Single women own more homes than ever before — despite the brutal market
More than 20 million single women own homes in the U.S., meaning about 50.9% of the demographic are homeowners
d3sign / Getty Images
More single women own homes than ever before despite the affordability challenges, new data shows.
The numbers from First American, a title, settlement, and risk solutions company for real estate, reveal that more than 20 million single women are homeowners — about 50.9% of the total demographic. That number is actually down 1% as far as total demographic homeownership rate, but it’s still a record for the amount of single women's homeowners, thanks to the population segment’s growth.
Related Content
“The rising number of single women homeowners underscores resilience in the face of affordability pressures and confidence in homeownership as a pathway to long-term wealth,” First American said.
And the number shows immense progress, considering single women weren’t even able to buy property without a male co-signer until 1974.
In 1981, just 11% of homebuyers were single women and 10% were single men, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Now, single women make up 21% of homebuyers, while single men make up just 9%.
“Single women are surpassing all odds in the housing market and purchasing homes within an increasingly unaffordable housing market,” NAR wrote in a February report.
First American credits part of this rise in single women homeownership rate to the increase in the amount of single women who have bachelor’s degrees — from 20% in 2000 to 35% in 2025 — saying it’s "expanding the pool of financially prepared buyers.”
Single women also saw a real median income growth of $9,000 when compared to 2000 salaries (that were converted into today’s dollars), First American found.
“While affordability remains strained relative to historical norms, these structural gains in education and income provide a durable foundation for homeownership,” First American said.
Still, single women homebuyers — like all people looking to purchase a home — aren’t immune to difficult market conditions, including high mortgage rates and low inventory, First American noted.