MW A record 20 million single women own homes - even though it's more expensive for a woman to buy a house than a man
By Genna Contino
While the majority of home buyers are married couples, 21% today are single women, compared to just 9% of single men
Women aren't just entering the housing market - they're significantly outpacing men.
Emily Vargo didn't want a fixer-upper.
The Spartanburg, S.C.-based small-business owner knew an old, outdated home would need pricey, time-consuming renovations that she wasn't willing to take on as a single mom. Instead, Vargo opted to work with a custom builder she knew who could curate a home exactly to her liking.
"Being single by myself, I'm not doing DIY projects," said Vargo, who owns smoothie and health-food cafes across upstate South Carolina. "I just wanted something super move-in ready where I didn't have to touch anything once I got in there."
Vargo purchased her home in April 2025 for about $450,000, spending closer to $465,000 all in after customizing finishes like lighting, fixtures and hardware. She opted for a 20-year mortgage to get a lower rate, which she locked in at 6.375%.
Vargo is one of more than 20 million single-women homeowners, according to the National Association of Realtors - an all-time high. And women aren't just entering the market: They're significantly outpacing men. While the majority of home buyers are married couples, 21% today are single women, compared to just 9% of single men.
Single women are buying homes in spite of - not because of - the system. Single-income households often appear riskier to lenders, and research shows women pay more for mortgages and face less favorable outcomes across the home-buying process.
Read more: Mortgage rates inch lower - and chip away at the 'lock-in effect' that has hurt home buyers
The average mortgage rate on a new loan for female borrowers is about 3 basis points higher than for men, and women's overall loan costs (including fees that are often paid at closing) are about 16 basis points higher, according to a 2024 research paper by Athena Tsouderou and Selale Tuzel, business professors at the University of Miami and University of Southern California, respectively.
Based on the current average 30-year fixed rate of 6.23%, a woman buying a $398,000 home with a 20% down payment could pay roughly $2,236 more in interest over the life of the loan, plus about $510 more in closing costs, compared to a man with the same profile.
Comparing similar home sales in the same markets, a 2022 Yale School of Management study found that women pay 1% to 2% more than men for the same property, and sell for 2% to 3% less.
The record number of home buyers is especially striking considering women have gone from being excluded from the market to becoming one of its fastest-growing forces. Before 1974, banks were allowed to require women to have a male co-signer to obtain a mortgage.
Women are outpacing men in homeownership in part because more are navigating life on their own, including after divorce, and prioritizing financial independence and stability, even if it means taking on the risk of buying solo, said Leah Bunning, a mortgage broker in West Palm Beach, Fla.
"We have the choice to be financially independent. Fifty years ago, you couldn't. As women, you needed a man to survive - you needed a man to get a mortgage, a credit card, bank account," Bunning said. "We don't need men anymore. ... And so I think we've seen a big group of women that have really just thrived in that independence."
Younger women in particular appear to be thriving in today's housing market: 35% of Generation Z home buyers are single women - the largest share of any age group, according to NAR's latest analysis of home buying by generation.
But experts warn the playing field could become more uneven. A recent rule change from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau weakens longstanding fair-lending protections, including standards used to challenge practices that disproportionately harm certain groups when they seek financing for purchases like homes and cars.
Read more: Buyers finally have leverage in the housing market. Here are 3 smart ways to use it.
The National Fair Housing Alliance said in a statement that removing those guardrails "increases the risk that unlawful discriminatory lending practices will go unchecked and harm creditworthy consumers, further deepening the nation's fair and affordable housing crisis."
But some of the barriers women face aren't unique to them.
Brad Case, chief residential economist at Homes.com, said what he describes as a "single-buyer tax" is really about income structure, not gender. Buyers relying on one paycheck are viewed as riskier because there's no backup if that income disappears. That can shape everything from loan terms to the size of the loan they can get approved for. A single income can also impact how much buyers feel comfortable borrowing, adding a psychological layer on top of the financial one.
"If you're part of a household with two incomes, and one of you loses a job, then that's a problem. But it's not a crisis, because you still have income coming in," Case said. "If you have only one source of income and it disappears, then that's a crisis."
That makes preparation - and knowing how to navigate the process - especially important for single home buyers.
Bunning, who often works with women going through or planning for divorce, said one of the biggest mistakes she sees is borrowers not shopping around. Comparing multiple lenders and looking beyond just the interest rate to the full breakdown of fees and terms can make a meaningful difference, she said. In fact, not shopping around for the best mortgage can cost home buyers thousands of dollars in the long run. A 2025 study by LendingTree (TREE) found that buyers could save $80,024 over the life of the loan by finding the best rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.
She also advises working with mortgage professionals who can walk through options early - particularly in complex situations like divorce, where financial decisions are often made before borrowers fully understand mortgage constraints. Small choices, from loan structure to fee negotiations, can add up to thousands of dollars, making it crucial for buyers to advocate for themselves and understand exactly what they're signing.
"Having someone that you trust, that can give you a second set of eyes to look over things - I think doing just those simple things is a way that women can really position themselves in good ways," Bunning said.
Read next: HOA fees are becoming more common for single-family homes - and top $500 a month in these hot spots
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-Genna Contino
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April 27, 2026 10:42 ET (14:42 GMT)
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