Home Buyer and Seller Race and Ethnicity Trends

Since 1997, respondents of the Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers have had the option to choose as many or as few options for how they racially and ethnically identify themselves. Using this data, the ethnic and racial diversity of home buyers and sellers can be seen on a trending basis.

The initial tracking of race and ethnicity of home buyers started in 1997, and showed that among recent home buyers 90 percent identified as White/Caucasian, eight percent identified as Hispanic/Latino, five percent identified Black/African-American, four percent identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, and one percent identified as other. Skipping ahead to 2003 all race/ethnicity categories remain consistent going to 2015.  While home buyers remain predominantly White/Caucasian, the other categories each have peak highs. Between 1997 and 2015, each race/ethnicity had peak highs in the following years:

• White/Caucasian: 1997, 90%
• Black/African-American: 2005-2007, 7%
• Hispanic/Latino: 1997, 8%
• Asian/Pacific Islander: 2006, 6%
• Other: 2003 and 2014, 3%

Looking at first-time home buyers, the race and ethnicities of non-White/Caucasian buyers is higher than among all buyers. Between 2003 and 2015, the percentage of Black/African-American and Hispanic/Latino first-time home buyers both ranged from six to 11 percent. The percentage of Asian/Pacific Islander first-time home buyers ranged from five to eight percent, and White/Caucasian first-time home buyers ranged from 73 to 80 percent. Between 2003 and 2015, first-time buyers in each race/ethnicity had peak highs in the following years:

• White/Caucasian: 2013, 80%
• Black/African-American: 2006, 11%
• Hispanic/Latino: 2011, 11%
• Asian/Pacific Islander: 2014, 8%
• Other: 2003, 4%

For more trend lines from the past 35 years of the Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, follow along using #NARHBSat35.