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SACOG’s recent analysis of the 2024 American Community Survey (ACS) data shows homeownership reaching the highest rates in nearly 40 years. 

The regional homeownership rate is just one of the many metrics tracked using U.S. Census Bureau ACS data. For this update, homeownership is defined as households that are owner-occupied (rather than rented). This homeownership definition includes both those households that fully own their home, as well as those still paying off their mortgage. In short, the homeownership rate is the percentage of owner-occupied houses compared to total occupied, non-vacant houses. 

SACOG’s 2025 Regional Progress Report noted some of the benefits of homeownership, including building equity, more price stability (for those on a fixed-rate mortgage), and the potential for property appreciation. Given this, homeownership has traditionally been one of the primary ways that families build wealth over time. 

Check out the charts and explanations below for more information on homeownership in the Sacramento region. 

Even with Major Headwinds, Data Suggests Homeownership Rates Rise in Sacramento Region

The most recent 2024 data shows that even with housing costs that have increased, homeownership rates in the six-county Sacramento region continue to inch upward. Indeed, the 2024 homeownership rate—nearly 64 percent of households in the region—is the highest observed in the series dating back to 1980.

Source: SACOG analysis of decennial census data (1980, 1990, and 2000) and 1 year ACS census data (2005 onward). No 1 year 2020 ACS data available.

Unlike the state and nation, regional uptick has been sustained.

Most all areas across the country experienced an increase in homeownership around 2020 as interest rates were at a historic low, and many in the large millennial generation reached prime home-buying age. What is notable is how the Sacramento region’s recent uptick in homeownership rates has been sustained for the last several years; whereas California and the United States saw the homeownership rate plateau around 2021, the Sacramento region has seen year-over-year increases in homeownership rates.

Part of this increase in homeownership levels may be from continued in-migration from Bay Area residents and an uptick in housing production, as other measures such as interest rates or housing costs in relation to wages suggest a more difficult path to homeownership. Indeed, housing affordability remains a critical issue in the region. Valley Vision’s 2025 Livability Poll found more respondents listing affordable housing as a top priority over any other issue, and recent reporting by the Onsite Observer notes that more than 70 percent of local households are priced out of the new-home market.   

Source: SACOG analysis of 1 year ACS census data. No 1 year ACS data for 2020 available.

Where is homeownership the highest in the region?

Not surprisingly, the areas within the region with the highest homeownership levels tend to be more affluent areas. But income alone is not the only factor—the mix of housing types, the cost of housing, and other factors are also important.

In fact, a look at the jurisdictions in the region with the highest homeownership rate shows that each has a share of single-family detached housing relative to total housing that is well above the regional average.

Characteristics of the Jurisdictions in the Region with Highest Homeownership*

*Jurisdictions below 3,000 households excluded due to high margin of error ranges.

Homeownership Rate in Sacramento Region by Jurisdiction and Unincorporated Community

Like other areas, the Sacramento region faces deep-rooted disparities in homeownership by race/ethnicity.

Although homeownership has been one of the primary ways to build wealth, many families, especially families of color, have not had equal access to this opportunity. Historical practices such as redlining and discriminatory lending denied some families the ability to build home equity through time. The result has been a consistent gap in homeownership rates by race/ethnicity not only in the Sacramento region, but nationwide. This measure for the Sacramento region relies on five-year rolling averages, to lower margins of error. The results show some progress for the last 25 years, most notably a rise in homeownership in Asian American households, but the homeownership gap for Black/African American households may have gotten even wider.

Source: SACOG analysis of 2000 decennial census data and 5 year ACS census data (2009 and 2024).

Explore more 2024 ACS data on SACOG’s Data Dashboard 

SACOG's regional monitoring program draws on data from a wide variety of sources, but none is more used than the ACS data released by the U.S. Census Bureau. ACS census data provides annual updates across multiple topics, which allows for more timely tracking across indicators and geographies.

Earlier this year SACOG updated its monitoring program to reflect year 2024 ACS data, the most currently available year (like many data sources, ACS data needs time to be collected, processed, and reviewed before it is released for public use, so currently available data tends to lag a few years). Visit www.sacog.org/datadashboard for more information.