The Fact
The U.S. homeownership rate is calculated as owner-occupied households divided by all occupied households. It is a household measure, not the percentage of individual adults who personally own real estate.
What This Means
A 65% homeownership rate does not mean 65% of adults own a home. Several adults can live in one owner-occupied household, and only the housing unit’s tenure determines how that household is counted.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership / Economic Indicators definition. Accessed October 2, 2026. https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/definitions.pdf