Financial Security
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity

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Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity, 2018-22

What does this measure?

The number of owner-occupied units (not rented) as a percent of all occupied units (not vacant) for various racial and ethnic groups.

Why is this important?

Historically, members of some racial and ethnic groups have suffered discrimination in buying homes and accessing home mortgages. A home is a vital financial asset for a family and an investment in both the local neighborhood and surrounding community.

How is our region doing?

MetroWest has greater racial and ethnic disparities in homeownership rates than the nation as a whole. In 2018-22, the rate was 69% among white residents, compared to 36% among African American and Hispanics residents, followed by 60% among Asian residents. Nationwide, homeownership was substantially higher among African American and Hispanic residents, at 43% and 50%, respectively. The region's rates were slightly better than Massachusetts as a whole.

Since 2008-12, the region's homeownership rate among Hispanic residents increased the most, by 7 percentage points, compared to increases of 6 points among Asians, 1 point among African American residents and unchanged among white residents.

Why do these disparities exist?

A variety of research has shown how disparities in homeownership are connected to racial inequities within systems beyond housing, including financial services, labor market and intergenerational wealth. Historic practices including redlining, exclusionary mortgage practices and restrictive covenants barring property from being owned by members of specific groups directly locked people out of homeownership. These had intergenerational effects when people of color were unable to benefit from wealth transfers of home equity as white homebuyers have benefited. Since Black and Latino households generally have lower wages and wealth accumulation, they have less resources for down payments and higher debt to income ratios. With lower credit scores than other racial/ethnic groups, communities of color may be less likely to qualify for mortgages as underwriting standards increase. Many in the Black and Latino community may lack information about the home buying process and choose to stay renters. Discrimination during the home buying process also influences whether people of color buy a house. Researchers have found that during the search process, people of color were shown fewer houses and provided less information than whites.

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined five years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are released annually in December.

Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity, 2018-22
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
United States62%43%50%71%
Massachusetts56%36%31%69%
Region60%36%36%69%
Middlesex County58%32%34%66%
Norfolk County64%44%53%72%
Worcester County62%33%33%71%
Acton town, Middlesex County89%9%***64%**74%
Ashland town, Middlesex County93%10%***49%***81%
Bedford town, Middlesex County75%*66%***83%***70%
Bellingham town, Norfolk County87%***100%***86%***79%
Boxborough town, Middlesex County74%*52%***17%***77%
Carlisle town, Middlesex County95%*0%***39%***94%
Concord town, Middlesex County62%**49%***92%***76%
Dedham town, Norfolk County86%**25%***54%**73%
Dover town, Norfolk County100%*100%***100%***94%
Framingham city, Middlesex County59%*37%**23%*68%
Franklin town, Norfolk County70%*33%***74%***81%
Groton town, Middlesex County86%***100%***100%***88%
Harvard town, Worcester County91%***100%***100%***92%
Holliston town, Middlesex County100%*33%***56%***89%
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County99%*63%***50%***85%
Hudson town, Middlesex County90%***31%***33%***74%
Lexington town, Middlesex County83%61%***61%**84%
Lincoln town, Middlesex County54%***65%***0%***66%
Littleton town, Middlesex County100%**100%***45%***85%
Marlborough city, Middlesex County55%*31%***32%**64%
Maynard town, Middlesex County69%***0%***80%***79%
Medfield town, Norfolk County100%*0%***85%***87%
Medway town, Norfolk County96%***64%***100%***86%
Milford town, Worcester County80%***79%***38%**76%
Millis town, Norfolk County100%***62%***0%***83%
Natick town, Middlesex County55%*40%***57%**71%
Needham town, Norfolk County77%*82%***95%***87%
Sherborn town, Middlesex County100%**0%***100%***91%
Southborough town, Worcester County98%*53%***68%***90%
Stow town, Middlesex County100%***7%***100%***87%
Sudbury town, Middlesex County100%*83%***100%***91%
Walpole town, Norfolk County85%**42%***72%**83%
Waltham city, Middlesex County36%*25%***16%**56%
Wayland town, Middlesex County96%*50%***91%***91%
Wellesley town, Norfolk County88%*40%***48%**86%
Westborough town, Worcester County59%24%***41%***66%
Westford town, Middlesex County87%32%***65%***89%
Weston town, Middlesex County89%*87%***100%***86%
Westwood town, Norfolk County85%*62%***80%***87%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




Number of Homeowners by Race/Ethnicity, 2018-22
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
United States3,925,8596,639,3688,859,52963,373,589
Massachusetts93,51062,04285,3601,455,398
Region69,58320,93331,252667,700
Middlesex County42,0248,79613,742318,761
Norfolk County18,8217,5216,327155,643
Worcester County8,7384,61611,183193,296
Acton town, Middlesex County1,70422***177**4,746
Ashland town, Middlesex County72831***277***4,816
Bedford town, Middlesex County703*59***119***3,089
Bellingham town, Norfolk County88***31***259***4,568
Boxborough town, Middlesex County248*80***5***1,256
Carlisle town, Middlesex County167*0***11***1,447
Concord town, Middlesex County142**93***164***4,398
Dedham town, Norfolk County180**129***435**6,509
Dover town, Norfolk County199*21***77***1,488
Framingham city, Middlesex County1,382*555**889*12,280
Franklin town, Norfolk County378*37***321***8,919
Groton town, Middlesex County159***15***104***2,888
Harvard town, Worcester County81***53***24***1,661
Holliston town, Middlesex County230*9***102***4,475
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County1,004*26***60***4,572
Hudson town, Middlesex County177***11***125***5,360
Lexington town, Middlesex County2,864105***202**6,882
Lincoln town, Middlesex County90***15***0***1,521
Littleton town, Middlesex County165**20***21***2,755
Marlborough city, Middlesex County498*143***657**7,580
Maynard town, Middlesex County138***0***108***3,097
Medfield town, Norfolk County213*0***165***3,478
Medway town, Norfolk County190***18***40***3,539
Milford town, Worcester County273***189***357**7,026
Millis town, Norfolk County22***36***0***2,539
Natick town, Middlesex County1,090*85***306**9,132
Needham town, Norfolk County784*181***231***8,415
Sherborn town, Middlesex County114**0***10***1,237
Southborough town, Worcester County456*10***62***2,606
Stow town, Middlesex County144***7***25***1,920
Sudbury town, Middlesex County578*53***103***4,960
Walpole town, Norfolk County374**78***260**6,927
Waltham city, Middlesex County1,217*371***389**10,433
Wayland town, Middlesex County492*14***166***3,850
Wellesley town, Norfolk County791*34***139**6,447
Westborough town, Worcester County1,01746***212***3,620
Westford town, Middlesex County1,58311***98***5,803
Weston town, Middlesex County469*53***133***2,603
Westwood town, Norfolk County445*54***109***3,916

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity, 2008-12
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
United States58%44%47%71%
Massachusetts49%34%26%68%
Region54%35%29%69%
Middlesex County51%30%30%67%
Norfolk County61%44%45%73%
Worcester County57%36%25%69%
Acton town, Middlesex County80%64%***34%***77%
Ashland town, Middlesex County96%**83%***64%***81%
Bedford town, Middlesex County82%29%***14%***73%
Bellingham town, Norfolk County100%***86%***60%***84%
Boxborough town, Middlesex County74%*100%***0%***83%
Carlisle town, Middlesex County90%**100%***100%***93%
Concord town, Middlesex County83%**88%***71%***81%
Dedham town, Norfolk County54%***36%**46%***76%
Dover town, Norfolk County93%*100%***100%***92%
Framingham city, Middlesex County43%25%*21%*63%
Franklin town, Norfolk County81%*87%***56%***79%
Groton town, Middlesex County100%***51%***100%***87%
Harvard town, Worcester County100%***100%***100%***91%
Holliston town, Middlesex County100%***100%***64%***87%
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County94%**0%***100%***89%
Hudson town, Middlesex County51%***43%***73%***74%
Lexington town, Middlesex County77%60%***71%***83%
Lincoln town, Middlesex County89%**22%***27%***70%
Littleton town, Middlesex County85%***0%***100%***86%
Marlborough city, Middlesex County38%*45%***24%**65%
Maynard town, Middlesex County81%***100%***33%***68%
Medfield town, Norfolk County100%***0%***100%***90%
Medway town, Norfolk County100%**0%***100%***86%
Milford town, Worcester County49%***15%***21%***68%
Millis town, Norfolk County69%***0%***75%***81%
Natick town, Middlesex County75%*36%***42%***76%
Needham town, Norfolk County84%*60%***78%**84%
Sherborn town, Middlesex County51%***0%***100%***92%
Southborough town, Worcester County100%100%***87%***89%
Stow town, Middlesex County100%***0%***100%***90%
Sudbury town, Middlesex County94%*100%***86%***94%
Walpole town, Norfolk County100%**17%***46%***81%
Waltham city, Middlesex County36%17%**29%*54%
Wayland town, Middlesex County91%*79%***100%***89%
Wellesley town, Norfolk County69%*14%***49%**86%
Westborough town, Worcester County37%*56%***30%***69%
Westford town, Middlesex County94%100%***78%***91%
Weston town, Middlesex County87%100%***100%***87%
Westwood town, Norfolk County100%*61%***100%***88%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




Number of Homeowners by Race/Ethnicity, 2008-12
AsianBlack or African AmericanHispanic or LatinoWhite
United States2,719,3306,155,3806,378,94563,564,328
Massachusetts55,54751,11848,8131,453,110
Region39,41216,73816,582676,347
Middlesex County22,6627,2018,408329,924
Norfolk County11,1265,8482,784160,312
Worcester County5,6243,6895,390186,111
Acton town, Middlesex County1,03047***38***5,128
Ashland town, Middlesex County219**110***118***4,898
Bedford town, Middlesex County33429***10***3,190
Bellingham town, Norfolk County91***79***40***5,000
Boxborough town, Middlesex County182*13***0***1,446
Carlisle town, Middlesex County129**9***31***1,514
Concord town, Middlesex County172**44***46***4,959
Dedham town, Norfolk County101***175**168***6,684
Dover town, Norfolk County99*8***12***1,566
Framingham city, Middlesex County728496*612*13,118
Franklin town, Norfolk County317*71***105***8,278
Groton town, Middlesex County58***25***8***3,173
Harvard town, Worcester County70***31***28***1,607
Holliston town, Middlesex County96***58***36***4,040
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County203**0***76***4,174
Hudson town, Middlesex County90***30***101***5,412
Lexington town, Middlesex County1,47958***66***7,749
Lincoln town, Middlesex County72**14***24***1,433
Littleton town, Middlesex County60***0***47***2,720
Marlborough city, Middlesex County230*204***271**8,891
Maynard town, Middlesex County75***17***43***2,723
Medfield town, Norfolk County62***0***148***3,425
Medway town, Norfolk County169**0***60***3,672
Milford town, Worcester County119***27***139***6,530
Millis town, Norfolk County34***0***52***2,378
Natick town, Middlesex County534*130***98***9,262
Needham town, Norfolk County494*136***171**7,909
Sherborn town, Middlesex County26***0***8***1,255
Southborough town, Worcester County2907***40***2,676
Stow town, Middlesex County75***0***45***2,014
Sudbury town, Middlesex County326*53***97***4,834
Walpole town, Norfolk County184**14***87***6,713
Waltham city, Middlesex County748203**673*10,150
Wayland town, Middlesex County323*26***35***4,046
Wellesley town, Norfolk County473*8***89**6,516
Westborough town, Worcester County448*66***99***3,778
Westford town, Middlesex County66110***105***5,992
Weston town, Middlesex County32131***64***2,866
Westwood town, Norfolk County187*25***5***4,359

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%. The Census Bureau asks people to identify their race (white, African-American, etc.) separate from their ethnicity (Hispanic or non-Hispanic). So the totals for these categories cannot be added together, as people show up in both a racial and ethnic group.




INDICATORS REGIONAL TREND
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families Increasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Decreasing
Reports of Domestic Violence Increasing
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Households With Internet Access Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Average Charitable Contribution Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Drug Poisoning Mortality Rate Increasing
Crimes Against People Decreasing
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Total Population Increasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Population by Age Not Applicable
Change in Population by Age/Gender Not Applicable
Seniors Living Alone Decreasing
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Change in Total Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Maintaining
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
High-Tech Jobs Decreasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
School Spending Per Student Maintaining
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
80/20 Income Ratio Maintaining
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates Maintaining
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership Increasing
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homelessness Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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