This is a housing-obligation pressure analysis based on published ACS point estimates. It does not measure life-insurance ownership or adequacy, and it does not test whether differences between jurisdictions are statistically significant.
What is included and how to cite it
- Data vintage
- 2024 ACS 1-Year estimates
- Coverage
- 50 states + District of Columbia
- Published
- July 21, 2026
- Research files revised
- August 27, 2026
Suggested citation
ProtectTheMortgage.com Editorial Team. “Mortgage Prevalence and Homeowner Cost Burden by State: 2024 ACS Data.” 2026 U.S. Mortgage Responsibility Pressure Study. Published July 21, 2026; updated August 27, 2026. https://protectthemortgage.com/mortgage-protection-study
This citation identifies the site-created analysis. It is not a DOI or a separate reuse license, and it does not replace attribution to the Census source tables.
Choose the file that fits your task
- CSV: 51 state/DC rows and nine analysis fields for spreadsheets or data tools.
- Methods + data dictionary: source URLs, definitions, formulas, checksums, geography, and limitations.
- Rebuild script: the technical reproduction path; most readers do not need Node.js to use the CSV.
National snapshot
Our analysis of the latest available U.S. Census Bureau ACS 1-Year detailed housing tables found that 51,697,973 of 86,635,506 owner-occupied homes—59.7%—had a mortgage or similar debt in 2024. The national median monthly owner cost among mortgaged homeowners was $2,035, and 29.4% of mortgaged households with computable income paid at least 30% of household income toward selected monthly owner costs.
Four findings that matter for homeowner protection
California has the highest published combined index
California's point estimates combine a 66.1% mortgage share, $3,001 median monthly owner cost, and 39.4% cost-burden rate.
View California's data row →Hawaii has the highest published burden estimate
The published point estimate is 39.7% of mortgaged Hawaii homeowners with computable income spending at least 30% of household income on selected owner costs.
View Hawaii's data row →Debt prevalence and cost are different measures
The District of Columbia has the highest published mortgage-share and median-cost point estimates, but its lower burden estimate places it outside the top five combined index positions.
View the District's data row →Nearly three in ten met the published burden threshold
In the published 2024 estimate, 29.4% of mortgaged owners with computable income had selected monthly owner costs equal to at least 30% of household income.
Review the national values →States with the highest combined pressure
The index is a descriptive research tool, not a recommendation or insurance score. It averages each jurisdiction's percentile rank across mortgage prevalence, median monthly mortgaged-owner costs, and the share of mortgaged owners paying at least 30% of income toward housing. Positions compare published point estimates; nearby positions should not be read as proof of a statistically significant difference.
How to read one row
California's index value of 96 is the average of its three relative percentile positions among 51 jurisdictions under this methodology. It is not 96%, a risk probability, an actuarial score, or an individual insurance recommendation. Read the index beside the three published point estimates and the margin-of-error limitation.
Open California's complete row →This seven-column table scrolls horizontally on smaller screens. Focus the table region and use the arrow keys to review hidden columns.
| Rank | Jurisdiction | Index | With mortgage | Median monthly cost | Cost-burdened | Full row |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 96 | 66.1% | $3,001 | 39.4% | View row |
| 2 | Colorado | 89 | 69% | $2,466 | 32% | View row |
| 3 | Hawaii | 87.3 | 60.7% | $2,937 | 39.7% | View row |
| 4 | Rhode Island | 86.7 | 65.6% | $2,262 | 34% | View row |
| 5 | New Jersey | 85.3 | 62.9% | $2,797 | 32% | View row |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 84.7 | 65.5% | $2,755 | 30.7% | View row |
| 7 | Washington | 83.3 | 65.1% | $2,519 | 30.9% | View row |
| 8 | Maryland | 80 | 70% | $2,389 | 28.2% | View row |
| 9 | Nevada | 79.3 | 65.3% | $2,008 | 33.1% | View row |
| 10 | District of Columbia | 78.7 | 74.3% | $3,181 | 25.7% | View row |
Complete state and district results
This seven-column table scrolls horizontally on smaller screens. Each jurisdiction also has a stable row link for citations and sharing.
| Rank | Jurisdiction | Index | Mortgaged owner households | With mortgage | Median monthly cost | Cost-burdened |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California # | 96 | 5,093,384 | 66.1% | $3,001 | 39.4% |
| 2 | Colorado # | 89 | 1,127,939 | 69% | $2,466 | 32% |
| 3 | Hawaii # | 87.3 | 184,501 | 60.7% | $2,937 | 39.7% |
| 4 | Rhode Island # | 86.7 | 186,736 | 65.6% | $2,262 | 34% |
| 5 | New Jersey # | 85.3 | 1,425,656 | 62.9% | $2,797 | 32% |
| 6 | Massachusetts # | 84.7 | 1,156,846 | 65.5% | $2,755 | 30.7% |
| 7 | Washington # | 83.3 | 1,297,548 | 65.1% | $2,519 | 30.9% |
| 8 | Maryland # | 80 | 1,139,840 | 70% | $2,389 | 28.2% |
| 9 | Nevada # | 79.3 | 486,194 | 65.3% | $2,008 | 33.1% |
| 10 | District of Columbia # | 78.7 | 100,134 | 74.3% | $3,181 | 25.7% |
| 11 | Oregon # | 78.7 | 697,580 | 63.4% | $2,234 | 31.4% |
| 12 | Connecticut # | 78.3 | 609,939 | 62.9% | $2,454 | 30.3% |
| 13 | New York # | 72.7 | 2,416,320 | 56.8% | $2,544 | 33.6% |
| 14 | Utah # | 71.3 | 560,729 | 68% | $2,143 | 27.6% |
| 15 | New Hampshire # | 67.3 | 250,792 | 60.6% | $2,399 | 28% |
| 16 | Virginia # | 66 | 1,522,866 | 65.8% | $2,149 | 26.4% |
| 17 | Georgia # | 65.3 | 1,755,812 | 62.7% | $1,909 | 28.8% |
| 18 | Florida # | 64.7 | 3,473,835 | 55.8% | $2,168 | 38.3% |
| 19 | Arizona # | 63.3 | 1,224,573 | 60.6% | $1,893 | 30.1% |
| 20 | Alaska # | 59.7 | 110,175 | 60.4% | $2,253 | 26.9% |
| 21 | Delaware # | 58.3 | 191,093 | 62.8% | $1,821 | 27.4% |
| 22 | Texas # | 58.3 | 3,958,949 | 55.5% | $2,211 | 30.8% |
| 23 | Vermont # | 54 | 120,869 | 57.8% | $1,893 | 28.6% |
| 24 | Illinois # | 53.7 | 2,060,729 | 59.7% | $1,994 | 27.3% |
| 25 | Minnesota # | 52.7 | 1,059,567 | 62.6% | $1,985 | 24.7% |
| 26 | Montana # | 52.7 | 173,999 | 54.1% | $1,878 | 32.2% |
| 27 | Idaho # | 52.3 | 325,019 | 60.4% | $1,769 | 28.1% |
| 28 | North Carolina # | 45.3 | 1,817,586 | 60.5% | $1,747 | 26.5% |
| 29 | Wyoming # | 43 | 97,188 | 52.9% | $1,815 | 30% |
| 30 | Maine # | 37.7 | 250,316 | 55.5% | $1,796 | 26.7% |
| 31 | South Carolina # | 37.3 | 916,190 | 57% | $1,627 | 27.4% |
| 32 | Nebraska # | 35.7 | 317,524 | 57.8% | $1,764 | 24.5% |
| 33 | Louisiana # | 35 | 651,366 | 51.8% | $1,650 | 30% |
| 34 | Pennsylvania # | 33.3 | 2,106,687 | 56.7% | $1,775 | 24.2% |
| 35 | Wisconsin # | 32.7 | 1,033,752 | 60% | $1,701 | 23.1% |
| 36 | Kansas # | 29.7 | 467,374 | 57% | $1,749 | 23.1% |
| 37 | Tennessee # | 29 | 1,105,878 | 56.5% | $1,637 | 25.4% |
| 38 | New Mexico # | 28.3 | 300,803 | 49.4% | $1,628 | 28% |
| 39 | Missouri # | 28 | 1,032,787 | 58.8% | $1,589 | 23.6% |
| 40 | Indiana # | 27.3 | 1,225,914 | 62.5% | $1,466 | 22.1% |
| 41 | South Dakota # | 24.7 | 142,522 | 54.6% | $1,739 | 24.1% |
| 42 | Ohio # | 24.3 | 2,000,980 | 59.7% | $1,563 | 22.6% |
| 43 | Oklahoma # | 23 | 567,767 | 53.9% | $1,606 | 25.6% |
| 44 | Michigan # | 22.3 | 1,716,123 | 56.5% | $1,573 | 24% |
| 45 | Iowa # | 20.7 | 556,765 | 58.1% | $1,538 | 21.2% |
| 46 | Alabama # | 19 | 781,925 | 53.5% | $1,500 | 25.6% |
| 47 | North Dakota # | 18 | 109,653 | 51.3% | $1,814 | 20.2% |
| 48 | Mississippi # | 14.7 | 401,890 | 48.4% | $1,448 | 26.2% |
| 49 | Kentucky # | 12.7 | 695,632 | 54.7% | $1,453 | 22.9% |
| 50 | Arkansas # | 8.7 | 438,657 | 52.4% | $1,375 | 23.1% |
| 51 | West Virginia # | 0 | 251,070 | 44.9% | $1,272 | 19.6% |
Methodology
Source and geography. U.S. Census Bureau 2024 American Community Survey 1-Year Table-Based Summary Files, detailed tables B25081, B25088, and B25091. The ranked output includes all 50 states and the District of Columbia; the national snapshot uses the United States summary row. Puerto Rico and other geography levels are excluded.
Field definitions and formulas
- Mortgage share:
B25081_E002 / B25081_E001 × 100, rounded to one decimal before ranking. - Median monthly owner cost: the published
B25088_E002whole-dollar median for housing units with a mortgage. Selected costs can include mortgage payments, real estate taxes, property insurance, utilities, and certain recurring fees as defined by the ACS. - Cost-burden share:
(B25091_E008 + B25091_E009 + B25091_E010 + B25091_E011) / (B25091_E002 − B25091_E012) × 100, rounded to one decimal. The numerator covers 30.0–34.9%, 35.0–39.9%, 40.0–49.9%, and 50.0% or more;B25091_E012is the not-computed category. - Pressure index: the unweighted mean of the three 0–100 jurisdiction percentile ranks, rounded to one decimal. Equal rounded input values receive the midpoint of their shared percentile positions; final ordering is by index descending and then jurisdiction name.
Uncertainty boundary
Every measure is a published ACS point estimate. The index does not incorporate ACS margins of error or run significance tests, so a higher position does not establish that one jurisdiction is statistically different from another. The Census Bureau advises data users to consider margins of error when comparing ACS estimates. The index also does not predict death, default, or insurance need.
Rebuild and verify this release
The public files below expose the calculation chain, exact source URLs, field definitions, formulas, tie handling, rounding, and SHA-256 checksums. With Node.js 22 or newer, run node 2026-mortgage-responsibility-rebuild.mjs --output-dir ./study-rebuild to fetch the fixed 2024 inputs and regenerate the CSV and methodology manifest.
- State results CSV — 51 ranked jurisdictions; SHA-256
834389219a73c977a1d9543877ab524e827cc23613e9e6b152e1cdc19b0386dc - Methodology and data dictionary — variables, formulas, checksums, geography, and limitations.
- Exact calculation script — the same source used to generate this release.
Limitations
- ACS estimates are survey estimates with margins of error; the index uses point estimates and does not test statistical significance.
- State-level medians do not describe every household or local market.
- Selected monthly owner costs are not the same as the mortgage payment alone.
- The study does not measure life-insurance ownership, policy quality, household savings, or individual suitability.
- The index is sensitive to the three equally weighted measures and should be read alongside the underlying values.
Sources
We prioritize regulators, government agencies, and primary consumer guidance. Links open the original source.
- 2024 ACS 1-Year Mortgage Status (B25081)U.S. Census Bureau · Accessed August 27, 2026
- 2024 ACS 1-Year Median Selected Monthly Owner Costs by Mortgage Status (B25088)U.S. Census Bureau · Accessed August 27, 2026
- 2024 ACS 1-Year Mortgage Status by Selected Monthly Owner Costs as a Percentage of Household Income (B25091)U.S. Census Bureau · Accessed August 27, 2026
- Do I Need to Consider Margins of Error When Comparing ACS Estimates?U.S. Census Bureau · Accessed August 27, 2026