Women Are Buying Homes in These 10 U.S. Cities

Women working full-time earn, on average, 80 percent of what their male counterparts earn, according to Census data. Earning less affects women's ability to afford a home, and the data show that a man is 50 percent more likely to buy a home without a cosigner than a woman.

Working with Census data, SmartAsset found that in Santa Fe, New Mexico, women bought homes approximately 6.7 percent more than men, the highest rate in its study. However, male homebuyers in Santa Fe had higher average incomes, and tended to buy more expensive homes. The average female who bought a home in Santa Fe had an income of $81,100 and took out a mortgage of $239,500. The average male had an income of $92,400 and took out a mortgage of $255,300.

Our data suggests women are more likely to buy a home which limits their long-term financial flexibility than men are. On average women have mortgage-to-income ratios 7 percent larger than men. For women the mortgage-to-income ratio goes over 3.5 in metros like Santa Rosa, California or Los Angeles, California. If we assume a 20 percent down payment for women in Santa Rosa, that means the average woman there is buying a home worth 4.4 times their income.

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