Homeownership*
The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute Model of Health
Use the model to explore the measures of how long and how well we live and what shapes these trends. Select a measure in the diagram or browse the list of all measures.
Measures marked with an asterisk (*) are not included in summary calculations for Population Health and Well-being or Community Conditions.
About
Percentage of owner-occupied housing units. The 2025 Annual Data Release used data from 2019-2023 for this measure.
Housing is central to opportunities for living long and well, and stable and affordable housing is an essential element to healthy communities. Homeownership is associated with better health, fewer illnesses, and lower rates of depression and anxiety.1 Owning one’s housing can, over time, help build savings for retirement or other opportunities important to health and future family wealth.2 High levels of homeownership are associated with more stable housing and tightly knit communities.1
The University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute Model of Health
Use the model to explore the measures of how long and how well we live and what shapes these trends. Select a measure in the diagram or browse the list of all measures.
Measures marked with an asterisk (*) are not included in summary calculations for Population Health and Well-being or Community Conditions.
Data and methods
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Data Source
American Community Survey, five-year estimates
The American Community Survey (ACS) is a nationwide survey designed to provide communities with a fresh look at how they are changing. It is a critical element in the Census Bureau's reengineered decennial census program. The ACS collects and produces population and housing information every year instead of every ten years, and publishes both one-year and five-year estimates. We use American Community Survey data for measures of social and economic factors.
Website to download data
For more detailed methodological information
Key Measure Methods
Homeownership is a percentage
Homeownership is the percentage of occupied housing units that are owned.
Caution should be used when comparing these estimates across years
Caution should be used when comparing data across years as data comes from overlapping 5-year spans. Additionally, margins of error for 5-year estimates containing data collected in 2020 increased compared to prior 5-year estimates. For more information about data comparability please visit Comparing 2022 American Community Survey Data.
Numerator
The numerator is the total number of owner-occupied housing units in a county.
Denominator
The denominator is the total occupied housing units in a county.
Can This Measure Be Used to Track Progress
This measure can be used to track progress with some caveats. It is important to note that the estimate provided in the Health Snapshots is a five-year average. However, for counties with a population greater than 20,000, single-year estimates can be obtained from the resource below.
Finding More Data
Disaggregation means breaking data down into smaller, meaningful subgroups. Disaggregated data are often broken down by characteristics of people or where they live. Disaggregated data can reveal inequalities that are otherwise hidden. These data can be disaggregated by:
- Age
- Race
- Education
- Income
- Subcounty Area
Homeownership (owner- or renter-occupied) can be calculated for census tracts and census block groups using table B25003. It can be calculated by race using tables B25003A-I; by age, table B25007; by education, table B25013; and by income, table B25118.
References
- Macintyre S, Hiscock R, Kearns A, Ellaway A. Housing, tenure and health inequalities: A three-dimensional perspective on people, homes, and neighbourhoods. In: Graham H, ed. Understanding Health Inequalities. New York: Open University Press. 2000.
- Goodman LS, Mayer C. Homeownership and the American dream. Journal of Economic Perspectives. 2018;1:31-58.