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Nearly 70% of Single People Struggle to Afford Housing Payments, Compared to 52% of Married People

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Redfin (NASDAQ: RDFN) reports significant disparities in housing affordability based on marital status. Nearly 70% of single, divorced, or separated individuals struggle with housing payments, compared to 52% of married people. The gap is primarily due to single-income households versus dual-income advantages.

Income disparities are stark: 63% of single and 69% of divorced respondents earn under $50,000 annually, versus 26% of married respondents. Conversely, 29% of married couples earn over $100,000, compared to only 7% of singles and 6% of divorced individuals.

The financial burden is particularly evident in major cities. In Washington D.C., single residents pay an additional $11,448 annually compared to those sharing housing costs. In Los Angeles, this difference reaches $14,880 yearly. Among those struggling, 27% of divorced and 21% of single individuals report skipping meals to afford housing, compared to 14% of married people.

Redfin (NASDAQ: RDFN) riporta significative disparità nell'accessibilità abitativa basate sullo stato civile. Quasi il 70% delle persone single, divorziate o separate ha difficoltà con i pagamenti per la casa, rispetto al 52% delle persone sposate. Il divario è principalmente dovuto alle famiglie con un solo reddito rispetto ai vantaggi delle coppie con doppio reddito.

Le disparità di reddito sono evidenti: il 63% dei rispondenti single e il 69% dei divorziati guadagnano meno di 50.000 dollari all'anno, contro il 26% dei rispondenti sposati. Al contrario, il 29% delle coppie sposate guadagna oltre 100.000 dollari, rispetto solo al 7% dei single e al 6% dei divorziati.

Il peso finanziario è particolarmente evidente nelle grandi città. A Washington D.C., i residenti single pagano un costo aggiuntivo di 11.448 dollari all'anno rispetto a coloro che condividono i costi abitativi. A Los Angeles, questa differenza raggiunge i 14.880 dollari all'anno. Tra coloro che incontrano difficoltà, il 27% dei divorziati e il 21% dei single riportano di saltare i pasti per permettersi l'abitazione, rispetto al 14% delle persone sposate.

Redfin (NASDAQ: RDFN) informa sobre las significativas disparidades en la asequibilidad de la vivienda según el estado civil. Casi el 70% de las personas solteras, divorciadas o separadas tienen dificultades con los pagos de la vivienda, en comparación con el 52% de los casados. La brecha se debe principalmente a los hogares con un solo ingreso frente a las ventajas de los ingresos duales.

Las disparidades de ingresos son notables: el 63% de los solteros y el 69% de los divorciados ganan menos de 50,000 dólares anuales, en comparación con el 26% de los casados. Por el contrario, el 29% de las parejas casadas ganan más de 100,000 dólares, frente a solo el 7% de los solteros y el 6% de los divorciados.

La carga financiera es particularmente evidente en las grandes ciudades. En Washington D.C., los residentes solteros pagan 11,448 dólares adicionales al año en comparación con aquellos que comparten los costos de vivienda. En Los Ángeles, esta diferencia alcanza los 14,880 dólares anuales. Entre los que tienen dificultades, el 27% de los divorciados y el 21% de los solteros informan que saltan comidas para poder pagarse la vivienda, en comparación con el 14% de las personas casadas.

레드핀 (NASDAQ: RDFN)은 결혼 상태에 따라 주택 취득 가능성이 크게 다르다고 보고합니다. 거의 결혼하지 않았거나 이혼 또는 분리된 개인의 70%가 주택 비용에 어려움을 겪고 있습니다, 이는 결혼한 사람들의 52%에 비해 높은 수치입니다. 이러한 차이는 주로 단일 소득 가구와 이중 소득의 이점 때문입니다.

소득 격차는 뚜렷합니다: 단독령과 이혼자 중 63%와 69%가 연간 50,000달러 이하를 벌고 있습니다, 반면 결혼한 응답자는 26%입니다. 반대로, 결혼한 커플의 29%는 100,000달러 이상을 벌고, 단독령은 7%, 이혼자는 6%입니다.

재정적 부담은 주요 도시에서 특히 두드러집니다. 워싱턴 D.C.에서 단독 거주자는 주택 비용을 나누는 사람들보다 연간 추가로 11,448달러를 지불합니다. 로스앤젤레스에서는 이 차이가 연간 14,880달러에 이를 수 있습니다. 어려움을 겪는 사람들 중 27%의 이혼자와 21%의 단독령이 주택을 위해 식사를 거르는 것으로 보고하며, 이는 결혼한 사람들의 14%에 비해 높은 수치입니다.

Redfin (NASDAQ: RDFN) signale d'importantes disparités en matière d'accessibilité au logement selon l'état matrimonial. Près de 70% des personnes célibataires, divorcées ou séparées ont des difficultés à payer leur logement, contre 52% des personnes mariées. L'écart est principalement dû aux foyers à revenu unique par rapport aux avantages des ménages à double revenu.

Les disparités de revenus sont marquées : 63% des célibataires et 69% des répondants divorcés gagnent moins de 50 000 dollars par an, contre 26% des personnes mariées. À l'inverse, 29% des couples mariés gagnent plus de 100 000 dollars, contre seulement 7% des célibataires et 6% des divorcés.

Le fardeau financier est particulièrement évident dans les grandes villes. À Washington D.C., les résidents célibataires paient 11 448 dollars supplémentaires par an par rapport à ceux qui partagent les coûts de logement. À Los Angeles, cette différence atteint 14 880 dollars par an. Parmi ceux qui rencontrent des difficultés, 27% des divorcés et 21% des célibataires indiquent qu'ils sautent des repas pour se permettre de se loger, contre 14% des personnes mariées.

Redfin (NASDAQ: RDFN) berichtet von erheblichen Unterschieden bei der Wohnungsversorgung basierend auf dem Familienstand. Fast 70% der alleinstehenden, geschiedenen oder getrennten Personen haben Schwierigkeiten mit den Mietzahlungen, verglichen mit 52% der verheirateten Personen. Der Unterschied ist hauptsächlich auf die Haushalte mit nur einem Einkommen im Vergleich zu den Vorteilen von Doppelverdienern zurückzuführen.

Einkommensunterschiede sind auffällig: 63% der alleinstehenden und 69% der geschiedenen Befragten verdienen jährlich weniger als 50.000 Dollar, während es nur 26% bei verheirateten Befragten sind. Im Gegensatz dazu verdienen 29% der verheirateten Paare über 100.000 Dollar, während nur 7% der Alleinstehenden und 6% der Geschiedenen dies tun.

Die finanzielle Belastung ist insbesondere in Großstädten deutlich. In Washington D.C. zahlen alleinlebende Bewohner jährlich zusätzlich 11.448 Dollar im Vergleich zu denen, die die Wohnkosten teilen. In Los Angeles erreicht dieser Unterschied jährlich 14.880 Dollar. Unter denjenigen, die Schwierigkeiten haben, berichten 27% der Geschiedenen und 21% der Alleinstehenden, dass sie Mahlzeiten auslassen, um sich das Wohnen leisten zu können, verglichen mit 14% der verheirateten Personen.

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  • 70% of single/divorced individuals struggle with housing payments
  • 63% of single and 69% of divorced respondents earn under $50,000 annually
  • Single residents pay up to $14,880 more annually in housing costs compared to couples
  • 27% of divorced and 21% of single individuals skip meals to afford housing

Insights

This comprehensive survey from Redfin illuminates a critical market dynamic that presents both challenges and opportunities for real estate investors and companies. The stark disparity in housing affordability between single and married individuals - with 70% of singles struggling with payments versus 52% of married couples - signals a fundamental shift in housing market demographics that demands attention.

The data reveals a compelling market opportunity: the growing need for affordable, single-occupancy housing solutions. With singles representing an increasing share of U.S. households and facing disproportionate financial pressure, there's potential demand for innovative housing products like micro-units, co-living spaces and accessory dwelling units (ADUs). For Redfin, this demographic shift could drive adaptation in their business model and technology platform to better serve single buyers and renters.

The financial disparity is particularly noteworthy - 63% of singles earn under $money>50,000 annually compared to 26% of married respondents. This income gap, combined with the inability to pool resources, creates a structural challenge that could reshape housing demand patterns. For real estate investors, this suggests opportunities in markets with high concentrations of single residents, particularly in urban areas like Washington D.C., where the cost burden differential reaches 11,448 annually for singles versus cohabitating couples.

These findings have broader implications for the real estate market's evolution. The trend toward delayed marriage and increased single-person households could accelerate demand for smaller, more affordable units and potentially impact property valuations in markets heavily dependent on traditional family households.

The survey's findings highlight important credit risk considerations for real estate investors and lenders. Despite the significant affordability challenges faced by single individuals, the relatively low delinquency rates - 5% for single homeowners and 12% for single renters - suggest remarkable financial resilience in this demographic segment.

However, the high proportion of single individuals making financial sacrifices to maintain housing payments raises concerns about the sustainability of current payment patterns. The fact that 21% of single individuals report skipping meals to make housing payments indicates severe financial stress that could eventually translate into higher default rates if economic conditions deteriorate.

For property investors and REITs, these findings suggest the need to reassess tenant mix strategies and potentially adjust risk models. The growing single-person household demographic, combined with their higher financial vulnerability, could impact rental pricing power and vacancy risk calculations. This might necessitate innovations in tenant screening processes and the development of more flexible payment models to maintain portfolio stability.

The data also points to potential opportunities in the affordable housing segment, particularly in markets with high concentrations of single-person households. The substantial cost differential for singles versus couples in major markets like Los Angeles (14,880 annually) suggests room for innovative housing solutions that could generate attractive risk-adjusted returns while addressing a critical market need.

Single and divorced people are more likely than people who are married to make certain sacrifices to afford rent and mortgage payments, according to Redfin survey findings

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- (NASDAQ: RDFN) — Nearly 70% of single, divorced or separated people struggle to afford their regular rent or mortgage payments, compared to just over half (52%) of married people, according to a new report from Redfin (redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage. More than three-quarters (76%) of respondents who live with their partner but aren’t married struggle with housing payments, making them the group most likely to struggle.

Single people have a harder time affording housing payments largely because they’re typically using just their own income to pay for housing, while many married couples use two incomes. Roughly three in five (63%) single survey respondents and 69% of divorced respondents have a household income of under $50,000 per year, compared to 26% of married respondents. On the flip side, 29% of married respondents have a household income of $100,000 or over, compared to 7% of those who are single and 6% of those who are divorced.

Married couples also receive tax benefits that single people don’t get, setting them up better for financial security.

"The high cost of housing tends to hit single people hardest because they can't pool resources with a partner to cover the same costs, unless they're willing to have roommates," said Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather. "Married couples make up a smaller and smaller share of U.S. households, so it's important to include single people living alone or with roommates when examining ways to ease the affordability crisis. People who aren't yet married, or aren't interested in getting married or living with a partner, often have to make more sacrifices to cover their housing costs than their coupled-up counterparts, which is one reason the government should consider zoning for single-room housing, like dormitories, and ADUs."

It’s worth noting that although most single and married people report struggling to make housing payments, most people pay on time. Just 1 of every 20 homeowners, regardless of marital status (married: 4%, never married: 5%, divorced: 6%), were late on their monthly mortgage payments as of September, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey. Fourteen percent of married renters were late on their rent, compared to 12% of those who have never been married and 15% of those who are divorced.

Living alone in a 1-bedroom rental costs tens of thousands more than cohabitating

To break down the extra cost of living alone, take Washington, D.C. as an example. More than half of adults in the nation’s capital are single, making it one of the U.S. cities with the highest share of single people. A studio or one-bedroom rental in the D.C. metro costs $1,908 per month, according to Redfin data. A single person living alone would cover that whole cost themself, while a married or cohabitating couple might split the rent and pay $954 each. That means a single person would pay $11,448 more per year on housing than someone who lives with their romantic partner.

In Los Angeles, one of the most expensive rental markets in the U.S., the typical studio or one-bedroom apartment rents for $2,480 per month, or $1,240 when split in two. A single person making payments alone would pay an extra $14,880 per year.

Single, divorced people more likely to skip meals to make housing payments

Single people are more likely than married couples to make certain sacrifices to pay for housing.

Of those who struggle to afford housing payments, more than one-quarter (27%) of divorced or separated people and 21% of single people report skipping meals completely to pay for housing, compared to 14% of married people. Non-married people are also slightly more likely than married couples to borrow money from family or friends to make housing payments, and to work side hustles.

Single and divorced renters are more likely to cite lack of affordability as a reason they won’t be purchasing a home anytime soon.

This is according to a Redfin-commissioned survey conducted by Ipsos in September 2024. The survey was fielded to 1,802 U.S. residents aged 18-65.

To view the full report, including a chart, metro-level data, and additional methodology, please visit:
https://www.redfin.com/news/single-people-struggle-to-afford-housing-survey

About Redfin

Redfin (www.redfin.com) is a technology-powered real estate company. We help people find a place to live with brokerage, rentals, lending, and title insurance services. We run the country's #1 real estate brokerage site. Our customers can save thousands in fees while working with a top agent. Our home-buying customers see homes first with on-demand tours, and our lending and title services help them close quickly. Our rentals business empowers millions nationwide to find apartments and houses for rent. Since launching in 2006, we've saved customers more than $1.6 billion in commissions. We serve approximately 100 markets across the U.S. and Canada and employ over 4,000 people.

Redfin's subsidiaries and affiliated brands include: Bay Equity Home Loans®, Rent.™, Apartment Guide®, Title Forward® and WalkScore®.

For more information or to contact a local Redfin real estate agent, visit www.redfin.com. To learn about housing market trends and download data, visit the Redfin Data Center. To be added to Redfin's press release distribution list, email press@redfin.com. To view Redfin's press center, click here.

Contact Redfin

Redfin Journalist Services:

Ally Forsell, 206-588-6863

press@redfin.com

Source: Redfin

FAQ

What percentage of single people struggle with housing payments according to RDFN's survey?

According to Redfin's survey, nearly 70% of single, divorced, or separated people struggle to afford their regular rent or mortgage payments.

How much more do single residents pay annually for housing in Los Angeles?

In Los Angeles, single residents pay an additional $14,880 annually compared to those who share housing costs with a partner.

What percentage of single vs married respondents earn under $50,000 annually?

63% of single respondents and 69% of divorced respondents earn under $50,000 annually, compared to 26% of married respondents.

What percentage of people skip meals to afford housing payments based on marital status?

27% of divorced/separated people and 21% of single people report skipping meals to pay for housing, compared to 14% of married people.

How much extra do single residents in Washington D.C. pay annually for housing?

Single residents in Washington D.C. pay an additional $11,448 annually compared to those who share housing costs with a partner.

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