Disclaimer: General educational research only — not legal, tax or financial advice. Figures are survey-based estimates with the limits explained in the methodology. Verify with official sources and a qualified professional before making decisions.
Estate Planning Data & Research → The Silver Tsunami Map: Where the Most Homes Will Change Hands in the Next 10 Years
About 12.5 million owner-occupied homes in the U.S. are headed by someone 75 or older. That’s 1 in every 7 owned homes in the country (14.4%). Widen it to everyone 65 and up and the count goes to 29.6 million homes, or about 1 in 3 (34.1%).
Those homes are worth about $13.8 trillion combined. That’s roughly a third (33.0%) of all the owner-occupied home value in the country, and every dollar of it will pass to someone else eventually: through a sale, a move to assisted living, or an inheritance.
We used the newest Census Bureau survey data to count these homes in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., plus every county. The goal is simple: show where the most homes are likely to change hands over the next decade, so families (and the people who serve them) can get ready.
A note on “next 10 years”: The Census doesn’t forecast home sales or deaths. We use the age of the householder as a plain signal. A home owned by someone 75 or older is far more likely to be sold, handed down, or left empty in the next decade than a home owned by a 45-year-old. We don’t predict exact numbers of transfers.
If an older parent owns a home, how it passes depends on their plan. A living trust can keep a home out of probate, and a will covers the rest. You can see whether you need a will, a living trust or both, or find your state’s will and trust rules.
Downloads
- State table CSV (ACS 2024 1-year, all 50 states + D.C.)
- County table CSV (ACS 2020-2024 5-year, all 3,144 counties)
Cite this page URL when reusing findings. Not a substitute for official sources or professional advice.
Key findings
Where the oldest homeowners make up the biggest share of owners (householder 75+):
- Hawaii: 21.5% of owner homes (±1.0 points)
- Florida: 18.8% (±0.2)
- Arizona: 16.8% (±0.4)
- New Mexico: 16.7% (±0.6)
- West Virginia: 16.1% (±0.5)
Where they make up the smallest share:
- Colorado: 11.6%
- South Dakota: 11.6%
- Texas: 11.6%
- Utah: 11.2%
- Alaska: 10.4%
The biggest raw numbers. California (1,180,893 homes, ±16,033) and Florida (1,166,645, ±13,065) each have well over a million homes owned by someone 75 or older. Their margins of error overlap, so treat them as tied. Texas (826,469), New York (673,350) and Pennsylvania (539,295) round out the top five. California, Florida and Texas together hold about a quarter (25.5%) of all 75+ owner homes in the country.
The dollars. Owners 65 and older hold about $2.69 trillion in home value in California, $1.27 trillion in Florida and $919 billion in New York. In Hawaii, owners 65+ hold 45.1% of all owner-occupied home value in the state, the highest share anywhere. New Mexico (40.4%), Delaware (39.7%), Florida (39.6%) and Wyoming (38.4%) come next.
Even the “youngest” states are older than you’d think. Utah has the lowest share in the country, and still more than 1 in 4 of its owner homes (26.9%) has a householder 65 or older. In 33 states, the share is over one-third.
By county, Florida leads. Among counties with at least 10,000 owner-occupied homes, Sumter County, Florida (home to The Villages) stands out: 38.5% of owner homes there have a householder 75 or older. Twelve of the top 25 counties are in Florida. Outside Florida, the highest shares are in Kerr County, Texas (24.6%), Transylvania County, North Carolina (24.1%), Talbot County, Maryland (24.0%) and Jefferson County, Washington (23.5%). By sheer count, Los Angeles County leads with 225,885 homes owned by someone 75+.
Full state table (all 50 states + D.C.)
Sorted by the share of owner-occupied homes with a householder age 75 or older. Numbers in parentheses are the Census Bureau’s 90% margins of error. “Home value held by 65+ owners” is the Census aggregate value of all homes owned by householders 65+ (table B25079). Data: ACS 2024 1-year.
| Rank | State | Owner homes, householder 75+ | Share of all owner homes (75+) | Owner homes, householder 65+ | Share (65+) | Home value held by 65+ owners | Median value, 65+ owner home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 65,438 (±3,357) | 21.5% | 138,480 | 45.5% | $143.3B | $894,800 |
| 2 | Florida | 1,166,645 (±13,065) | 18.8% | 2,502,458 | 40.2% | $1,266.5B | $376,300 |
| 3 | Arizona | 338,764 (±8,158) | 16.8% | 760,938 | 37.6% | $358.5B | $401,500 |
| 4 | New Mexico | 101,848 (±3,867) | 16.7% | 233,919 | 38.4% | $80.6B | $284,500 |
| 5 | West Virginia | 89,885 (±3,324) | 16.1% | 211,051 | 37.7% | $43.4B | $162,300 |
| 6 | Delaware | 48,591 (±2,909) | 16.0% | 119,838 | 39.4% | $50.8B | $377,900 |
| 7 | New York | 673,350 (±12,326) | 15.8% | 1,534,418 | 36.1% | $918.7B | $428,500 |
| 8 | Vermont | 32,533 (±1,631) | 15.6% | 77,084 | 36.9% | $30.4B | $344,700 |
| 9 | Maine | 69,436 (±2,933) | 15.4% | 169,024 | 37.5% | $68.5B | $339,800 |
| 10 | California | 1,180,893 (±16,033) | 15.3% | 2,723,823 | 35.4% | $2,688.0B | $757,200 |
| 11 | Arkansas | 127,061 (±3,906) | 15.2% | 289,630 | 34.6% | $70.4B | $199,300 |
| 12 | Oregon | 166,754 (±4,744) | 15.2% | 405,630 | 36.9% | $222.3B | $479,900 |
| 13 | Montana | 48,717 (±2,343) | 15.1% | 122,484 | 38.1% | $63.0B | $404,800 |
| 14 | Nevada | 112,330 (±4,108) | 15.1% | 255,659 | 34.3% | $135.9B | $446,700 |
| 15 | Alabama | 218,498 (±5,505) | 14.9% | 511,809 | 35.0% | $139.2B | $219,700 |
| 16 | Connecticut | 144,349 (±4,606) | 14.9% | 333,738 | 34.4% | $168.1B | $382,600 |
| 17 | Mississippi | 123,215 (±3,873) | 14.8% | 289,698 | 34.9% | $61.5B | $169,500 |
| 18 | South Carolina | 237,634 (±5,797) | 14.8% | 567,352 | 35.3% | $222.3B | $288,200 |
| 19 | New Jersey | 331,347 (±7,404) | 14.6% | 772,202 | 34.1% | $415.3B | $459,800 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | 256,800 (±6,622) | 14.6% | 601,743 | 34.1% | $417.0B | $574,100 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | 539,295 (±9,134) | 14.5% | 1,311,060 | 35.3% | $406.5B | $259,600 |
| 22 | Michigan | 434,541 (±6,121) | 14.3% | 1,048,201 | 34.5% | $302.5B | $242,500 |
| 23 | Missouri | 250,067 (±5,244) | 14.2% | 593,617 | 33.8% | $166.7B | $242,800 |
| 24 | Ohio | 476,369 (±8,560) | 14.2% | 1,149,505 | 34.3% | $305.3B | $223,200 |
| 25 | Illinois | 486,369 (±8,213) | 14.1% | 1,142,949 | 33.1% | $356.7B | $260,000 |
| 26 | Tennessee | 275,703 (±6,640) | 14.1% | 658,032 | 33.6% | $257.4B | $308,400 |
| 27 | North Carolina | 423,001 (±7,760) | 14.1% | 1,008,177 | 33.5% | $380.6B | $306,000 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | 40,005 (±2,760) | 14.1% | 98,046 | 34.4% | $56.5B | $457,700 |
| 29 | Kentucky | 177,846 (±4,930) | 14.0% | 429,664 | 33.8% | $106.4B | $207,700 |
| 30 | Louisiana | 176,109 (±5,413) | 14.0% | 427,071 | 33.9% | $106.9B | $206,100 |
| 31 | Virginia | 322,733 (±6,068) | 13.9% | 768,139 | 33.2% | $352.5B | $371,800 |
| 32 | District of Columbia | 18,459 (±1,841) | 13.7% | 38,465 | 28.5% | $35.3B | $760,500 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | 143,841 (±3,463) | 13.7% | 347,660 | 33.0% | $88.8B | $208,400 |
| 34 | New Hampshire | 56,343 (±2,853) | 13.6% | 147,108 | 35.5% | $75.2B | $437,400 |
| 35 | Wyoming | 24,974 (±2,078) | 13.6% | 64,863 | 35.3% | $33.3B | $320,000 |
| 36 | Idaho | 73,053 (±2,883) | 13.6% | 179,888 | 33.4% | $91.6B | $439,300 |
| 37 | Nebraska | 74,035 (±3,164) | 13.5% | 177,242 | 32.3% | $49.5B | $248,400 |
| 38 | Iowa | 128,735 (±3,436) | 13.4% | 312,957 | 32.7% | $78.3B | $214,800 |
| 39 | Indiana | 263,386 (±5,914) | 13.4% | 636,660 | 32.4% | $168.4B | $224,700 |
| 40 | Maryland | 216,133 (±5,799) | 13.3% | 525,534 | 32.3% | $257.6B | $411,600 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | 226,821 (±4,982) | 13.2% | 575,738 | 33.4% | $191.7B | $284,000 |
| 42 | Kansas | 107,369 (±3,249) | 13.1% | 269,975 | 32.9% | $73.7B | $223,700 |
| 43 | Washington | 258,918 (±6,844) | 13.0% | 660,384 | 33.1% | $453.3B | $568,900 |
| 44 | North Dakota | 26,686 (±1,851) | 12.5% | 66,520 | 31.1% | $17.3B | $234,400 |
| 45 | Georgia | 347,739 (±6,413) | 12.4% | 862,147 | 30.8% | $323.0B | $316,300 |
| 46 | Minnesota | 206,471 (±4,484) | 12.2% | 522,925 | 30.9% | $193.7B | $326,400 |
| 47 | Colorado | 190,336 (±5,334) | 11.6% | 491,905 | 30.1% | $335.8B | $556,500 |
| 48 | South Dakota | 30,296 (±1,840) | 11.6% | 82,856 | 31.7% | $24.7B | $269,500 |
| 49 | Texas | 826,469 (±13,317) | 11.6% | 2,071,359 | 29.0% | $747.4B | $283,900 |
| 50 | Utah | 92,370 (±3,712) | 11.2% | 222,059 | 26.9% | $135.0B | $519,500 |
| 51 | Alaska | 18,972 (±1,651) | 10.4% | 54,021 | 29.6% | $22.0B | $359,000 |
| — | United States | 12,467,532 | 14.4% | 29,565,705 | 34.1% | $13,757.5B | $339,600 |
Top counties
County figures come from the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, which cover every county but blend five years of surveys. Full results for all 3,144 counties are in the download.
Most homes with a householder 75+ (count):
| # | County | Owner homes, householder 75+ | Share of county owner homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles County, California | 225,885 (±3,243) | 14.4% (±0.2) |
| 2 | Cook County, Illinois | 163,207 (±2,794) | 13.5% (±0.2) |
| 3 | Maricopa County, Arizona | 153,208 (±2,514) | 13.6% (±0.2) |
| 4 | Palm Beach County, Florida | 99,297 (±2,217) | 23.4% (±0.5) |
| 5 | Harris County, Texas | 93,544 (±2,090) | 9.7% (±0.2) |
| 6 | San Diego County, California | 91,243 (±1,622) | 14.3% (±0.2) |
| 7 | Orange County, California | 90,914 (±1,990) | 14.9% (±0.3) |
| 8 | Miami-Dade County, Florida | 76,046 (±2,077) | 14.9% (±0.4) |
| 9 | Riverside County, California | 74,043 (±1,900) | 13.8% (±0.3) |
| 10 | Broward County, Florida | 73,243 (±2,038) | 15.3% (±0.4) |
| 11 | Clark County, Nevada | 63,696 (±1,453) | 12.8% (±0.3) |
| 12 | Queens County, New York | 61,613 (±1,681) | 16.3% (±0.4) |
| 13 | Wayne County, Michigan | 61,355 (±1,575) | 13.5% (±0.3) |
| 14 | Pinellas County, Florida | 59,511 (±1,653) | 20.0% (±0.5) |
| 15 | Suffolk County, New York | 59,457 (±1,515) | 14.1% (±0.3) |
Highest share of owner homes with a householder 75+ (counties with 10,000+ owner homes):
| # | County | Owner homes, householder 75+ | Share of county owner homes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sumter County, Florida | 23,737 (±897) | 38.5% (±1.2) |
| 2 | Highlands County, Florida | 11,040 (±690) | 30.0% (±1.7) |
| 3 | Collier County, Florida | 36,127 (±1,445) | 28.4% (±1.0) |
| 4 | Sarasota County, Florida | 45,385 (±1,209) | 27.9% (±0.7) |
| 5 | Charlotte County, Florida | 20,955 (±836) | 27.6% (±1.0) |
| 6 | Martin County, Florida | 14,506 (±741) | 26.9% (±1.3) |
| 7 | Citrus County, Florida | 15,483 (±831) | 25.5% (±1.3) |
| 8 | Indian River County, Florida | 14,444 (±644) | 25.5% (±1.0) |
| 9 | Kerr County, Texas | 3,910 (±306) | 24.6% (±1.7) |
| 10 | Transylvania County, North Carolina | 2,626 (±253) | 24.1% (±2.1) |
| 11 | Talbot County, Maryland | 2,965 (±338) | 24.0% (±2.6) |
| 12 | Marion County, Florida | 30,256 (±1,173) | 23.7% (±0.9) |
| 13 | Jefferson County, Washington | 3,041 (±256) | 23.5% (±1.8) |
| 14 | Palm Beach County, Florida | 99,297 (±2,217) | 23.4% (±0.5) |
| 15 | Manatee County, Florida | 30,521 (±1,096) | 23.2% (±0.8) |
What this means for families
A house is often the biggest thing a parent owns, and it’s also the thing most likely to get stuck in court after they die. A bank account can have a beneficiary listed on it. A house usually can’t, unless someone set that up ahead of time. If no plan is in place, the house often has to go through probate, the court process for settling an estate. That can take months, cost money, and leave a house sitting empty while bills keep coming. See how probate works and probate costs by state.
If your parents (or you) own a home and are in their 70s or older, here are the plain options to talk about:
- A will. A will says who gets the house, but on its own it doesn’t keep the house out of probate. It’s still the starting point. See will vs. trust and what a will costs.
- A transfer-on-death (TOD) deed. Many states, but not all, let an owner record a deed that passes the house straight to a named person at death, without probate. It costs little and can usually be changed. Check whether your state allows it and how it works with other plans in our avoiding probate guide. (California families: see the California TOD deed guide. Florida uses a similar tool called a Lady Bird deed.)
- A living trust. A revocable living trust can hold the house so a successor trustee can sell it or hand it down without court. It costs more up front, and it only works if the house is actually moved into the trust. See living trusts, funding your trust and what a living trust costs.
- Don’t count on a small-estate affidavit for the house. Most states have a shortcut for small estates, but in most of them it either can’t be used for real estate or has no clear real-estate dollar limit. In the four states where we could compare (California, Florida, Nebraska and Oregon), a typical home was worth about 2.4 to 10.6 times the limit. Details are in small-estate procedures vs. home values. See also our small estate affidavit guide.
- Think about long-term care and Medicaid. If a parent may need nursing home care paid for by Medicaid, the state may later try to recover costs from the estate, and the house is often the main asset. See Medicaid estate recovery by state.
- Have the talk. The paperwork is the easy part. Knowing what your parents want, who has the keys, and where the deed is matters just as much. Our guide to the family conversation can help you start.
If you live in one of the states near the top of this list, you’re not alone: a large share of your neighbors are dealing with the same questions right now.
Related data from Family Estate Guide
- States where your heirs will inherit the most home value
- The probate lawyer gap: where seniors have the fewest lawyers
- Small-estate procedures vs. home values
- All estate planning data
Related research: property tax after inheritance shows what homeowners pay in each state and what the rules say when a home is inherited.
Methodology
Source. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), downloaded through the Census Data API on October 1, 2026.
- States and U.S.: ACS 2024 1-year estimates (the newest single-year release; the 2025 1-year release has been delayed by the Census Bureau and was not available when we pulled the data).
- Table B25007, Tenure by Age of Householder (owner-occupied homes by householder age: 65-74, 75-84, 85+). https://api.census.gov/data/2024/acs/acs1?get=NAME,group(B25007)&for=state:*
- Table B25079, Aggregate Value (Dollars) by Age of Householder (variable B25079_005E, householder 65+). https://api.census.gov/data/2024/acs/acs1?get=NAME,group(B25079)&for=state:*
- Subject table S0103, Population 65 Years and Over (variable S0103_C02_098E, median value of owner-occupied homes with a householder 65+). https://api.census.gov/data/2024/acs/acs1/subject?get=NAME,group(S0103)&for=state:*
- Counties: ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, tables B25007 and B25079. https://api.census.gov/data/2024/acs/acs5?get=NAME,group(B25007)&for=county:*
How we calculated it.
- Owner homes, 75+ = B25007_010 + B25007_011 (householder 75-84 plus 85+). 65+ adds B25007_009 (65-74).
- Share = those counts divided by all owner-occupied homes (B25007_002).
- Margins of error are 90% Census MOEs; for sums we used the Census-recommended root-sum-of-squares method, and for shares the Census proportion formula.
- Home value held by 65+ owners is B25079_005 (aggregate value, householder 65+). The “share of home value” compares that with B25079_001 (all owner homes).
- Puerto Rico is excluded from the state ranking. Kalawao County, Hawaii (no owner-occupied homes) has no share. Aggregate value is not published for 471 small counties in the 5-year file; those cells are left blank, not zero.
Important limits.
- “Householder” is the person (or one of the people) in whose name the home is owned. A home counted as “75+” may have a younger spouse or co-owner living there.
- Home values are what owners told the Census their home would sell for. They’re estimates, not appraisals, and they don’t subtract any mortgage.
- The data counts homes people live in. Vacation homes, rentals they own and vacant homes are not included.
- These are survey estimates. States whose margins of error overlap are statistically tied.
Download the data: the state table (all states + D.C.) and county table (all counties) CSVs are in the Downloads section above.
FAQ
How many homes in the U.S. are owned by someone 75 or older?
About 12.5 million owner-occupied homes (12,467,532) had a householder 75 or older in 2024, per the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. That’s 14.4% of all owner-occupied homes.
Which state has the oldest homeowners?
Hawaii, by share: 21.5% of owner-occupied homes there have a householder 75+, and 45.5% have one 65+. Florida is second (18.8% and 40.2%). By raw count, California and Florida are effectively tied at about 1.17 to 1.18 million homes each.
Does this mean these homes will be sold soon?
Not necessarily. Some will be sold, some will be passed to children, and many owners will stay in their homes for years. The age of the owner is just a signal of where the most change is likely over the next decade.
What’s the simplest way to keep a parent’s house out of probate?
It depends on the state. Options include a transfer-on-death deed (where allowed), a living trust, or joint ownership with right of survivorship, and each has tradeoffs. Start with our avoiding probate guide and talk with a local estate-planning lawyer.
Is a home worth more than the small-estate limit in most states?
Usually the question doesn’t even come up: in most states the simplified procedure either excludes real estate or has no clear real-estate limit. Where a comparison was possible, the typical home was well above the limit. See small-estate procedures vs. home values.
Cite this data
Family Estate Guide, “The Silver Tsunami Map: Where the Most Homes Will Change Hands in the Next 10 Years,” October 2026, analysis of U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates (tables B25007, B25079, S0103). https://familyestateguide.com/estate-planning-data/silver-tsunami-homes-by-state/
Journalists and bloggers are welcome to use these figures with a link back to this page.
Published October 1, 2026. Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year (states); 2020-2024 5-year (counties). Editorial standards.