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Some Foreign-Born Groups More Likely to Own Homes Than People Born in U.S., Census Bureau Reports

Blacks, Asians and Pacific islanders, and Hispanics who are naturalized citizens had higher homeownership rates than their U.S.-born race and ethnic counterparts, according to a new report from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The report, Moving to America — Moving to Homeownership: 1994-2002,[PDF] shows that a slightly higher proportion (51 percent) of black, naturalized-citizen householders owned their homes, compared with native-born counterparts (49 percent). The difference is much higher for Asians and Pacific islanders: a 70 percent rate for naturalized citizens and 57 percent for Asians and Pacific islanders born in the United States. The 63 percent homeownership rate for naturalized citizens who are Hispanic (and may be of any race) was also much higher than the 54 percent rate for U.S.-born Hispanics. (See attached chart.)

At the same time, the homeownership rate for non-Hispanic white householders born in the United States (75 percent) was only slightly higher than the rate for non-Hispanic white, naturalized citizens (74 percent).

Overall, the 2002 homeownership rates for natives (70 percent), naturalized citizens (68 percent) and noncitizens (35 percent) were near their highest levels since data were first collected on this topic in 1994.

Other highlights:

• Homeownership rates generally increased for both naturalized-citizen householders and noncitizens the longer they resided in the country. For naturalized-citizen householders, the homeownership rate was 77 percent for those who entered the country in 1974 or earlier and 60 percent for those who entered in 1975 or later.
• Homeownership rates were highest for naturalized citizens from Europe (75 percent) and lowest for naturalized citizens from Latin America (62 percent). For naturalized citizens from Asia, the homeownership rate was 70 percent.
• The 62 percent homeownership rate for naturalized Latin Americans in 2002 was nearly 6 percentage points higher than the rate in 1994.
• The homeownership rate for all noncitizens (35 percent) was about 2 percentage points higher in 2002 than in 1994, while the 68 percent rate for all naturalized citizens was virtually unchanged over the eight-year period.
• The Northeast was the only region where the homeownership rate for naturalized-citizen householders (59 percent) was lower than that for natives (68 percent).
• For nonfamily households with two or more persons, the homeownership rate for naturalized-citizen householders was 44 percent — more than three times higher than the 14 percent for noncitizen householders.

The data are from the Current Population Survey/Housing Vacancy Survey. As in all surveys, the data are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error.

Homeownership Rates by Citizenship Status and Race and Ethnicity of Householder: 2002
(Percent)
(Total includes races not shown separately)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey/Housing Vacancy Survey

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