U.S. Census Bureau
 Census of Housing




Historical Census of Housing Tables


Homeownership

Owning one’s home has long been considered a part of the “American Dream.”  In 2000, 2-in-3 householders in the United States owned their own homes; in 1900, less than half owned their homes.

The homeownership rate declined slowly but steadily from 1900 to 1920.  A robust economy in the 1920s raised the homeownership rate, but the Great Depression drove the rate to its lowest level of the century¾44 percent in 1940.  The post-World War II surge in homeownership was remarkable.  A booming economy, favorable tax laws, a rejuvenated home building industry, and easier financing saw homeownership explode nationally, topping 60 percent in just two decades (see graph).

Even so, individual states have seen ups and downs not always closely related to national trends.  For example, look at the homeownership rates in North Dakota.  In 1900, it had the highest homeownership rate (80 percent) ever recorded by a state.  Then, the rate fell, even during the 1920s.  By 1940, its rate had fallen to about 50 percent.  Afterward, it increased rapidly to well over 60 percent in one decade.  Some of its neighbors¾South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa¾show a similar trend.

Many southern states had very low homeownership rates with little change during the early decades of the 20th century.  However, many of these same states experienced a tremendous boom after World War II, and are now above the national rate.  Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina are good examples of this trend.

Some states have always had high homeownership rates¾over 50 percent.  They were located in the Rocky Mountains, the Midwest, and northern New England, for example, Utah, Michigan, and Maine.  Utah is the only state where the homeownership rate has never fallen below 60 percent.

The Middle Atlantic States (New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania) are good examples of the large increase from 1920 to 1930, the subsequent fall in 1940, and the post-World War II boom.  In 1990, New York had more owned than rented homes for the first time in that century.

Other observations worthy to note are:

HOMEOWNERSHIP RATES

2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 1950 1940 1930 1920 1910 1900
United States 66.2% 64.2% 64.4% 62.9% 61.9% 55.0% 43.6% 47.8% 45.6% 45.9% 46.5%
Alabama 72.5% 70.5% 70.1% 66.7% 59.7% 49.4% 33.6% 34.2% 35.0% 35.1% 34.4%
Alaska 62.5% 56.1% 58.3% 50.3% 48.3% 54.5%          NA          NA          NA          NA          NA
Arizona 68.0% 64.2% 68.3% 65.3% 63.9% 56.4% 47.9% 44.8% 42.8% 49.2% 57.5%
Arkansas 69.4% 69.6% 70.5% 66.7% 61.4% 54.5% 39.7% 40.1% 45.1% 46.6% 47.7%
California 56.9% 55.6% 55.9% 54.9% 58.4% 54.3% 43.4% 46.1% 43.7% 49.5% 46.3%
Colorado 67.3% 62.2% 64.5% 63.4% 63.8% 58.1% 46.3% 50.7% 51.6% 51.5% 46.6%
Connecticut 66.8% 65.6% 63.9% 62.5% 61.9% 51.1% 40.5% 44.5% 37.6% 37.3% 39.0%
Delaware 72.3% 70.2% 69.1% 68.0% 66.9% 58.9% 47.1% 52.1% 44.7% 40.7% 36.3%
Dist. of Columbia 40.8% 38.9% 35.5% 28.2% 30.0% 32.3% 29.9% 38.6% 30.3% 25.2% 24.0%
Florida 70.1% 67.2% 68.3% 68.6% 67.5% 57.6% 43.6% 42.0% 42.5% 44.2% 46.8%
Georgia 67.5% 64.9% 65.0% 61.1% 56.2% 46.5% 30.8% 30.6% 30.9% 30.5% 30.6%
Hawaii 56.5% 53.9% 51.7% 46.9% 41.1% 33.0%          NA          NA          NA          NA          NA
Idaho 72.4% 70.1% 72.0% 70.1% 70.5% 65.5% 57.9% 57.0% 60.9% 68.1% 71.6%
Illinois 67.3% 64.2% 62.6% 59.4% 57.8% 50.1% 40.3% 46.5% 43.8% 44.1% 45.0%
Indiana 71.4% 70.2% 71.7% 71.7% 71.1% 65.5% 53.1% 57.3% 54.8% 54.8% 56.1%
Iowa 72.3% 70.0% 71.8% 71.7% 69.1% 63.4% 51.5% 54.7% 58.1% 58.4% 60.5%
Kansas 69.2% 67.9% 70.2% 69.1% 68.9% 63.9% 51.0% 56.0% 56.9% 59.1% 59.1%
Kentucky 70.8% 69.6% 70.0% 66.9% 64.3% 58.7% 48.0% 51.3% 51.6% 51.6% 51.5%
Louisiana 67.9% 65.9% 65.5% 63.1% 59.0% 50.3% 36.9% 35.0% 33.7% 32.2% 31.4%
Maine 71.6% 70.5% 70.9% 70.1% 66.5% 62.8% 57.3% 61.7% 59.6% 62.5% 64.8%
Maryland 67.7% 65.0% 62.0% 58.8% 64.5% 56.3% 47.4% 55.2% 49.9% 44.0% 40.0%
Massachusetts 61.7% 59.3% 57.5% 57.5% 55.9% 47.9% 38.1% 43.5% 34.8% 33.1% 35.0%
Michigan 73.8% 71.0% 72.7% 74.4% 74.4% 67.5% 55.4% 59.0% 58.9% 61.7% 62.3%
Minnesota 74.6% 71.8% 71.7% 71.5% 72.1% 66.4% 55.2% 58.9% 60.7% 61.9% 63.5%
Mississippi 72.3% 71.5% 71.0% 66.3% 57.7% 47.8% 33.3% 32.5% 34.0% 34.0% 34.5%
Missouri 70.3% 68.8% 69.6% 67.2% 64.3% 57.7% 44.3% 49.9% 49.5% 51.1% 50.9%
Montana 69.1% 67.3% 68.6% 65.7% 64.0% 60.3% 52.0% 54.5% 60.5% 60.0% 56.6%
Nebraska 67.4% 66.5% 68.4% 66.4% 64.8% 60.6% 47.1% 54.3% 57.4% 59.1% 56.8%
Nevada 60.9% 54.8% 59.6% 58.5% 56.3% 48.7% 46.1% 47.1% 47.6% 53.4% 66.2%
New Hampshire 69.7% 68.2% 67.6% 68.2% 65.1% 58.1% 51.7% 55.0% 49.8% 51.2% 53.9%
New Jersey 65.6% 64.9% 62.0% 60.9% 61.3% 53.1% 39.4% 48.4% 38.3% 35.0% 34.3%
New Mexico 70.0% 67.4% 68.1% 66.4% 65.3% 58.8% 57.3% 57.4% 59.4% 70.6% 68.5%
New York 53.0% 52.2% 48.6% 47.3% 44.8% 37.9% 30.3% 37.1% 30.7% 31.0% 33.2%
North Carolina 69.4% 68.0% 68.4% 65.4% 60.1% 53.3% 42.4% 44.5% 47.4% 47.3% 46.6%
North Dakota 66.6% 65.6% 68.7% 68.4% 68.4% 66.2% 49.8% 58.6% 65.3% 75.7% 80.0%
Ohio 69.1% 67.5% 68.4% 67.7% 67.4% 61.1% 50.0% 54.4% 51.6% 51.3% 52.5%
Oklahoma 68.4% 68.1% 70.7% 69.2% 67.0% 60.0% 42.8% 41.3% 45.5% 45.4% 54.2%
Oregon 64.3% 63.1% 65.1% 66.1% 69.3% 65.3% 55.4% 59.1% 54.8% 60.1% 58.7%
Pennsylvania 71.3% 70.6% 69.9% 68.8% 68.3% 59.7% 45.9% 54.4% 45.2% 41.6% 41.2%
Rhode Island 60.0% 59.5% 58.8% 57.9% 54.5% 45.3% 37.4% 41.2% 31.1% 28.3% 28.6%
South Carolina 72.2% 69.8% 70.2% 66.1% 57.3% 45.1% 30.6% 30.9% 32.2% 30.8% 30.6%
South Dakota 68.2% 66.1% 69.3% 69.6% 67.2% 62.2% 45.0% 53.1% 61.5% 68.2% 71.2%
Tennessee 69.9% 68.0% 68.6% 66.7% 63.7% 56.5% 44.1% 46.2% 47.7% 47.0% 46.3%
Texas 63.8% 60.9% 64.3% 64.7% 64.8% 56.7% 42.8% 41.7% 42.8% 45.1% 46.5%
Utah 71.5% 68.1% 70.7% 69.3% 71.7% 65.3% 61.1% 60.9% 60.0% 64.8% 67.8%
Vermont 70.6% 69.0% 68.7% 69.1% 66.0% 61.3% 55.9% 59.8% 57.5% 58.5% 60.4%
Virginia 68.1% 66.3% 65.6% 62.0% 61.3% 55.1% 48.9% 52.4% 51.1% 51.5% 48.8%
Washington 64.6% 62.6% 65.6% 66.8% 68.5% 65.0% 57.0% 59.4% 54.7% 57.3% 54.5%
West Virginia 75.2% 74.1% 73.6% 68.9% 64.3% 55.0% 43.7% 45.9% 46.8% 49.5% 54.6%
Wisconsin 68.4% 66.7% 68.2% 69.1% 68.6% 63.5% 54.4% 63.2% 63.6% 64.6% 66.4%
Wyoming 70.0% 67.8% 69.2% 66.4% 62.2% 54.0% 48.6% 48.3% 51.9% 54.5% 55.2%



Contact the Physical and Social Characteristics Branch at 301-763-3237 or visit ask.census.gov for further information.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division
Last Revised: December 02, 2004