Homeownership's Impact on Net Worth

Over the last six years, homeownership has lost some of its allure as a financial investment. As homeowners suffered through the housing bust, more and more began to question whether owning a home was truly a good way to build wealth. A study by the Federal Reserve formally answered this question. 

Some of the findings revealed in their report:

• The average American family has a net worth of $77,300
• Of that net worth, 61.4% ($47,500) of it is in home equity
• A homeowner’s net worth is over thirty times greater than that of a renter
• The average homeowner has a net worth of $174,500 while the average net worth of a renter is $5,100

Bottom Line

The Fed study found that homeownership is still a great way for a family to build wealth in America.