Owner-Occupied Housing (Homeownership Rate)
Definition
The percentage of occupied housing units that are owned by the residents (as opposed to rented). The national homeownership rate has fluctuated between 63% and 69% over the past several decades.
Why It Matters
Homeownership is the primary wealth-building mechanism for most American families. Higher homeownership rates are associated with community stability, civic engagement, and better school outcomes.
How It's Measured
The ACS asks whether each housing unit is owned (with or without a mortgage) or rented. The homeownership rate is the percentage of occupied units that are owner-occupied.
Current Value
US rate: approximately 65.7%
Related Ranking
View ranking →Related Terms
Related Glossary Terms
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Frequently Asked Questions
The percentage of occupied housing units that are owned by the residents (as opposed to rented). The national homeownership rate has fluctuated between 63% and 69% over the past several decades.
Homeownership is the primary wealth-building mechanism for most American families. Higher homeownership rates are associated with community stability, civic engagement, and better school outcomes.
The ACS asks whether each housing unit is owned (with or without a mortgage) or rented. The homeownership rate is the percentage of occupied units that are owner-occupied.
Owner-Occupied Housing (Homeownership Rate) is one of the U.S. population demographics concepts that recurs across this site. The definition above is the technical answer; the paragraphs below add the practical context for how the concept connects to the the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files data behind every per-entity page on the site.
In the the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files data, this concept shapes one or more of the fields that drive the per-entity grades and rankings on this site. The methodology page describes which fields feed into which output; this glossary entry documents the underlying term.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.