In Iowa, more single women own homes than single men do

In Iowa, more single women own homes than single men do — and overall homeownership in the state is now majority female.

Why it matters: Sixty years ago, women couldn't even get a credit card or a mortgage without a male cosigner. Now, the share of single women homeowners eclipses that of single men .

State of play: Single women own 13% of owner-occupied homes nationwide, versus 11% among single men, per a LendingTree analysis of census data that tracks closely to Iowa's statewide figures.

• In 1990, fewer than a third of total households (married and single) were headed by females, but by 2021 that had jumped to 51%.
• Gen Zers and millennials made up the largest share of single women mortgage applicants in 2023.

The intrigue: In most age groups, women outnumber men. "This is more a reflection of strength in numbers than economic vitality," Pew researcher Richard Fry tells Axios.

• Women in the U.S. tend to live longer than men, though that gap is narrowing.

Reality check: Opportunity isn't equal.

• Single Latina and Black women have the lowest homeownership rates of any group in the U.S.
• Zoom in: In Des Moines, RE/MAX Realtor Sara Hopkins is hosting a free four-week homebuying course for single women starting Sept. 12.
• Each week features a different expert: a financial lender, a home inspector, a DIY pro and a real estate agent.
• She says she has worked with a growing range of single women, including first-time homebuyers, divorcees, single mothers and older women.

What they're saying: "You do not have to have somebody else. You do not have to be married. You do not have to have a partner," Hopkins says.

• "It can happen."

💭 Linh's thought bubble: I bought my own home back in 2021, and it was the scariest and best decision. No one can tell me not to paint my door pink!