US homeownership shifts: rise in unmarried co‑buyers, growing doubts

A 2024 Zillow analysis found that 63% of U.S. homebuyers now share ownership with another person, and only about half of those co‑owners are married spouses. The report highlights a growing trend of unmarried couples, friends or relatives pooling incomes and credit histories to qualify for larger mortgages and split costs, while also noting the legal complexities that arise if the relationship ends.

A June 2026 survey of 1,000 U.S. homeowners by Hometap revealed that only 18% say homeownership has fully delivered on the promise of the American Dream. Half of respondents describe the dream as “eroding” or “broken,” with baby boomers more likely to see it eroding and Millennials more likely to label it broken. While “stability” remains the top descriptor of homeownership for many, perceptions of it as an investment have risen and the sense of it being a burden has doubled.

Together, the data illustrate a housing market where ownership is increasingly collaborative yet confidence in its long‑term benefits is waning.