Homeownership & Renting

49% of Americans say the availability of affordable housing in their local community is a major problem, up 10 points from early 2018.

Pew Research Center’s political typology sorts Americans into cohesive, like-minded groups based on their values, beliefs, and views about politics and the political system. Use this tool to compare the groups on some key topics and their demographics.

The 2020 census counted 126.8 million occupied households, representing 9% growth over the 116.7 million households counted in the 2010 census.

Renters headed 36% of U.S. households in 2019. Young people, racial and ethnic minorities, and those with lower incomes are more likely to rent.

The number of American homeowners increased by an estimated 2.1 million over the past year, according to the Census Bureau.

The charts below allow for comparisons between racial or ethnic groups over time on a range of measures including educational attainment, household income, life expectancy and others. You may select any two groups at a time for comparison.

The U.S. has more foreign students enrolled in its colleges and universities than any other country in the world. Explore data about foreign students in the U.S. higher education system.

Millennials trail Baby Boomers and Generation Xers in the number of households they head. But Millennial-run households represent the largest group in some key categories, such as the number in poverty or the number headed by a single mother.

The number of U.S. households renting their home increased significantly between 2006 and 2016, as did the share.

Black and Hispanic mortgage applicants are denied more frequently than whites and Asians, and when they do obtain mortgages they tend to pay higher rates.