Gitnux/Report 2026

Second Home Ownership Statistics

Second home ownership is far from a one-size-fits-all getaway, with median second home owner age at 58 and average ownership covering 2.4 people, plus a striking education and income split where 62% hold college degrees and 45% of owners earn $150k plus. Yet the story gets sharper in how it is used and financed, from $78B in annual GDP impact and 8.2% year over year price appreciation to 65% of buyers using mortgages and 28% of high income owners running dual careers, revealing who buys, why, and what it really costs to hold.
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June 18, 2026Updated
Second Home Ownership Statistics
Marie LarsenWritten by Marie Larsen·Edited by Catherine Wu·Fact-checked by Olivia Thornton
Published ·Updated
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Households aged 45 to 54 own 27 percent of second homes. Second homes contribute 78 billion dollars to annual U.S. GDP. Ownership data show concentration among higher earners and specific regions with usage averaging 90 days per year.

Key Takeaways

  • Households aged 45-54 own 27% of second homes nationally
  • Median age of second home owners is 58 years in 2023
  • 62% of second home owners have college degrees or higher
  • Average second home value $450,000 in 2023
  • Second homes contribute $78B to U.S. GDP annually
  • Property taxes on second homes total $15B yearly
  • Second homes concentrated in 10% of U.S. counties
  • Florida leads with 19% of national second homes in 2022
  • Colorado mountain counties have 42% second home rate
  • Second home ownership grew 25% since 2010
  • Pre-COVID, second home sales averaged 50,000/year 2015-2019
  • 2008 recession saw 40% drop in second home purchases
  • 55% of second homes used for family vacations
  • 32% cite investment/rental income as primary reason
  • Average usage: 90 days/year for vacation homes

Second home owners skew older, educated, and affluent, with median age 58 and typical wealth $850,000.

Related reading

01 · Category

Demographic Profiles26 stats

01
Households aged 45-54 own 27% of second homes nationally
02
Median age of second home owners is 58 years in 2023
03
62% of second home owners have college degrees or higher
04
Income distribution shows 45% of owners earn $150k+
05
Married couples comprise 71% of second home buyers
06
23% of second home owners are retired
07
White non-Hispanic owners make up 78% of second home market
08
Average household size for second home owners is 2.4 persons
09
19% of owners are self-employed
10
Female second home owners increased to 38% in 2022
11
Top occupations: executives 32%, professionals 25%
12
15% of owners have grandchildren living with them part-time
13
Median net worth of owners is $850,000
14
28% of owners are first-generation college grads
15
Veterans own second homes at 1.5x national average rate
16
41% of owners live in suburban primary residences
17
Hispanic second home owners average age 49
18
22% of millennial owners are entrepreneurs
19
Black households own 4% of second homes despite 13% population
20
Average education level: bachelor's degree for 55%
21
67% of owners are homeowners of primary residence >10 years
22
Gen Z second home owners: 2% of total, average age 27
23
31% of high-income owners ($200k+) are dual-career
24
Asian owners median income $180k for second homes
25
18% of owners have military background
26
Empty nesters (55+) own 39% with avg 2.1 kids
Interpretation

Demographic Profiles Interpretation

The data paints a portrait of second-home ownership as a life stage trophy, predominantly awarded to affluent, educated, and established couples in their peak earning years, revealing a landscape where generational wealth, career success, and demographic privilege are the most common down payments.

02 · Category

Economic Factors24 stats

01
Average second home value $450,000 in 2023
02
Second homes contribute $78B to U.S. GDP annually
03
Property taxes on second homes total $15B yearly
04
Median price appreciation 8.2% YoY for second homes 2022
05
Rental income from second homes averages $25k/year
06
14% of second homes used as short-term rentals
07
Maintenance costs average 2% of home value annually
08
Second home mortgages total $300B outstanding
09
Insurance premiums 25% higher for second homes
10
Utility costs for vacant second homes: $4,500/year avg
11
Capital gains tax on second homes averages 15-20%
12
Second home equity totals $2.1T nationally
13
Financing rate: 65% of buyers use mortgages
14
Avg down payment 28% for second homes
15
HOA fees average $3,200/year in resort seconds
16
Depreciation deductions save owners $5k avg yearly
17
Second homes boost local economies by 12% in vacation areas
18
Median rent yield 4.2% for investment seconds
19
Foreclosure rate 0.8% vs 1.2% primary homes
20
Property management fees 8-12% of rental income
21
Second home sales volume up 15% in 2023
22
Avg closing costs $12,000 for second homes
23
Tax deductions for mortgage interest capped at $750k debt
24
Second homes vacancy adds $10B unused housing capacity
Interpretation

Economic Factors Interpretation

The American dream of a vacation home is alive and well, looking suspiciously like a robust, multi-trillion dollar side-hustle that dutifully pays its taxes, fuels local economies, and reliably appreciates, all while its owners fret over HOA fees and the eerie quiet of its vacant utility bills.

03 · Category

Geographic Distribution23 stats

01
Second homes concentrated in 10% of U.S. counties
02
Florida leads with 19% of national second homes in 2022
03
Colorado mountain counties have 42% second home rate
04
28% of Outer Banks, NC homes are second homes
05
Maine coastal areas: 35% second/vacation homes
06
Arizona resort communities average 24% ownership
07
Upstate NY lake regions: 31% second homes
08
17% of California wine country homes are second
09
Michigan's Great Lakes shore: 29% second homes
10
South Carolina beaches: 33% vacation/second homes
11
Vermont ski areas: 40% second home occupancy
12
Nevada Lake Tahoe: 37% second homes
13
22% of Gulf Coast MS/AL are second homes
14
Idaho resort towns: 26% ownership rate
15
Oregon coast: 25% second homes in 2022
16
New Hampshire lakes: 32% vacation properties
17
Montana ranch areas: 18% second homes
18
Wisconsin Door County: 34% second homes
19
Utah ski resorts: 39% non-primary residences
20
15% of Texas Hill Country homes second-owned
21
North Carolina mountains: 27% second homes
22
Alaska remote cabins: 12% second ownership
23
Wyoming Jackson Hole: 45% second homes
Interpretation

Geographic Distribution Interpretation

America's picturesque playgrounds are becoming an exclusive portfolio, concentrated in a few fortunate counties where the dream of a second home is increasingly just a guest pass for everyone else.

More related reading

05 · Category

Ownership Motivations and Usage25 stats

01
55% of second homes used for family vacations
02
32% cite investment/rental income as primary reason
03
Average usage: 90 days/year for vacation homes
04
21% for retirement planning/second residence
05
45% rented out at least part-time
06
Proximity to primary home <3 hours drive for 68%
07
12% used for family gatherings/events annually
08
Eco-friendly features motivate 28% of recent buyers
09
37% prefer waterfront/lake access
10
Golf course proximity draws 19% of buyers
11
26% for remote work/hybrid office space
12
Ski/snow sports access for 15% winter usage
13
9% legacy inheritance planning
14
Beach access top for 41% Southern owners
15
Mountain views preferred by 33%
16
22% use for pet-friendly vacations
17
Avg nights rented: 120/year for income properties
18
17% for hobby/farm/ranch activities
19
Quiet retreat from city life: 51% motivation
20
14% corporate/executive perks
21
Wine country/tasting rooms: 11% draw
22
29% family tradition/legacy sites
23
Boat access/dock: 23% priority
24
8% wellness/retreat centers usage
25
Hunting/fishing lodges: 13% rural motivation
Interpretation

Ownership Motivations and Usage Interpretation

The modern second home is a versatile but thinly stretched asset, serving as a family vacation hub, a part-time rental hustle, and a quiet retreat—all while sitting close enough to remind you it's costing money even when you're not there.

06 · Category

Ownership Rates30 stats

01
In 2022, 12.1% of U.S. households owned a second home
02
Second home ownership among households earning over $100,000 annually reached 28% in 2023
03
Baby Boomers accounted for 52% of second home purchases in 2021
04
Rural second home ownership rate was 15% higher than urban areas in 2020
05
8.3% of Florida households owned second homes in 2022
06
Millennials' share of second home ownership grew to 18% in 2023 from 10% in 2019
07
High-net-worth individuals (>$5M assets) own 35% of luxury second homes
08
Second home ownership in vacation counties averaged 22% of total housing stock in 2021
09
Empty-nesters represent 41% of second home owners aged 55+
10
6.5% of U.S. vacation homes are owned by international buyers
11
Retirees own 29% of second homes in coastal areas as of 2022
12
Second home ownership among Gen X peaked at 25% in 2020
13
14% of second homes are owned by families with children under 18
14
Ownership rate in mountain resort areas hit 31% in 2023
15
Women-led households own 22% of second homes bought post-2020
16
9.2% national average for second home ownership in primary metros
17
Veterans comprise 11% of second home owners in 2022
18
Second home ownership in the Midwest stands at 7.8%
19
Dual-income couples own 48% of investment second homes
20
5.4% of lower-income brackets (<$50k) own seasonal second homes
21
Hispanic households' second home ownership rose 3% to 6% in 2023
22
19% of second homes owned by multi-generational families
23
Ownership in lakefront properties averages 26% second homes
24
Asian American buyers increased second home purchases by 15% in 2022
25
13.7% of second homes in Northeast are investor-owned
26
Single buyers represent 34% of second home market in 2023
27
Second home ownership in Southwest rose to 11.2%
28
7.9% of second homes owned by educators and public servants
29
Ownership rate among tech professionals at 24% in 2022
30
16.5% of second homes in Pacific states are vacation properties
Interpretation

Ownership Rates Interpretation

While the American dream of a second home is often painted as a universal aspiration, the data reveals it's more accurately a portrait of privilege, where the keys are disproportionately held by the wealthy, the retired, and those chasing scenic vistas, leaving a stark divide between vacation counties and primary metros.
Reference

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Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). Second Home Ownership Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/second-home-ownership-statistics
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Marie Larsen. "Second Home Ownership Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/second-home-ownership-statistics.
Chicago
Marie Larsen. 2026. "Second Home Ownership Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/second-home-ownership-statistics.

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