Immigrants and Homeownership in Urban America: An Examination of Nativity, Socio-Economic Status and Place

This report analyzes the housing status of immigrants in the 100 largest U.S. metropolitan areas with respect to home ownership. In addition, it examines the factors that appear to influence home ownership among immigrants, and the programs that can encourage home ownership among these groups.

Different cities show distinctly different immigrant home ownership patterns. In new immigrant gateway cities, ownership rates for Latinos and Asians are relatively high due to the availability of co-ethnic information sources and financial resources, as well as affordable owner-occupied housing. In contrast, low Latino and Asian ownership rates in new fast-growing immigrant hubs appear to reflect both the recent arrival of many migrants and the scarcity of services that support their home ownership aspirations. 

Factors such as household income, education, age, gender, marital status, type of household, the presence or absence of children, and race have an effect on home ownership for both natives and immigrants. However, the report suggests that ownership outcomes among immigrant households are influenced by several additional factors, including country of origin, length of time in the United States, citizenship status, and English-language proficiency.