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 → Paid-Off Homes by State
For many families the largest thing an older parent leaves is a house with no mortgage. Census data shows how common that is: 18,833,872 homeowners 65 and older own their home free and clear. Another 10,731,833 still carry a mortgage or home equity loan. Both situations shape what heirs actually receive, and how the house should be titled or placed in a plan.
This page shows mortgage-free and mortgaged homeowners age 65+ in every state and D.C.
A house owned outright is often the asset where the choice between a will and a living trust matters most. See how a trust and a will differ.
Downloads
Cite this page URL when reusing findings. Not a substitute for official sources or professional advice.
Key findings
- 18,833,872 owner households headed by someone 65+ have no mortgage (63.7%), and 10,731,833 (36.3%) have one, according to the Census ACS 2024 1-year (table B25027).
- Among owners 75 and older, 8,970,690 are mortgage-free, compared with 3,496,842 who still have a mortgage.
- Mortgage-free ownership among older homeowners is highest in North Dakota (81.7%), West Virginia (76.8%), South Dakota (75.1%), and lowest in District of Columbia (51.5%), Nevada (52.4%), California (52.9%).
- Across all ages, 40.3% of owner-occupied homes have no mortgage. Older owners are far more likely to own outright.
Mortgage status of homeowners 65+ by state
| State | Owners 65+ with no mortgage | Owners 65+ with a mortgage | Share of 65+ owners mortgage-free (%) | Share of all owners mortgage-free (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 345,117 | 166,692 | 67.4 | 46.5 |
| Alaska | 35,113 | 18,908 | 65.0 | 39.6 |
| Arizona | 452,342 | 308,596 | 59.4 | 39.4 |
| Arkansas | 204,257 | 85,373 | 70.5 | 47.6 |
| California | 1,440,743 | 1,283,080 | 52.9 | 33.9 |
| Colorado | 279,732 | 212,173 | 56.9 | 31.0 |
| Connecticut | 205,157 | 128,581 | 61.5 | 37.1 |
| Delaware | 68,239 | 51,599 | 56.9 | 37.2 |
| District of Columbia | 19,823 | 18,642 | 51.5 | 25.7 |
| Florida | 1,615,641 | 886,817 | 64.6 | 44.2 |
| Georgia | 517,181 | 344,966 | 60.0 | 37.3 |
| Hawaii | 76,866 | 61,614 | 55.5 | 39.3 |
| Idaho | 114,237 | 65,651 | 63.5 | 39.6 |
| Illinois | 740,469 | 402,480 | 64.8 | 40.3 |
| Indiana | 398,960 | 237,700 | 62.7 | 37.5 |
| Iowa | 224,834 | 88,123 | 71.8 | 41.9 |
| Kansas | 188,037 | 81,938 | 69.6 | 43.0 |
| Kentucky | 297,931 | 131,733 | 69.3 | 45.3 |
| Louisiana | 308,089 | 118,982 | 72.1 | 48.2 |
| Maine | 114,245 | 54,779 | 67.6 | 44.5 |
| Maryland | 280,021 | 245,513 | 53.3 | 30.0 |
| Massachusetts | 364,521 | 237,222 | 60.6 | 34.5 |
| Michigan | 697,871 | 350,330 | 66.6 | 43.5 |
| Minnesota | 345,448 | 177,477 | 66.1 | 37.4 |
| Mississippi | 214,817 | 74,881 | 74.2 | 51.6 |
| Missouri | 387,203 | 206,414 | 65.2 | 41.2 |
| Montana | 85,147 | 37,337 | 69.5 | 45.9 |
| Nebraska | 126,334 | 50,908 | 71.3 | 42.2 |
| Nevada | 133,936 | 121,723 | 52.4 | 34.7 |
| New Hampshire | 95,493 | 51,615 | 64.9 | 39.4 |
| New Jersey | 476,296 | 295,906 | 61.7 | 37.1 |
| New Mexico | 160,132 | 73,787 | 68.5 | 50.6 |
| New York | 1,011,100 | 523,318 | 65.9 | 43.2 |
| North Carolina | 627,073 | 381,104 | 62.2 | 39.5 |
| North Dakota | 54,318 | 12,202 | 81.7 | 48.7 |
| Ohio | 738,318 | 411,187 | 64.2 | 40.3 |
| Oklahoma | 246,163 | 101,497 | 70.8 | 46.1 |
| Oregon | 234,865 | 170,765 | 57.9 | 36.6 |
| Pennsylvania | 901,302 | 409,758 | 68.7 | 43.3 |
| Rhode Island | 57,612 | 40,434 | 58.8 | 34.4 |
| South Carolina | 360,201 | 207,151 | 63.5 | 43.0 |
| South Dakota | 62,239 | 20,617 | 75.1 | 45.4 |
| Tennessee | 445,705 | 212,327 | 67.7 | 43.5 |
| Texas | 1,455,989 | 615,370 | 70.3 | 44.5 |
| Utah | 138,232 | 83,827 | 62.3 | 32.0 |
| Vermont | 51,262 | 25,822 | 66.5 | 42.2 |
| Virginia | 449,786 | 318,353 | 58.6 | 34.2 |
| Washington | 390,474 | 269,910 | 59.1 | 34.9 |
| West Virginia | 162,132 | 48,919 | 76.8 | 55.1 |
| Wisconsin | 386,739 | 188,999 | 67.2 | 40.0 |
| Wyoming | 46,130 | 18,733 | 71.1 | 47.1 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year estimates, table B25027 (mortgage status by age of householder). Owner-occupied housing units.
What this means if you’re planning
- A paid-off house usually still goes through probate if it’s titled in one person’s name with no transfer-on-death deed or trust. See trusts by state.
- A mortgage doesn’t disappear at death. Heirs who want to keep the house need a plan for the payments. See reverse mortgage heirs for a related case.
- Medicaid can reach the house later. See Medicaid estate recovery by state.
- Taxes still apply. See property tax after inheritance and step-up in basis.
Related: inherited home value by state · silver tsunami homes by state
Related research: mobile homes owned by seniors by state counts 1,862,323 homeowners 65+ in a mobile home and the heir rules in several states.
Methodology
Census ACS 2024 1-year estimates, table B25027, pulled from the Census API on Oct. 12, 2026. “With a mortgage” includes homes with a mortgage, contract to purchase or similar debt, including home equity loans, as defined by the Census Bureau. “65+” sums the 65-74 and 75+ groups. Survey estimates have margins of error. Puerto Rico is excluded.
What this doesn’t measure. Home values, how the home is titled, or whether a reverse mortgage is in place.
Frequently asked questions
How many seniors own their home free and clear?
18,833,872 owner households headed by someone 65 or older have no mortgage, 63.7% of older owners (ACS 2024).
Does a paid-off home avoid probate?
Not by itself. Ownership type, a transfer-on-death deed where allowed, or a living trust decides whether the house goes through probate.
What happens to a mortgage when the owner dies?
The loan stays attached to the house. Heirs can usually keep paying it, refinance or sell.
Is this legal advice?
No. Talk to an estate planning attorney about how your home is titled.
Sources
Public-domain government sources only. Fetched 2026-10-12.
Data
- U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year, table B25027 (Mortgage Status by Age of Householder): https://api.census.gov/data/2024/acs/acs1/groups/B25027.html
Cite this data
Family Estate Guide, “Paid-Off Homes: Free-and-Clear Ownership Among Americans 65+, by State,” October 2026. https://familyestateguide.com/estate-planning-data/paid-off-homes-by-state/
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.