Disclaimer: General educational research only — not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules differ by state and by family. Talk to an estate planning attorney in your state before you act.
Estate Planning Data & Research → Senior Renters Who Still Need a Will
“I don’t own a house, so I don’t need a will” is one of the most common reasons people give for skipping estate planning. Census data shows how many older Americans that reasoning could apply to: 8,039,021 households headed by someone 65 or older rent their home. A renter can still leave a bank account, a retirement account, a car, personal belongings, digital accounts and, in some families, minor grandchildren who need a guardian. Without a will, state intestacy law decides who gets those things.
This page shows senior renter households in every state and D.C., by age group, from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
Owning a home isn’t the test for whether you need a will. If you’re deciding what kind of plan fits a renter’s estate, compare a trust and a will.
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Cite this page URL when reusing findings. Not a substitute for official sources or professional advice.
Key findings
- 8,039,021 households headed by someone 65 or older rent their home (21.4% of all 37,604,726 households with a householder 65+), according to the Census ACS 2024 1-year (table B25007).
- 1,120,694 renter households are headed by someone 85 or older. Another 2,441,983 are headed by someone 75 to 84.
- Renting is most common among older householders in District of Columbia (37.8%), New York (33.8%), Rhode Island (28.4%). It is least common in Utah (14.1%), Wyoming (14.8%), West Virginia (14.9%).
- Older householders rent less than the population overall. 34.7% of all U.S. households rent, compared with 21.4% of households headed by someone 65 or older.
Senior renter households by state
| State | Renter households 65+ | Owner households 65+ | Share of 65+ households renting (%) | Renter households 85+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 99,723 | 511,809 | 16.3 | 11,927 |
| Alaska | 12,621 | 54,021 | 18.9 | 790 |
| Arizona | 156,708 | 760,938 | 17.1 | 23,797 |
| Arkansas | 70,671 | 289,630 | 19.6 | 7,718 |
| California | 989,342 | 2,723,823 | 26.6 | 117,611 |
| Colorado | 119,546 | 491,905 | 19.6 | 18,105 |
| Connecticut | 112,658 | 333,738 | 25.2 | 17,884 |
| Delaware | 21,337 | 119,838 | 15.1 | 3,180 |
| District of Columbia | 23,347 | 38,465 | 37.8 | 2,019 |
| Florida | 517,683 | 2,502,458 | 17.1 | 73,721 |
| Georgia | 205,686 | 862,147 | 19.3 | 22,869 |
| Hawaii | 35,915 | 138,480 | 20.6 | 3,783 |
| Idaho | 32,033 | 179,888 | 15.1 | 4,065 |
| Illinois | 291,931 | 1,142,949 | 20.3 | 44,292 |
| Indiana | 142,295 | 636,660 | 18.3 | 20,313 |
| Iowa | 67,888 | 312,957 | 17.8 | 15,448 |
| Kansas | 69,533 | 269,975 | 20.5 | 12,909 |
| Kentucky | 98,450 | 429,664 | 18.6 | 11,581 |
| Louisiana | 102,063 | 427,071 | 19.3 | 10,209 |
| Maine | 39,210 | 169,024 | 18.8 | 6,774 |
| Maryland | 152,340 | 525,534 | 22.5 | 20,886 |
| Massachusetts | 221,750 | 601,743 | 26.9 | 30,122 |
| Michigan | 221,263 | 1,048,201 | 17.4 | 34,139 |
| Minnesota | 134,314 | 522,925 | 20.4 | 29,232 |
| Mississippi | 55,120 | 289,698 | 16.0 | 3,719 |
| Missouri | 150,873 | 593,617 | 20.3 | 23,080 |
| Montana | 25,105 | 122,484 | 17.0 | 4,516 |
| Nebraska | 48,828 | 177,242 | 21.6 | 8,986 |
| Nevada | 83,704 | 255,659 | 24.7 | 7,920 |
| New Hampshire | 37,609 | 147,108 | 20.4 | 6,719 |
| New Jersey | 255,416 | 772,202 | 24.9 | 37,798 |
| New Mexico | 43,238 | 233,919 | 15.6 | 5,252 |
| New York | 784,901 | 1,534,418 | 33.8 | 99,734 |
| North Carolina | 239,835 | 1,008,177 | 19.2 | 31,312 |
| North Dakota | 24,395 | 66,520 | 26.8 | 5,159 |
| Ohio | 303,028 | 1,149,505 | 20.9 | 40,812 |
| Oklahoma | 90,093 | 347,660 | 20.6 | 11,398 |
| Oregon | 116,528 | 405,630 | 22.3 | 20,952 |
| Pennsylvania | 359,312 | 1,311,060 | 21.5 | 61,945 |
| Rhode Island | 38,926 | 98,046 | 28.4 | 4,826 |
| South Carolina | 100,509 | 567,352 | 15.0 | 12,953 |
| South Dakota | 24,398 | 82,856 | 22.7 | 4,741 |
| Tennessee | 145,132 | 658,032 | 18.1 | 16,515 |
| Texas | 542,944 | 2,071,359 | 20.8 | 68,060 |
| Utah | 36,420 | 222,059 | 14.1 | 5,728 |
| Vermont | 16,198 | 77,084 | 17.4 | 2,496 |
| Virginia | 189,679 | 768,139 | 19.8 | 26,349 |
| Washington | 176,521 | 660,384 | 21.1 | 30,194 |
| West Virginia | 36,829 | 211,051 | 14.9 | 5,140 |
| Wisconsin | 163,950 | 575,738 | 22.2 | 29,594 |
| Wyoming | 11,223 | 64,863 | 14.8 | 1,422 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year estimates, table B25007 (tenure by age of householder). Households, not people.
Why renters still need a plan
- Accounts still have to go somewhere. Checking and savings accounts, CDs and brokerage accounts without a named beneficiary go through probate. See money that skips the will for which assets avoid probate.
- Small estates still need paperwork. Many states have a simplified process below a dollar threshold, but someone still has to sign it. See small estate limits by state.
- Someone has to handle the lease and belongings. A named executor can deal with a landlord, a security deposit and personal property. See who will be your executor.
- Incapacity matters as much as death. A durable power of attorney and a health care directive let someone you choose act for you. See the incapacity gap.
Related: older adults living alone · the intestacy gap · cost of dying without a will by state
Methodology
Households by tenure (owner or renter) and age of householder from the Census ACS 2024 1-year estimates, table B25007, pulled from the Census API on Oct. 12, 2026. “65+” sums the 65-74, 75-84 and 85+ age groups. Figures are survey estimates with margins of error, which are larger for small states. Puerto Rico is excluded.
What this doesn’t measure. How many renters have a will, the value of what they own, or whether a spouse or partner lives in the household.
Frequently asked questions
Do renters need a will?
Usually, yes. A will names who receives your belongings and accounts that don’t have a beneficiary, and names an executor. It can also name a guardian for minor children.
What happens if a renter dies without a will?
State intestacy law decides who inherits. A court may need to appoint someone to handle the estate, including the lease and belongings.
How many seniors rent?
8,039,021 households headed by someone 65 or older rent, about 21.4% of such households (ACS 2024).
Is this legal advice?
No. An estate planning attorney can tell you what your state requires.
Sources
Public-domain government sources only. Fetched 2026-10-12.
Data
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, table B25007 (Tenure by Age of Householder), states, D.C. and U.S.: https://api.census.gov/data/2024/acs/acs1/groups/B25007.html
Cite this data
Family Estate Guide, “Renters Over 65 Who Still Need a Will: Senior Renter Households by State,” October 2026. https://familyestateguide.com/estate-planning-data/senior-renters-need-a-will/
You’re welcome to reuse the table with a link back to this page. The underlying government data is public.
Published October 12, 2026 by Family Estate Guide. Data vintage: Census ACS 2024 1-year (released Sept. 2026). Editorial standards.