Worried about the high cost of housing? You’re not alone

Most homeowners (55%) say they couldn’t afford to purchase their own home today based on current prices. This share rises to 73% of Americans who think that average people in their communities can’t afford to buy homes. Even more, a similar share (69%) worry that their kids or grandkids won’t be able to afford a home someday.

These concerns reflect studies on the ground. For instance, a report from the National Association of Home Builders found that about three‐​fourths of Arizona residents couldn’t afford the average‐​priced home. Further, a national report found that 61% of renters nationwide couldn’t afford to buy in the 13 largest metropolitan areas.

Despite concerns about home affordability, Americans are split about building more homes—which could help lower the price of homes. The survey found that a slim majority (51%) support building more “houses, condos, and apartment buildings” in their community, while 49% oppose. Perhaps support is mixed because many Americans don’t initially think that building more houses could lower the prices of homes. As evidence, a majority (64%) would come to support more building if it meant that it would be easier for people to afford housing in the neighborhood.

Support rises further when specific homebuyers are considered. In particular, support increases a few points higher to 67% if more home building would make it easier for “people of color” to afford housing. Support rises most to 72% if building more homes would make it easier for “young people and young families” to buy. While support rises, it does so modestly to 63% if more construction would make it easier for “people with low incomes” to afford housing.

Notably, a similar share of both those who support (89%) and those who oppose (85%) building more homes expressed concern about the cost of housing. This indicates that for some, the connection between housing availability and affordability is either not clear or does not outweigh other considerations.

Democrats are much more supportive of building additional homes. Republicans and independents, on the other hand, are more skeptical. While nearly two‐​thirds (63%) of Democrats support building more houses, condos, and apartments in their community, majorities of Republicans (61%) and independents (53%) oppose it.

But, if building would make it easier for people to afford homes, majorities of Republicans (53%) and independents (60%) would come to support it. Democratic preference for more home building rises higher to 75% if it would make homes more affordable.

Republican support hinges somewhat on which people would be moving in to the neighborhood. A solid majority (64%) of Republicans would favor building more homes if building would make it easier for “young people and young families” to afford housing in their community. Democratic support rises higher to 82%. Presumably both are thinking of their own kids and grandkids moving close when they grow up.

Republicans become slightly more amenable to building additional homes if doing so made it easier for “people with low incomes” (rising from 39% to 45% in favor) or “people of color” (rising to 44% in favor) to afford housing in their neighborhood. However, majorities do not switch in favor for these beneficiaries.

On the other hand, Democrats are consistently most supportive (63%) of more housing construction, and their support rises most if more housing would help people of color (85%), young people (82%), people with low incomes (78%), or just “people” in general (75%) buy homes.

While less than half (47%) of independents initially support more housing construction, their support rises most if building would help people of color buy homes in the community (70%), young people (65%), families with low incomes (63%), or “people” in general (60%).

Although there are benefits to renting, an overwhelming majority of Americans (86%) prefer to own rather than rent a home. Among current renters today, 68% would rather own, while 32% would prefer to continue renting.

The desire to own a home is not partisan. Overwhelming majorities of both Republicans (90%) and Democrats (84%) prefer homeownership.

Majorities of Americans across demographic backgrounds would like to own a home. But some groups are more likely than others to prefer renting. Black Americans (23%), Hispanic Americans (26%), and Asian Americans (27%) are about three times as likely as White Americans (9%) to prefer renting. Younger Americans are also more likely than senior citizens to prefer renting by a margin of 20% to 8%. Big city dwellers are also twice as likely as those in the suburbs and countryside to prefer renting (22% versus 11%). This may be due to homes being more expensive in large cities and perhaps also because rental options are relatively more desirable.

Homeowners are more averse to home building. A majority of homeowners (57%) oppose building more homes, condos, and apartments in their communities, while 43% favor. In contrast, renters favor more home construction by a margin of 65% to 35%.

There are several reasons homeowners may be more likely to oppose additional housing in their area. They may fear what additional supply would do to the value of their own home. They may also worry about increased traffic and congestion in an area they are planning to stay in the long term, desire to maintain the character of the area, or various other reasons.

However, a majority (53%) of homeowners could be convinced to support more home construction if they are told doing so would make homes more affordable. Support rises further to 64% if they thought more building would make it easier for young families to move in. Majorities of homeowners would also come to support more home construction if it would help people of color (57%) or people who have lower incomes (55%) buy homes in the community.

Support for more construction is highest in densely populated areas and lowest in the countryside. Nearly two‐​thirds (61%) of Americans in cities favor building more homes. However, outside of the cities people become more skeptical. A slim majority (53%) of those in the suburbs oppose more construction. Those in the countryside are most averse with 63% opposed.

Suburban residents shifted in favor (62%) of more construction, however, if they were told it would make it easier for people to afford homes. They became even more favorable if building would make it easier for young families, perhaps their kids and grandkids, to move in (68%).

Rural areas are the most resistant to more home building. Support rises only 4 points from 37% to 41% if they learned it would make homes more affordable. However, a majority (57%) would come to support home construction if it would make it easier for young people to move in. People who prefer to live in the countryside do so for a reason. Often, it’s because they prefer space and privacy. Perhaps they are resistant to additional housing in their community because it seems to threaten the very reason they live in their community. However, the hope that building could help their kids and grandkids move close may outweigh competing considerations.

Owning a single‐​family home continues to be the ideal for most Americans. An overwhelming majority (89%) want to live in one. This includes 43% who prefer a single‐​family home in the countryside, 31% who want a single‐​family home in the suburbs, and 15% who prefer one in a city. Only small shares prefer a townhouse (5%) or a condo (5%).

The desire for single‐​family homes isn’t particularly partisan. Overwhelming majorities of both Republicans (95%) and Democrats (86%) prefer it. But they differ in where they want that single‐​family home to reside.

A solid majority (58%) of Republicans want a single‐​family home in the countryside whereas a majority (56%) of Democrats prefer denser community living—either being in a city (22%) or a suburb of a city (34%). If asked to choose, Democrats sacrifice home size to live within walking distance to stores, restaurants, and schools (49% versus 36%). Conversely, Republicans would sacrifice walkability for a large house on expansive property (62% versus 23%).

It’s not that Democrats necessarily prefer smaller houses and Republicans prefer larger ones. These data suggest that Democrats prefer the amenities and proximity associated with more densely populated areas and that Republicans prefer the benefits offered by the space, privacy, and autonomy of less densely populated areas. This indicates that some degree of partisan geographic sorting may simply be due to partisans having different personalities and community preferences.

While Americans of all demographic backgrounds say they prefer a single‐​family home, some groups are more likely than others to prefer cities. Americans under 45 are twice as likely as Americans over 45 to prefer a single‐​family home in the city (22% versus 10%). African Americans (27%) and Latino Americans (27%) are also about twice as likely to prefer a home in the city compared to White Americans (11%) or Asian Americans (15%).

Americans tend to prefer homes with more space and privacy as they age. The share of Americans who prefer a single‐​family home in the country increases from 33% among 18–34-year-olds to 45% among 35–54-year-olds and to 50% among those over the age of 55. Similarly, preference for city living appears to diminish with age: 21% of those under 34 prefer the city compared to 9% of those over 55. It’s unclear if this is due more to cohort or age effects. Perhaps older cohorts have a generational preference for the countryside over the city. It may be more that as people age, their preferences and needs change.

A slim majority of Americans support building additional housing in their neighborhoods. However, support grows if building means that housing would be more affordable for “people,” “people of color,” “people with low incomes,” and, especially, “young people and young families.” Republicans, who are the most skeptical of building more housing, become more supportive when the benefit of affordability is mentioned. But importantly, Republicans respond most positively if they learn that building more homes would help young families buy in their neighborhoods.

Proponents of building more homes to address housing costs should be encouraged by the fact that Americans skeptical of new construction become supportive if it lowers costs. Concerns over their own home values, overcrowding, and losing the character of a neighborhood may remain more important considerations for some. However, a majority would support building more houses if they knew it could lower the cost of housing and make it easier for people they know, especially their families, to move in.

The Cato Institute 2022 Housing Affordability Survey was designed and conducted by the Cato Institute in collaboration with YouGov. YouGov collected responses online Aug 17–23, 2022 from a national sample of 2,000 Americans 18 years of age and older. Restrictions are put in place to ensure that only the people selected and contacted by YouGov are allowed to participate. The margin of error for the survey is +/- 2.39 percentage points at the 95% level of confidence.