Missouri home ownership has risen since 2000 with more than seven out of ten homes being owned by their occupants in 2006. Home ownership in Missouri outranks the national average and all but one of the border states.

Among its border states, Missouri tied Kentucky with a 70.7 percent home ownership rate in 2006. Only Iowa (73.3 %) had higher home ownership. Trailing Missouri is Illinois, Kansas, and Tennessee, all at 69.9 percent.  
 
 

The percent of Missouri home ownership equaled or outpaced national averages every year from 2000 to 2006. After a downturn in home ownership in 2003 and 2004, Missouri rebounded to 70.7 percent homeownership by 2006, its highest percentage during the period and higher than the national average by 3.4 percent.
 

 

Missouri counties surveyed in 2005 and 2006 include some of the larger counties in the state. Jefferson County had the highest percentage of home ownership with 84.9 percent, followed by St. Charles County (81.1%). Others which ranked high included Cass (79.6), Franklin (76.5), and Clay (75.3). Among the lowest home ownership counties include Boone (59%) and St. Louis City (50.4).