Homeownership is largely regarded as one of the key pathways to gaining and maintaining wealth. For National Homeownership Month, we’re taking a closer look at some of the recent homeownership data relevant to Black families in the United States. 

While there are several cities for which the data show an increase in Black relocation over the past several years, our analysis focuses on Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston – cities in the Southern United States from which Black families had previously fled. 

The Search for a Better Quality of Life

From about 1910 - 1970, Black people moved northward during the Great Migration, looking to pursue education and employment opportunities, and to escape racial violence and the codified oppressive system of Jim Crow in the South.

Generations later, the trend has reversed as Black families are moving back to Southern states, largely for the same reasons that originally caused them to leave. Increasing racial discrimination and segregation in Northern and Western cities, coupled with fewer employment opportunities, have made the U.S. South more appealing for Black families. This appeal is further bolstered by an improved economy and infrastructure in the region. The most recent reports show that Black families are even leaving cities with historically high Black populations, like Oakland, Detroit, Baltimore, and Philadelphia.

Obstacles to Homeownership Persist

But, in a disappointing discovery, the data show that while the net number of Black individuals has increased in Atlanta, Dallas, and Houston from the years 2015 - 2020, rates of homeownership have barely budged.

The takeaway from this data is that even with the allure of new opportunities, these three cities are facing the same housing crises seen across the nation. Fundamentally, in each city, median income growth is lower than median home value growth, making homeownership less attainable for all families, and even more so for Black and Brown families. In addition, the ratio of median home price to median income has increased over the same time period. The affordability of available homes for sale is worsening for Black families even as incomes rise.

According to Glenda Kizzee of the Houston Area Urban League, many families participate in public and non-profit programs that aim to assist potential homebuyers with purchasing their homes, yet obstacles remain. Many families are either unaware or unable to attain additional assistance provided by federal programs, pandemic relief programs have ended, and rising property taxes undercut otherwise affordable home prices.

In Atlanta, rental and ownership costs outpaced incomes in the post-pandemic housing rush, though housing costs vary among the urban core, suburban and exurban areas of the city. Anthony Mitchell with Georgia Sustainable Community Ventures notes that Atlanta, through partnerships including housing authorities, the city’s Invest Atlanta effort, and the Atlanta Regional Housing Commission, is testing to “see what works” as they explore avenues for affordable homeownership.

In short, compounded with other issues of systemic inequity, Black and Brown families experience the impacts of the housing crises at a higher rate, making wealth accumulation through homeownership even more elusive. 

To dive deeper into the data on homeownership across city, state, and national levels, visit the Black Wealth Data Center’s Explore Data page.