $1,700 | 46.3% |
| 33 | Louisiana | 71.7% | $154,388 | $708 | 22.2% |
| 34 | North Carolina | 71.2% | $194,595 | $1,373 | 54.4% |
| 35 | Mississippi | 71.2% | $120,972 | $903 | 41.3% |
| 36 | Nevada | 70.9% | $266,259 | $1,388 | 40.3% |
| 37 | Arkansas | 70.7% | $124,300 | $680 | 49.0% |
| 38 | Washington | 70.5% | $361,767 | $2,867 | 34.2% |
| 39 | Virginia | 70.3% | $261,678 | $1,894 | 44.3% |
| 40 | Georgia | 69.7% | $165,626 | $1,447 | 49.8% |
| 41 | Arizona | 69.7% | $217,293 | $1,295 | 45.3% |
| 42 | New York | 69.1% | $253,185 | $4,612 | 50.9% |
| 43 | Rhode Island | 68.9% | $399,980 | $5,170 | 54.8% |
| 44 | Connecticut | 68.4% | $335,222 | $6,350 | 56.1% |
| 45 | New Jersey | 68.1% | $378,657 | $8,423 | 58.3% |
| 46 | Oregon | 68.0% | $323,097 | $2,629 | 27.1% |
| 47 | Massachusetts | 66.7% | $543,707 | $4,980 | 41.3% |
| 48 | Hawaii | 65.1% | $707,525 | $1,694 | 37.8% |
| 49 | Alaska | 64.5% | $252,357 | $2,068 | 33.8% |
| 50 | California | 63.6% | $534,350 | $3,834 | 28.8% |
Methodology
- Source: Census ACS 5-year B25003, tenure of occupied housing units.
- Homeownership rate is calculated as owner-occupied units divided by total occupied units.
- Renter-occupied units, vacant units, and second homes are not counted toward the owner share.
- A high homeownership rate often correlates with affordability and a single-family stock mix; it is not by itself a recommendation to buy in any specific place.
- Compare against the property tax and 5-year HPI columns to understand cost and momentum context for each state.