Single women who live alone are more likely to own a home than single men in 47 of 50 states, new study shows
In the U.S., women are still up against systemic biases that often mean they are paid less than men in the workplace and end up less well-off financially. But according to analysis of recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, women do have an edge when it comes to homeownership.
Single women who live by themselves are more likely than single men who live by themselves to own a home in 47 of 50 U.S. states, a January LendingTree report found. And single women own 2.71 million more homes than single men, or an average of 12.93% of homes across the 50 states versus 10.22%.
To rank the states with the most single women and single men homeowners, LendingTree analyzed microdata from the U.S. Census Bureau 2022 American Community Survey and focused on owner-occupied housing units whose owners were living by themselves.
No. 1 state with the largest share of single-women homeowners: Delaware
Delaware ranked as the state with the highest share of homes owned by single women. It also has the largest homeownership gap, according to LendingTree.
Over 15% of owner-occupied households in the state are owned by single women, while the share of households owned by single men is 9.45%.
That makes a gender gap of 5.89 percentage points between these single homeowners.
The average Delaware home value is $371,811, up 4.7% over the past year, according to Zillow.
The second smallest state in the U.S., Delaware is often referred to as the "Chemical Capital of the World" because of its heavy ties to chemical manufacturing, according to U.S. News and World Report.
The state attracts many top companies thanks to its favorable laws for corporations and low tax incentives.
10 U.S. states with the largest share of single-women homeowners
- Delaware
- Louisiana
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- Florida
- New Mexico
- South Carolina
- West Virginia
- Maryland
- Illinois
Louisiana ranked as the No. 2 state with the largest share of single-women homeowners.
According to LendingTree, 15.19% of households in the state are owned and occupied by single women, while 10.71% of households are owned and operated by single men.
The average Louisiana home value is $194,453, down 2.9% over the past year, according to Zillow.
Louisiana is world-renowned for its unique French heritage and multicultural society. Despite that, the state is often ranked as one of the worst in the U.S.
A U.S. News and World Report cited Louisiana's rise in violent crime, a dwindling population and industrial pollution among the reasons why the state continues ranking so poorly.
No. 1 state with the largest share of single-men homeowners: New Mexico
New Mexico ranked as the state with the largest share of single-men homeowners. In this state, single men own 12.85% of all owner-occupied housing units.
According to Zillow, the average New Mexico home value is $288,855, up 4.8% over the past year.
While New Mexico ranks higher in terms of its economy and quality of life, the state lags behind in education and health, according to a 2023 WalletHub report.
New Mexico does have a very diverse economy that includes cattle ranching, mining, and oil. More than one-third of the land in New Mexico is protected by the federal government.
It is home to the Los Alamos National Laboratories and Trinity, the site of the first nuclear test.
10 U.S. states with the largest share of single-men homeowners
- New Mexico
- North Dakota
- Alaska
- South Dakota
- Wyoming
- West Virginia
- Montana
- Michigan
- Iowa
- Ohio
North Dakota is No. 2 on the list of states with the largest share of single-men homeowners.
Households owned and occupied by single men is 12.74% while its 10.66% for single women. The average North Dakota home value is $244,772, down 1.2% over the past year, according to Zillow.
The state is known for being rich in natural resources and has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the U.S., according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
North Dakota ranks as the No. 14 best state in the U.S., according to U.S. News and World Report. Since a lot of land in North Dakota is dedicated to farming, a lot of the state's population works in agriculture.
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