Feb 15, 2024 - Economy
Exclusive: Race gaps in home values, mapped
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The typical value of U.S. homes with Black owners ($291,000) is 18% less than the typical value of homes with white owners ($354,000), per data Zillow exclusively shared with Axios.
Why it matters: Homeownership remains the biggest driver of the wealth gap, per the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The big picture: This value gap is widest in Birmingham, Alabama; Detroit; St. Louis; Bridgeport, Connecticut; and Buffalo, New York.
- McAllen, Texas, is the only metro where the typical value of homes with Black owners is higher than that of homes with white owners.
What they're saying: Black owners seeing their homes appraising for less than those of their white counterparts isn't new. "It's no longer a myth or legend that this happens," HUD chief of staff Julienne Joseph tells Axios.
- The majority of the appraiser work force is white, and it's often difficult to report appraisal discrimination, though new policies are aimed at addressing both of those hurdles, Joseph says.
