Short Answer
Homeownership remains one of the most closely watched indicators of economic well-being in the United States, but the national rate masks deep and persistent differences by race and ethnicity. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Housing Vacancy Survey for the second quarter of 2026, the U.S. homeownership rate held at 65.0 percent, statistically unchanged from a year earlier. Yet beneath that stable headline, non-Hispanic White households posted a homeownership rate of 74.5 percent, while Black or African American households recorded 45.4 percent and Hispanic or Latino households 48.1 percent. These gaps—roughly 29 and 26 percentage points, respectively—highlight how unevenly the benefits of homeownership are distributed across the population.
Key Numbers
- U.S. homeownership rate, not seasonally adjusted: 65.0%
- Non-Hispanic White Alone: 74.5%
- Black or African American Alone: 45.4%
- Hispanic or Latino: 48.1%
- Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Alone: 58.6%
- All Other Races: 54.4%
- White-Black homeownership gap: 29.1 percentage points
- Rental vacancy rate: 7.3%; homeowner vacancy rate: 1.2%
Explanation
The homeownership rate is the share of occupied housing units that are owner-occupied rather than renter-occupied. It is one of the most direct measures of housing tenure in the United States and is closely linked to household wealth, neighborhood stability, and long-term economic security. When the rate is reported by race and ethnicity, it shows how access to homeownership differs across demographic groups.
The Census Bureau publishes quarterly national homeownership estimates through the Housing Vacancy Survey, which provides the timeliest race and ethnicity detail. The American Community Survey offers more detailed local and historical estimates, but its most recent five-year file covers 2019–2023. For 2026, the quarterly Housing Vacancy Survey is the authoritative source for national race and ethnicity homeownership rates.
In the second quarter of 2026, the overall rate was unchanged from a year earlier, but the composition beneath that headline shifted. Some groups improved modestly, while others declined. The persistent gaps reflect long-running structural differences in income, wealth, credit access, and housing supply, and they remain a central concern for policymakers and housing advocates.
Definition
The homeownership rate is calculated by dividing the number of owner-occupied housing units by the total number of occupied housing units. For race and ethnicity statistics, the Census Bureau reports rates for households according to the race and Hispanic origin of the householder. The main categories are non-Hispanic White alone, Black or African American alone, Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander alone, Hispanic or Latino, and all other races.
Because the rate is a proportion of occupied units, it reflects both the number of homeowners and the number of renters in each group. A group with a lower homeownership rate may have a smaller share of owner households, a larger share of renter households, or both.
How the Statistic Is Calculated
The Census Bureau’s Housing Vacancy Survey is a quarterly sample survey that produces national and regional estimates of homeownership, rental vacancy, and homeowner vacancy. The survey asks whether each sampled housing unit is owned or rented and collects the race and Hispanic origin of the householder. Rates are published both not seasonally adjusted and seasonally adjusted. In Q2 2026, the not seasonally adjusted U.S. rate was 65.0 percent, while the seasonally adjusted rate was 65.2 percent.
Because the survey is based on a sample, all estimates have sampling error. Small quarter-to-quarter changes may not be statistically significant. The Census Bureau reports whether differences from prior periods are statistically different, and many of the Q2 2026 changes were not.
National Comparison
The table below shows homeownership rates by race and ethnicity for the second quarter of 2026, the first quarter of 2026, and the second quarter of 2025. The national rate has remained in a narrow band, but group-level rates show more movement.
| Group | Q2 2026 | Q1 2026 | Q2 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States, not seasonally adjusted | 65.0% | 65.3% | 65.0% |
| Non-Hispanic White Alone | 74.5% | 75.0% | 74.0% |
| Black or African American Alone | 45.4% | 44.0% | 43.9% |
| Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Alone | 58.6% | 60.1% | 62.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 48.1% | 48.2% | 48.8% |
| All Other Races | 54.4% | 55.8% | 57.5% |
Ranking Table
Ranked by Q2 2026 homeownership rate, non-Hispanic White households remained the most likely to own their homes, while Black households had the lowest rate among the major groups shown.
| Rank | Group | Q2 2026 Homeownership Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Non-Hispanic White Alone | 74.5% |
| 2 | Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Alone | 58.6% |
| 3 | All Other Races | 54.4% |
| 4 | Hispanic or Latino | 48.1% |
| 5 | Black or African American Alone | 45.4% |
Year-over-Year Change
Compared with the second quarter of 2025, the national homeownership rate was unchanged at 65.0 percent. However, the year-over-year changes by race and ethnicity were mixed. Black households saw the largest gain, while Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander households and the all other races category declined.
| Group | Q2 2025 | Q2 2026 | Change (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Non-Hispanic White Alone | 74.0% | 74.5% | +0.5 |
| Black or African American Alone | 43.9% | 45.4% | +1.5 |
| Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Alone | 62.1% | 58.6% | -3.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 48.8% | 48.1% | -0.7 |
| All Other Races | 57.5% | 54.4% | -3.1 |
Historical Data
The national homeownership rate has plateaued in a narrow low-to-mid-65 percent band over the past year. In Q2 2025 the rate was 65.0 percent, in Q1 2026 it was 65.3 percent, and in Q2 2026 it returned to 65.0 percent. Regional rates in Q2 2026 ranged from 69.0 percent in the Midwest and 66.9 percent in the South to 61.6 percent in the Northeast and 60.5 percent in the West.
Longer-term data from the American Community Survey have consistently shown a wide racial homeownership gap. PolicyMap’s ACS-based layers for 2019–2023 document that the gap remains a central feature of U.S. housing data, even as the quarterly Housing Vacancy Survey provides the most current national figures for 2026.
Factors Behind the Trend
Several forces are keeping the overall homeownership rate flat and shaping racial and ethnic disparities. Affordability pressures and limited housing supply have shown little sign of easing, according to Realtor.com Economic Research. The modest inventory recovery that characterized much of the previous year appears to be leveling off rather than accelerating.
Rental markets continue to act as a pressure valve for households unable to buy. The national rental vacancy rate was 7.3 percent in Q2 2026, with conditions varying by geography: principal cities had a rental vacancy rate of 8.0 percent, suburbs 6.9 percent, and non-metro areas 5.8 percent. These differences mean that the experience of renting—and the path to homeownership—varies considerably by location.
Why It Matters
Homeownership is the primary way many U.S. households build wealth. Owners accumulate housing equity over time, benefit from fixed mortgage payments, and can pass assets to the next generation. Renters do not build housing equity and are more exposed to rising rents. Because homeownership rates differ sharply by race and ethnicity, these disparities feed directly into the broader racial wealth gap.
Higher homeownership rates are also associated with greater residential stability, stronger neighborhood ties, and better outcomes for children. When large segments of the population are less likely to own homes, the effects ripple across education, health, and economic mobility.
Limitations of the Data
The Housing Vacancy Survey is a sample survey, so its estimates have sampling error. Small changes from quarter to quarter may not be statistically significant. The race and ethnicity categories also combine some groups—for example, Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander households are reported together—which can mask differences within those populations.
The quarterly survey does not provide state-level detail by race and ethnicity. For more granular geographic analysis, researchers rely on the American Community Survey, but those estimates are less timely. The most recent ACS five-year file covers 2019–2023, so it cannot capture conditions in 2026. Users should treat the HVS as the best current national snapshot and the ACS as the best source for detailed local and historical comparisons.
Source & Data Date
The primary source for this article is the U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancy Survey, second quarter 2026, released July 28, 2026. Additional data were obtained from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis FRED database, Realtor.com Economic Research, and PolicyMap’s American Community Survey-based racial homeownership gap layers. The quarterly HVS data cover the second quarter of 2026; ACS-based context reflects the 2019–2023 five-year estimates.
FAQ
What is the U.S. homeownership rate in Q2 2026?
The U.S. homeownership rate was 65.0 percent in the second quarter of 2026, not seasonally adjusted. The seasonally adjusted rate was 65.2 percent. Both were statistically unchanged from the second quarter of 2025.
Which racial or ethnic group has the highest homeownership rate?
Non-Hispanic White households had the highest homeownership rate among the major groups in Q2 2026, at 74.5 percent. Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander households were second at 58.6 percent.
How large is the Black-White homeownership gap?
In Q2 2026, the gap between non-Hispanic White homeownership (74.5 percent) and Black or African American homeownership (45.4 percent) was 29.1 percentage points. The White-Hispanic gap was 26.4 percentage points.
Is this data from the American Community Survey?
The most current 2026 national race and ethnicity homeownership rates come from the Census Bureau's quarterly Housing Vacancy Survey, not the American Community Survey. The latest ACS five-year file covers 2019–2023 and is better for detailed local and historical analysis.
Why does the homeownership rate vary by race and ethnicity?
Differences reflect long-running structural factors, including income and wealth disparities, access to mortgage credit, historical housing discrimination, and geographic differences in housing supply and affordability. These factors affect both the ability to buy a home and the ability to sustain homeownership over time.
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