Emerging Structure of Housing Stratification: Visualizing Homeownership by Generational Status, 1995 to 2019

Homeownership is a central aspect of social stratification and is shaped by generational status. Using pooled data from the Current Population Survey, the author shows that generational homeownership inequality changed substantially between 1995 and 2019. Three trends emerge: growth between 1995 and 2005, decline from 2000 to 2015, and postrecession stagnation between 2015 and 2019. Findings show that between 1995 and 2019, homeownership remained stable among the third-plus generation, decreased among the second generation and persons with one native-born parent, and increased among immigrants. As a result of these changes, overall generational homeownership inequality has decreased since 1995. The author contextualizes these findings on the basis of recent research on wealth, discrimination, and immigration.