Homeownership Rates Among New York City’s Racial/Ethnic Groups and Latino Nationalities in 2000

Authors

Laura Limonic, Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino StudiesFollow

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

2007

Abstract

Introduction: This report examines rates of homeownership among ethnic/racial groups in New York City. The data are broken down by four primary ethnic/racial groups: White, African Americans, Asians, and Latinos. Also examined are homeownership rates within the Latino group by nationality for the nine largest populations among the Latino population in New York City. Methods: Data on Latinos and other racial/ethnic groups were obtained from the 2000 Report of the U.S. Census Bureau, Summary File #4 – HCT4. Cases in the dataset were weighted and analyzed to produce population estimates.

Results: In 2000, the average rate of homeownership in New York City was 34%. Latino’s showed a significantly lower rate of homeownership than all other ethnic/racial groups. Only 16% of Latinos were homeowners, while the rate for African Americans, who had the second lowest homeownership rate, was 31%. Whites and Asians had the highest rates of homeownership in New York City at 42% each. Nationwide, an average of 69% of the population resided in owner-occupied homes. The national homeownership rate for Latinos was 49%, which was significantly higher than the average Latino homeownership rate in New York City, yet still the lowest among the four ethnic/racial groups examined.

Discussion: Differences in income levels among the groups studies may explain the difference in homeownership rates among Latinos. However, this does not hold for all groups such as Guatemalans, who reported relatively high per-capita income and low homeownership in Brooklyn and the Bronx. Other factors such as saving and access to credit markets may have an influence on these patterns. Stakeholders and Latino advocacy groups may wish to consider focusing their efforts on broadcasting the many benefits of homeownership to Latino communities, and make more clear the different paths Latinos can take toward obtaining mortgages and navigating the real estate market.

Comments

For additional information about this collection see http://clacls.gc.cuny.edu/

Citation information: Limonic, L. (2007). Homeownership Rates Among New York City’s Racial/Ethnic Groups and Latino Nationalities In 2000. L. Bergad (Ed.). New York, NY: Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies at the CUNY Graduate Center.