Single females continue to be the second largest homebuying group in the U.S., based on annual studies of homebuying trends in the U.S. by the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Since the 1990s, single women have surpassed their male counterparts in home ownership.
In 2015, out of all homebuyers, 15% were single females, six percentage points more than single males and eight percentage points more than unmarried couples.
Among age groups, single female buyers have the biggest share in the 51-to-60 age group, as seen in this table:
All ages:
| Married couples | 67% |
| Single Females | 15% |
| Single Males | 9% |
| Unmarried Couples | 7% |
| Others | 2% |
35 and younger:
| Married couples | 64% |
| Single Females | 13% |
| Single Males | 10% |
| Unmarried Couples | 12% |
| Others | 1% |
36 to 50
| Married couples | 71% |
| Single Females | 13% |
| Single Males | 8% |
| Unmarried Couples | 6% |
| Others | 2% |
51 to 60
| Married couples | 63% |
| Single Females | 20% |
| Single Males | 10% |
| Unmarried Couples | 5% |
| Others | 2% |
61 to 69
| Married couples | 68% |
| Single Females | 19% |
| Single Males | 9% |
| Unmarried Couples | 3% |
| Others | 3% |
70 to 90
| Married couples | 67% |
| Single Females | 17% |
| Single Males | 9% |
| Unmarried Couples | 3% |
| Others | 5% |
It was among buyers 35 and younger that the share of single male buyers got close to that of single female buyers. They differed by only 3 percentage points.
Reasons for the Continued Growth in Number of Female Homebuyers
1. Rise in income
More and more women are getting into higher-paying jobs, enabling them to consider owning over renting.
2. Recognition of home ownership as a wise investment strategy
Women have realized they don’t need to wait until they’re married before buying a home. As they gain more power over their finances and more knowledge about financial management, they’ve come to see income opportunities in residential real estate investment.
3. Increase in number of single women
The growing number of women delaying marriage and the increasing divorce rate have led to a growing number of single women.
4. Growth in number of single mothers
Based on U.S. Census Bureau data for the year 2014, more than 80% of about 12 million single parent families in the U.S. were headed by single mothers.
5. Biological tendency of women to make the nest
It’s been a popular statement that women are natural care givers and they’re better in caregiving than men. A woman buys a home to provide a better shelter for her offspring. According to studies on birds, in most species, the female does most or all of the building of the nest for her offspring.