In 2023, owner-occupied housing made up 65.6% of US units, while renter-occupied homes accounted for 34.4%. Median gross rent reached $1,255 in 2023, and 45.4% of renter households spent 30% or more of income on housing in 2022. The rest of the picture connects homeownership, vacancy at a 6.1% rate, construction, and housing quality.
Key Takeaways
- Share of housing that is owner-occupied in the United States is 65.6% (2023).
- Share of housing that is renter-occupied in the United States is 34.4% (2023).
- Homeownership rate in the United States is 65.8% (Q4 2023).
- Housing units that are vacant are 12.3 million (2023).
- Vacancy rate is 6.1% (2023).
- Rental vacancy rate is 6.3% (2023).
- Median age of housing stock is 46 years for renter-occupied units (2019).
- Median age of housing stock is 40 years for owner-occupied units (2019).
- Share of housing units built before 1960 is 43% (2019).
- Median household size in renter-occupied housing units is 2.3 (2022).
- Median household size in owner-occupied housing units is 2.5 (2022).
- Number of households in the United States is 131.9 million (2023).
- Number of households experiencing homelessness on a single night is 150,000 (point-in-time, 2023).
- Number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night is 653,104 (2023 point-in-time).
- Percentage of homeless people who are unsheltered is 19% (2023).
In 2023, most Americans owned their homes, while renters faced far higher cost burdens.
Related reading
01 · Category
Ownership and Tenure30 stats
01
Share of housing that is owner-occupied in the United States is 65.6% (2023).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/HSG010222
02
Share of housing that is renter-occupied in the United States is 34.4% (2023).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/HSG010223
03
Homeownership rate in the United States is 65.8% (Q4 2023).https://www.freddiemac.com/freddie-mac/news/2024/2024-1-q4-2023-mortgage-market-update.html
04
Homeownership rate among households in the United States is 65.1% (2022).https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2023/10/homeownership.html
05
Housing units with a mortgage in the United States are 47.0% (2022).https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/2023/housing-costs-and-ownership.html
06
Housing units without a mortgage in the United States are 53.0% (2022).https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/2023/housing-costs-and-ownership.html
07
Median age of the housing stock in the United States is 41 years (2019).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-housing-stock-0
08
Percentage of housing units that are single-family detached in the United States is 55% (2019).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-housing-stock-0
09
Percentage of housing units that are single-family attached in the United States is 6% (2019).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-housing-stock-0
10
Percentage of housing units that are two- to four-unit in the United States is 14% (2019).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-housing-stock-0
11
Percentage of housing units that are five-plus-unit in the United States is 19% (2019).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-housing-stock-0
12
Owner-occupied housing unit median value (US) is $390,500(2022).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045222
13
Renter-occupied housing unit median gross rent (US) is $1,192(2022).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/RENTR05222
14
Median value of owner-occupied housing units in the United States is $397,900(2023).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045223
15
Median gross rent in the United States is $1,255(2023).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/RENTR05223
16
Percentage of households that are homeowners without a mortgage is 36.0% (Q1 2024).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/TTLHOUS
17
Percentage of households that are homeowners with a mortgage is 29.7% (Q1 2024).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/TTLHOUS
18
Percentage of households that are renters is 34.3% (Q1 2024).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/TTLHOUS
19
Number of owner-occupied housing units in the United States is 90,214,000 (Q3 2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/QOQHOU
20
Number of renter-occupied housing units in the United States is 45,791,000 (Q3 2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/RHOU
21
Total housing units in the United States is 136,005,000 (Q3 2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/TTLHOU
22
Share of households spending 30% or more of income on housing in the United States is 32.2% (2022).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research/30-percent-and-50-percent-housing-burden
23
Share of renters spending 30% or more of income on housing is 45.4% (2022).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research/30-percent-and-50-percent-housing-burden
24
Share of homeowners spending 30% or more of income on housing is 22.7% (2022).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research/30-percent-and-50-percent-housing-burden
25
Share of households experiencing severe housing cost burden (50%+ of income) is 12.6% (2022).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research/30-percent-and-50-percent-housing-burden
26
Share of renters experiencing severe housing cost burden (50%+ of income) is 22.8% (2022).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research/30-percent-and-50-percent-housing-burden
27
Share of homeowners experiencing severe housing cost burden (50%+ of income) is 6.4% (2022).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research/30-percent-and-50-percent-housing-burden
28
Percentage of households that are cost-burdened renters is 37.4% (2022).https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/time-series/demo/severe-housing-cost-burden.html
29
Percentage of households that are severely cost-burdened renters is 22.8% (2022).https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/time-series/demo/severe-housing-cost-burden.html
30
Percentage of households that are cost-burdened homeowners is 18.4% (2022).https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/time-series/demo/severe-housing-cost-burden.html
Interpretation
Ownership and Tenure Interpretation
In the United States, about two thirds of housing is owned and most owners are doing at least okay financially, but renters and low income households are much more likely to be squeezed by housing costs, with nearly half of renters paying 30 percent or more of their income and over a fifth facing severe burdens, all while home values keep climbing and the youngest households remain far less likely to buy than seniors.
02 · Category
Housing Supply and Vacancy30 stats
01
Housing units that are vacant are 12.3 million (2023).https://www.census.gov/housing/housing-units.html
02
Vacancy rate is 6.1% (2023).https://www.census.gov/housing/housing-units.html
03
Rental vacancy rate is 6.3% (2023).https://www.census.gov/housing/housing-units.html
04
Owner vacancy rate is 6.0% (2023).https://www.census.gov/housing/housing-units.html
05
New housing units authorized by building permits in the United States (annual total) is 1,507,000 (2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSACSR
06
Housing starts in the United States are 1,400,000 (2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/HOUST
07
Housing completions in the United States are 1,300,000 (2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/HOUC
08
Existing home sales in the United States are 4.09 million (2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/EXHOSLUSQ
09
Median new home sales price in the United States is $410,800(2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSPN
10
Median existing home price in the United States is $363,200(2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSPUS
11
Housing starts seasonally adjusted annual rate is 1,200,000 (April 2024).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/HOUST
12
Building permits seasonally adjusted annual rate is 1,300,000 (April 2024).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PERMIT
13
Housing starts in the Northeast region in 2023 is 150,000.https://www.census.gov/construction/nrc/pdf/nrc_current.pdf
14
Housing starts in the Midwest region in 2023 is 180,000.https://www.census.gov/construction/nrc/pdf/nrc_current.pdf
15
Housing starts in the South region in 2023 is 590,000.https://www.census.gov/construction/nrc/pdf/nrc_current.pdf
16
Housing starts in the West region in 2023 is 430,000.https://www.census.gov/construction/nrc/pdf/nrc_current.pdf
17
New privately-owned housing units started is 1,202,000 (2023).https://www.census.gov/construction/nrc/index.html
18
New privately-owned housing units completed is 1,213,000 (2023).https://www.census.gov/construction/nrc/index.html
19
Number of new housing units built in the United States is 1,590,000 (2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/HOUST
20
Home construction spending in the United States is $1.7 trillion (Q4 2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/TCU
21
New residential construction spending in the United States is $1,180,000 million (2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/TWRD
22
Total residential investment in the United States is $2.6 trillion (Q4 2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GPDIC1
23
Housing inventory (months supply) is 3.5 months (March 2024).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MSACSR
24
Listing inventory of houses for sale is 1.17 million (March 2024).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ACTLISCOU
25
Share of vacant units that are for rent is 39.8% (2023).https://www.census.gov/housing/housing-vacancies.html
26
Share of vacant units that are rented but not occupied is 20.1% (2023).https://www.census.gov/housing/housing-vacancies.html
27
Share of vacant units that are “for sale only” is 13.0% (2023).https://www.census.gov/housing/housing-vacancies.html
28
Share of vacant units that are “for seasonal/recreational use” is 9.6% (2023).https://www.census.gov/housing/housing-vacancies.html
29
Total housing permits (all areas) is 1,527,000 (2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PERMITS
30
Starts of single-family housing units are 820,000 (2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/NAHB
Interpretation
Housing Supply and Vacancy Interpretation
In 2023 the United States effectively had a roughly six percent housing vacancy cushion and just over 1.5 million new units authorized, but with monthly supply around 3.5 months, median existing homes still lagging new prices, and hundreds of thousands of starts and completions pointing to steady construction spending, the bigger story is that supply is moving, yet the market remains tight and many vacancies are tied up in rentals, timing, or seasonal use rather than fully solving for demand.
03 · Category
Housing Stock and Quality30 stats
01
Median age of housing stock is 46 years for renter-occupied units (2019).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-housing-stock-0
02
Median age of housing stock is 40 years for owner-occupied units (2019).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-housing-stock-0
03
Share of housing units built before 1960 is 43% (2019).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-housing-stock-0
04
Share of housing units built 1960-1979 is 25% (2019).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-housing-stock-0
05
Share of housing units built 1980-1999 is 20% (2019).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-housing-stock-0
06
Share of housing units built 2000-2019 is 12% (2019).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-housing-stock-0
07
Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities is 0.9% (2022).https://www.census.gov/acs/www/data/data-tables-and-tools/housing-characteristics/
08
Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities is 1.0% (2022).https://www.census.gov/acs/www/data/data-tables-and-tools/housing-characteristics/
09
Housing units without central air conditioning is 39.2% (2022).https://www.census.gov/acs/www/data/data-tables-and-tools/housing-characteristics/
10
Housing units without heating fuel adequate or with problems is 1.6% (2022).https://www.census.gov/acs/www/data/data-tables-and-tools/housing-characteristics/
11
Share of homes with structural problems is 6.6% (2022).https://www.census.gov/housing/health/shelter.html
12
Share of homes with plumbing problems is 1.8% (2022).https://www.census.gov/housing/health/shelter.html
13
Share of homes with heating problems is 3.2% (2022).https://www.census.gov/housing/health/shelter.html
14
Share of homes with electrical problems is 1.1% (2022).https://www.census.gov/housing/health/shelter.html
15
Share of households living in housing with overcrowding (more than 1 person per room) is 2.5% (2022).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/POP010223
16
Share of households living in overcrowded conditions is 2.5% (2022).https://www.census.gov/housing/housing-definitions.html
17
Share of households in severe overcrowding (more than 1.5 persons per room) is 0.7% (2022).https://www.census.gov/housing/housing-definitions.html
18
Share of households reporting housing lacks a working smoke alarm is 4.6% (2021).https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/fit-the-facts/smokealarms.html
19
Share of households reporting housing lacks a working carbon monoxide alarm is 20.8% (2021).https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/fit-the-facts/smokealarms.html
20
Share of housing units with lead-based paint risk is 87% for pre-1940 homes (2019).https://www.huduser.gov/portal/periodicals/em/spring17/highlight1.html
21
Proportion of occupied housing units with lead-based paint risk is 37% (2019).https://www.huduser.gov/portal/periodicals/em/spring17/highlight1.html
22
Share of housing units with mold is 7.9% (2021).https://www.cdc.gov/mold/about/index.html
23
Share of households living in dwellings with pest problems is 2.3% (2022).https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/technical-documentation/subject-definitions.html
24
Share of households living in dwellings without hot water is 0.4% (2022).https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/technical-documentation/subject-definitions.html
25
Share of households with no telephone service is 0.3% (2022).https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/technical-documentation/subject-definitions.html
26
Share of housing units with damage from water leaks is 3.7% (2022).https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/technical-documentation/subject-definitions.html
27
Share of housing units with peeling paint is 4.1% (2022).https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/technical-documentation/subject-definitions.html
28
Share of housing units with broken windows is 2.6% (2022).https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/technical-documentation/subject-definitions.html
29
Share of housing units with incomplete kitchen facilities is 1.0% (2022).https://www.census.gov/acs/www/data/data-tables-and-tools/housing-characteristics/
30
Share of housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities is 0.9% (2022).https://www.census.gov/acs/www/data/data-tables-and-tools/housing-characteristics/
Interpretation
Housing Stock and Quality Interpretation
In 2019 the nation lived mostly in midlife housing, with renters in nearly 46 year old stock and owners in about 40 year old stock, yet today’s mostly small homes still carry modern day gaps and risks: almost half of the housing was built before 1960, lead paint risk lingers for 87% of pre 1940 units, 39.2% lack central air, and while serious hazards are uncommon, small fractions still lack basic essentials like complete plumbing, hot water, or working carbon monoxide alarms, leaving a property landscape that is sturdy enough to house the country but imperfect enough to keep inspectors busy and residents occasionally stressed.
More related reading
04 · Category
Demographics and Households30 stats
01
Median household size in renter-occupied housing units is 2.3 (2022).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/HH010224
02
Median household size in owner-occupied housing units is 2.5 (2022).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/HH010224
03
Number of households in the United States is 131.9 million (2023).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/POP010223
04
Number of renter households in the United States is 44.9 million (2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/RHORUSQ156N
05
Number of owner households in the United States is 90.5 million (2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/OHHORUSQ156N
06
Share of households with children under 18 living in them is 32.0% (2023).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/HCN010223
07
Percentage of households that are single-person households is 28.0% (2023).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045223
08
Percentage of households that are two-person households is 31.0% (2023).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045223
09
Share of households headed by someone aged 65+ is 28.3% (2023).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045223
10
Share of households headed by someone aged under 35 is 26.2% (2023).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045223
11
Homeownership rate for households with a head of age 65+ is 78.0% (2023).https://www.census.gov/housing/housing-patterns/homeownership.html
12
Homeownership rate for households with a head of age under 35 is 34.0% (2023).https://www.census.gov/housing/housing-patterns/homeownership.html
13
Homeownership rate for Black households is 44.1% (2023).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/figures/homeownership-rates-by-race
14
Homeownership rate for Hispanic households is 49.3% (2023).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/figures/homeownership-rates-by-race
15
Homeownership rate for White non-Hispanic households is 73.7% (2023).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/figures/homeownership-rates-by-race
16
Homeownership rate for Asian households is 59.8% (2023).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/figures/homeownership-rates-by-race
17
Median gross rent for renters is $1,192(2022).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/RENTR05222
18
Median gross rent for renters is $1,255(2023).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/RENTR05223
19
Median value of owner-occupied housing units is $390,500(2022).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045222
20
Median value of owner-occupied housing units is $397,900(2023).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045223
21
Share of households that are multigenerational (living with grandparents/other) is 4.4% (2022).https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/demo/families/multi-generational-households.html
22
Percent of households that are extended-family households is 5.0% (2022).https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/demo/families/extended-family.html
23
Percent of households living in households without a high school diploma is 22.6% (2022).https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2022/demo/education-and-work/educational-attainment.html
24
Percent of households living below poverty level is 12.6% (2022).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045222
25
Share of households with incomes below $35,000is 26.4% (2022).https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/cps-hinc/hinc-01.html
26
Share of households with incomes $100,000+ is 27.1% (2022).https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/cps-hinc/hinc-01.html
27
Median household income is $74,580(2022).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/INC110222
28
Median household income is $80,610(2023).https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/INC110223
29
Share of renters paying 30%+ of income for housing is 45.4% (2022).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research/30-percent-and-50-percent-housing-burden
30
Share of renters paying 50%+ of income for housing is 22.8% (2022).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research/30-percent-and-50-percent-housing-burden
Interpretation
Demographics and Households Interpretation
In 2023 the typical American household still depends on a house that costs more to rent than anyone wants to admit, since renters average $1,255 in gross rent, 45.4% spend 30% or more of their income on housing and 22.8% spend 50% or more, while owners meanwhile carry a much lighter burden at 22.7% and 6.4% respectively, and despite a rising median household income from $74,580 in 2022 to $80,610 in 2023, homeownership remains sharply split by age and race, with a 78.0% rate for heads 65 plus versus 34.0% for heads under 35, and with White non Hispanic households at 73.7% compared to Black households at 44.1% and Hispanic households at 49.3%, all while the country’s 131.9 million households average 2.3 people for renters and 2.5 for owners, and an aging, smaller household mix is underway with 28.0% single person households and 28.3% headed by someone 65 plus.
05 · Category
Housing Assistance, Costs and Affordability30 stats
01
Number of households experiencing homelessness on a single night is 150,000 (point-in-time, 2023).https://www.hud.gov/programs/endinghomelessness/pit
02
Number of people experiencing homelessness on a single night is 653,104 (2023 point-in-time).https://www.hud.gov/programs/endinghomelessness/pit
03
Percentage of homeless people who are unsheltered is 19% (2023).https://www.hud.gov/programs/endinghomelessness/pit
04
Percentage of homeless people who are sheltered is 81% (2023).https://www.hud.gov/programs/endinghomelessness/pit
05
Average cost of an FHA mortgage insurance premium (annual MIP) is 0.55% (base annual rate, varies by term/LTV).https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/fha/mortgage-insurance
06
Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher average monthly subsidy is $1,706(2023).https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/hnp/hnp_select.html
07
Number of households receiving Housing Choice Vouchers is 2,490,000 (2023).https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/picture/PIH.html
08
Number of public housing units is 870,000 (2023).https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/picture/PIH.html
09
Federal Housing Administration (FHA) single-family mortgage insurance for new endorsements is $1,044 billion (FY 2023).https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/comp/rpts/fy2023
10
Average contract rent for public housing is $1,300(2023).https://www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/picture/PIH.html
11
Median rent affordability: share of renter households paying 30%+ is 45.4% (2022).https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research/30-percent-and-50-percent-housing-burden
12
CPI rent index (CUSR0000SEHA) increased by 4.2% over 12 months (Mar 2024).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUSR0000SEHC
13
CPI rent index level for rent of primary residence (CUSR0000SEHA) is 315.8 (Mar 2024).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUSR0000SEHC
14
Shelter CPI index (CPI-U shelter) is 348.5 (Mar 2024).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUSR0000SEHA
15
30-year fixed mortgage rate is 6.63% (April 2024 weekly).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MORTGAGE30US
16
15-year fixed mortgage rate is 5.74% (April 2024 weekly).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MORTGAGE15US
17
5/1 ARM rate is 6.33% (April 2024 weekly).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/ARM5Y
18
Average interest rate on new mortgages (US) is 6.67% (2024 week).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MORTGAGE30US
19
Mortgage delinquency rate is 3.3% (Q1 2024).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DRS
20
Mortgage foreclosure starts (US) are 46,000 (2023 monthly average).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FRMLQ
21
Share of mortgage loans in foreclosure is 0.07% (2024).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/DRS
22
Median mortgage payment as share of median household income is 24.1% (Q4 2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MORTGAGEPMT
23
Housing affordability index (US) is 99.0 (Q4 2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/HAI
24
National Association of Realtors median existing home sale price is $363,200(2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MEDLISPRI
25
Price-to-income ratio for housing (US) is 25.6 (Q4 2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PIH
26
Rent-to-income ratio (US) is 0.27 (Q4 2023).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/RIH
27
Real house price index is 147.9 (base 2012=100, Mar 2024).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CASESHMX
28
US house price index is 356.0 (Feb 2024, SA).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CSUSHPISA
29
Home price growth (YoY) is 5.6% (Feb 2024).https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CSUSHPISA
30
Housing cost burden (30%+ of income) for renters is 45.4% (2022).https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/2023/housing-costs-and-ownership.html
Interpretation
Housing Assistance, Costs and Affordability Interpretation
With 653,104 people experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2023 and nearly two thirds of renter households spending 30 percent or more of their income on rent, today’s housing “solution” is a patchwork of long waiting lists for vouchers, pricey mortgages and rents, and affordability that keeps sliding just as interest rates and costs rise.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Isabelle Moreau. (2026, February 13). Housing Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/housing-statistics
MLA
Isabelle Moreau. "Housing Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/housing-statistics.
Chicago
Isabelle Moreau. 2026. "Housing Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/housing-statistics.
Sources & references
72 datasets cited across this report
+64 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)