Statistics · 2026 · Real Estate
Home Equity Statistics (2026)
U.S. homeowners held $35.81 trillion in home equity in Q2 2026, a record in quarterly Federal Reserve data going back to 1952 and 2.2% more than a year earlier. Equity was 71.9% of the value of household real estate, against $14.01 trillion of one-to-four-family mortgage debt. Mortgage payments took 5.83% of disposable income.
Key takeaways
- Owners’ equity in household real estate reached $35.81 trillion in Q2 2026, the highest in the quarterly series.
- Equity rose 2.2% in a year and 97% since Q4 2019, before the pandemic.
- Owners held 71.9% of their homes’ value as equity, up from a low of 46.0% in Q1 2012.
- One-to-four-family mortgage debt was $14.01 trillion, up 3.0% from a year earlier.
- Mortgage payments took 5.83% of disposable income, below the 8.95% peak of Q4 2007.
- Bank HELOC balances were $291.2 billion, 52% below their 2009 peak.
How much home equity do Americans have?
Households held $35.81 trillion of owners’ equity in real estate in Q2 2026, according to the Federal Reserve’s Financial Accounts. That is up $0.79 trillion from Q2 2025 and the highest level in the quarterly series. Spread across owner-occupied homes, it averages roughly $412,000 each, by WealthyBud’s arithmetic.
1. Home equity: $35.81 trillion in Q2 2026
The series is Households; Owners’ Equity in Real Estate (OEHRENWBSHNO), millions of dollars, not seasonally adjusted, from the Fed’s Z.1 Financial Accounts published September 11, 2026. It reads 35,814,740 million for Q2 2026, the highest of 298 quarters since Q1 1952 (WealthyBud data · 298 quarters · Q1 1952–Q2 2026).
2. Up 2.2% in a year, $0.79 trillion more equity
Equity was $35.03 trillion in Q2 2025 and $34.84 trillion in Q1 2026. The series is not seasonally adjusted, so WealthyBud compares the same quarter a year apart.
3. About $412,000 of equity per owner-occupied home (simple average)
WealthyBud divides $35.81 trillion by the 86,985 thousand owner-occupied units the Census Bureau counted in the second quarter of 2026. This is an average, not a median: owners with no mortgage and high-value homes pull it up, and Z.1 household real estate also includes vacant land and mobile homes.
What share of home value is equity?
Equity made up 71.9% of household real estate in Q2 2026, per the Fed. The share bottomed at 46.0% in Q1 2012 after the housing crash and peaked since then at 72.3% in Q2 2024. The long-run average since 1952 is 65.4%, so owners hold more of their homes than usual.
4. Equity share: 71.9% of household real estate
HOEREPHRE is owners’ equity as a percentage of household real estate, not seasonally adjusted. It was 72.1% a year earlier, so the share slipped 0.2 point even as dollar equity rose: home values and mortgage debt both grew.
5. Low: 46.0% in Q1 2012; post-crash high: 72.3% in Q2 2024
Since 1952 the share has ranged from 46.0% to 80.7% (Q2 1952); its mean across 298 quarters is 65.4% (WealthyBud data · 298 quarters · Q1 1952–Q2 2026).
6. Implied household real estate value: $49.79 trillion
Dividing equity by the equity share gives the value of household real estate in Q2 2026: $35.81 trillion ÷ 0.7193 = $49.79 trillion (WealthyBud arithmetic on two Z.1 series).
How much mortgage debt do households owe?
Households and nonprofits owed $14.01 trillion on one-to-four-family mortgages in Q2 2026, the Fed reports, up 3.0% from a year earlier and a record. Equity has grown far faster than debt: since Q1 2012, equity rose 4.3 times while mortgage balances rose 1.44 times.
7. Mortgage debt: $14.01 trillion in Q2 2026
HHMSDODNS covers one-to-four-family residential mortgages owed by households and nonprofit organizations; FRED labels the level seasonally adjusted. It was $13.60 trillion in Q2 2025. Because the sector and adjustment differ from the equity series, WealthyBud does not subtract one from the other.
8. Since Q1 2012: equity ×4.3, mortgage debt ×1.44
Equity was $8.25 trillion at the Q1 2012 low in the equity share, and mortgage debt $9.70 trillion. Both ratios are WealthyBud arithmetic on the Z.1 levels.
How has home equity changed since 2006?
Home equity fell through the housing crash, bottomed in Q1 2012 at $8.25 trillion, then rebuilt. It jumped during 2020–2022 as prices surged. Since Q4 2019, just before the pandemic, equity is up 97% while mortgage debt is up 35%, which explains the higher equity share today.
9. Since Q4 2019: equity +97%, mortgage debt +35%
Equity was $18.14 trillion and the equity share 63.6% in Q4 2019. Both changes are WealthyBud arithmetic on the Z.1 levels.
| Quarter | Owners’ equity | Equity share of home value | 1–4 family mortgage debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q2 2006 | $14.24 trillion | 60.0% | $9.51 trillion |
| Q2 2008 | $11.40 trillion | 51.7% | $10.64 trillion |
| Q2 2010 | $9.04 trillion | 47.0% | $10.22 trillion |
| Q2 2012 | $8.49 trillion | 46.9% | $9.64 trillion |
| Q2 2014 | $11.60 trillion | 55.4% | $9.35 trillion |
| Q2 2016 | $14.44 trillion | 60.4% | $9.50 trillion |
| Q2 2018 | $17.71 trillion | 64.0% | $9.99 trillion |
| Q2 2020 | $19.53 trillion | 65.0% | $10.53 trillion |
| Q2 2022 | $31.86 trillion | 72.1% | $12.33 trillion |
| Q2 2024 | $34.38 trillion | 72.3% | $13.21 trillion |
| Q2 2026 | $35.81 trillion | 71.9% | $14.01 trillion |
The table uses the same quarter each year because the equity series is not seasonally adjusted. For home prices behind these moves, see home price appreciation statistics.
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How much income goes to mortgage payments?
Required mortgage payments equaled 5.83% of disposable personal income in Q2 2026, per the Fed’s household debt service ratios. That is below the series average of 6.63% since 2005 and well under the 8.95% peak in Q4 2007. The low was 4.76% in Q1 2021.
10. Mortgage debt service: 5.83% of disposable income
MDSP is total required mortgage payments divided by disposable personal income, seasonally adjusted. It was 5.83% a year earlier as well. Source: the Fed’s household debt service ratios.
11. Peak 8.95% (Q4 2007); low 4.76% (Q1 2021)
The series runs 86 quarters from Q1 2005. The ratio covers payments on all outstanding mortgages, not just new loans, so it moves slowly even with the 30-year rate for new loans at 7.28% (October 1, 2026); see mortgage rate data.
Are homeowners falling behind on mortgages?
Not by historical standards. The delinquency rate on single-family mortgages held by U.S. commercial banks was 1.86% in Q2 2026, seasonally adjusted, versus 1.78% a year earlier. It peaked at 11.48% in Q1 2010 and has averaged 3.72% across all quarters since 1991.
12. Bank mortgage delinquency: 1.86% in Q2 2026
DRSFRMACBS comes from the Fed’s charge-off and delinquency rates release and covers loans booked at commercial banks only, not mortgages held by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or private investors.
13. Peak 11.48% in Q1 2010; low 1.41% in Q4 2004
The series has 142 quarters from Q1 1991. The current rate is 9.6 points below the crisis peak (WealthyBud data · 142 quarters · Q1 1991–Q2 2026).
How much are homeowners borrowing against equity?
Commercial banks held $291.2 billion of revolving home equity loans in the week ending September 23, 2026, seasonally adjusted, up 6.3% from a year earlier. Balances are still 52% below the $611.8 billion peak of May 20, 2009, so owners tap far less equity through credit lines than before the crash.
14. Bank HELOC balances: $291.2 billion
RHEACBW027SBOG is from the Fed’s H.8 weekly bank balance sheet, billions of dollars. A year earlier (September 24, 2025) it was $273.8 billion.
15. 52% below the 2009 peak
The weekly high was $611.8 billion on May 20, 2009. Today’s balance equals about 0.8% of total home equity (WealthyBud arithmetic; HELOCs from credit unions and other lenders are not included).
16. Equity share rose 25.9 points from the 2012 low
From 46.0% in Q1 2012 to 71.9% in Q2 2026; borrowing capacity depends on lender loan-to-value limits, which this data does not show.
What this means for owners, buyers and investors
For homeowners, record equity is wealth on paper. It becomes cash only by selling, refinancing or borrowing, and with new 30-year loans at 7.28%, a cash-out refinance can mean giving up a lower existing rate. Run the numbers in the deal analyzer before tapping equity.
For buyers, high owner equity and low payment burdens can mean fewer forced sales, but supply varies widely by metro. Check local conditions on the buyer’s vs seller’s market page.
For investors, equity in an existing home can fund a down payment on a rental. Compare markets on the first-rental ranking and see homeownership statistics for who owns today.
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