Editing African Americans (section)

====African American homeownership====
[[File:US Homeownership by Race 2009.png|thumb|The [[Homeownership in the United States|US homeownership rate]] according to race<ref name="US Census Bureau, homeownership by race">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/hvs/annual09/ann09t22.xls|title=US Census Bureau, homeownership by race|access-date=October 6, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327060251/http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/hvs/annual09/ann09t22.xls|archive-date=March 27, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref>]]

[[Home-ownership in the United States|Homeownership in the US]] is the strongest indicator of financial stability and the primary asset most Americans use to generate wealth. African Americans continue to lag behind other racial groups in homeownership.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2022/10/13/black-families-fall-further-behind-on-homeownership#:~:text=In%202022%2C%2074.6%25%20of%20White,%2C%20a%2027%2Dpoint%20gap. | title=Black Families Fall Further Behind on Homeownership | date=October 13, 2022 | access-date=March 8, 2023 | archive-date=March 8, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308145123/https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/blogs/stateline/2022/10/13/black-families-fall-further-behind-on-homeownership#:~:text=In%202022%2C%2074.6%25%20of%20White,%2C%20a%2027%2Dpoint%20gap. | url-status=live }}</ref> In the first quarter of 2021, 45.1% of African Americans owned their homes, compared to 65.3% of all Americans.<ref>{{cite web |title=Residential Vacancies and Homeownership |url=https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/currenthvspress.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/currenthvspress.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-09 |url-status=live |website=Census.gov |access-date=July 13, 2021}}</ref> The African American homeownership rate has remained relatively flat since the 1970s despite an increase in [[Housing discrimination in the United States|anti-discrimination housing laws and protections]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnwake/2019/05/16/the-shocking-truth-about-the-u-s-black-homeownership-rate-50-years-after-the-1968-fair-housing-act/|title=The Shocking Truth 50 Years After The 1968 Fair Housing Act: The Black Homeownership Paradox|first=John|last=Wake|website=Forbes|access-date=March 8, 2023|archive-date=March 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308143207/https://www.forbes.com/sites/johnwake/2019/05/16/the-shocking-truth-about-the-u-s-black-homeownership-rate-50-years-after-the-1968-fair-housing-act/|url-status=live}}</ref> The African American homeownership rate peaked in 2004 at 49.7%.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://prosperitybenefitservices.com/black-homeownership-rate-rises-but-hasnt-returned-to-2004-level/#:~:text=Today%2C%20nearly%2046%25%20of%20Black,74%25%20rate%20for%20white%20households | title=Black homeownership rate rises, but hasn't returned to 2004 level | date=June 11, 2024 | access-date=June 17, 2024 | archive-date=June 17, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240617011402/https://prosperitybenefitservices.com/black-homeownership-rate-rises-but-hasnt-returned-to-2004-level/#:~:text=Today%2C%20nearly%2046%25%20of%20Black,74%25%20rate%20for%20white%20households | url-status=dead }}</ref>

The average White high school drop-out still has a slightly better chance of owning a home than the average African American college graduate usually due to unfavorable [[debt-to-income ratio]]s or [[Credit score in the United States|credit scores]] among most African American college graduates.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nationalmortgageprofessional.com/news/student-loan-debt-barrier-black-homeownership|title=Student Loan Debt A Barrier To Black Homeownership – NMP|date=November 15, 2022 |access-date=March 8, 2023|archive-date=March 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308143205/https://nationalmortgageprofessional.com/news/student-loan-debt-barrier-black-homeownership|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/why-do-black-college-graduates-have-lower-homeownership-rate-white-people-who-dropped-out-high-school | title=Why do Black College Graduates Have a Lower Homeownership Rate Than White People Who Dropped Out of High School? | journal=Urban Institute | date=February 27, 2020 | access-date=May 28, 2023 | archive-date=May 28, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230528124534/https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/why-do-black-college-graduates-have-lower-homeownership-rate-white-people-who-dropped-out-high-school | url-status=live | last1=Choi | first1=Jung Hyun | last2=Goodman | first2=Laurie }}</ref> Since 2000, fast-growing housing costs in most cities have made it even more difficult for the US African American homeownership rate to significantly grow and reach over 50% for the first time in history. From 2000 to 2022, the median home price in the US grew 160%, outpacing average annual household income growth in that same period, which only grew about 30%.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/17/realestate/black-homeowners-gentrification.html|title=What Gentrification Means for Black Homeowners|first=Jacquelynn|last=Kerubo|work=The New York Times|date=August 17, 2021|via=NY Times.com|access-date=March 8, 2023|archive-date=March 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308150657/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/17/realestate/black-homeowners-gentrification.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://thehill.com/business/3478213-rising-home-prices-a-timeline/|title=Rising home prices: a timeline|first=Monique|last=Beals|newspaper=The Hill |date=May 5, 2022|access-date=March 16, 2023|archive-date=March 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308171030/https://thehill.com/business/3478213-rising-home-prices-a-timeline/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/612519/average-annual-real-wages-united-states/|title=Average annual real wages U.S. 2021|website=Statista|access-date=March 8, 2023|archive-date=March 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308172443/https://www.statista.com/statistics/612519/average-annual-real-wages-united-states/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[South Carolina]] is the state with the most African American homeownership, with about 55% of African Americans owning their own homes.<ref>{{cite web |date=2023-02-22 |title=South Carolina leads the U.S. in Black homeownership, but there are still a few gaps to close |url=https://www.southcarolinapublicradio.org/sc-news/2023-02-22/south-carolina-leads-the-u-s-in-black-homeownership-but-there-are-still-a-few-gaps-to-close |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=South Carolina Public Radio |language=en |archive-date=October 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018185059/https://www.southcarolinapublicradio.org/sc-news/2023-02-22/south-carolina-leads-the-u-s-in-black-homeownership-but-there-are-still-a-few-gaps-to-close |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Bahney |first=Anna |date=2023-03-02 |title=The gulf between Black homeowners and White is actually getting bigger, not smaller {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/02/homes/race-and-home-buying-nar/index.html |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=CNN |language=en |archive-date=October 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018185057/https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/02/homes/race-and-home-buying-nar/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Black people, who make up 12% of the total U.S. population, make up 32% of all people experiencing homelessness, according to the data.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Kanishka |title=US homelessness rose by record 18% in latest annual data |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-homelessness-rose-by-record-18-latest-annual-data-2024-12-27/ |work=Reuters |date=28 December 2024}}</ref>