History
The Changing Meanings of Homeownership Across Generations
Quick fact
Over the past half-century, the meaning of homeownership has flipped from a stable foundation for family life to a speculative asset and a source of financial precarity, with Millennials and Gen Z facing homeownership rates nearly 20 percentage points lower than Baby Boomers at the same age.
Why this is interesting
Your grandparents likely saw a home as the ultimate symbol of security and achievement. But today, many young people view the same goal as a distant, even oppressive, dream. How did the meaning of homeownership change so dramatically?