By the numbers: The share of mortgage-free homes climbed from 35.7% to 39.8% in the past decade, per the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey one-year estimates.
States including West Virginia and Mississippi have higher shares, while California and Washington have lower shares.
What's next: Those who took out a pricey mortgage in recent years are paying close attention to current rates.
They're ready to shrink their monthly payments, according to Chen Zhao, head of economic research at Redfin.