Growing Trend in ‘SINK’ Homeownership Emerges

In the past several years, the housing market has seen a growing trend emerge in the form of dual income buyers with no kids, commonly referred to as “DINKs.” However, according to real estate marketing platform Realtor.com, single income, no kids (SINK) buyers also make up a significant portion of the U.S. housing market. Women are leading the trend in single-person homeownership, comprising 19% of all homebuyers in 2023 and owning about 20.3 million homes overall. On the other hand, single men own approximately 14.9 million homes in the U.S.

Eight of the top 10 metros for single female homeownership in 2022 currently have a lower median home price than the national average. The top five metros for single female ownership are Barnstable Town, MA; Topeka, KS; Rocky Mount, NC; Wildwood-The Villages, FL; and Ocala, FL.

The top spot for single male ownership is Lake Havasu City, AZ. Ohio is the most popular state for single male homeowners, with five metros in the top 10: Springfield; Mansfield; Toledo; Lima; and Youngstown.

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Demographics

Market Data + Trends

Housing Markets