FICO Consumer Study: Most Americans Who Don’t Own a Home Say Homeownership Feels Out of Reach

FICO's Homeownership Survey shows that 74% of prospective buyers report being financially blocked from buying a home this year amid current interest rates and rising home prices

BOZEMAN, Mont.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul. 7, 2026-- FICO (NYSE:FICO), global analytics software leader, today announced the results of the FICO Homeownership Survey, a new study that uncovers the financial barriers, knowledge opportunities and behavioral shifts impacting prospective homebuyers (defined as Americans who plan to buy a home in the next 12 months). From high home prices and rising interest rates, prospective buyers - especially first-time homebuyers - are facing multiple financial and economic stressors and as a result, report struggling to unlock their dreams of homeownership.

The research, conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of FICO, also found that prospective homebuyers are eager for tools and financial education to help them feel more prepared to enter the market.

"Buying a home is one of the most significant financial decisions a person can make, yet for many Americans, rising home prices and interest rates are putting that goal further out of reach," said Jenelle Dito, vice president of consumer empowerment and partnership at FICO. "These economic pressures aren't just discouraging buyers - they're fundamentally changing how Americans plan and prepare for this milestone. Prospective buyers, especially those entering the market for the first time, are delaying plans, adjusting expectations and navigating a process that many find confusing."

Key findings from the FICO Homeownership Survey include:

• Homeownership Feels Out of Reach for Most Americans Who Don't Own a Home: Americans most commonly say owning a home represents independence (57%) and financial stability (53%), while first-time homebuyers (defined as those who have never owned a home) most commonly see it as achieving a major life milestone (49%). Yet despite these aspirations, 62% of Americans who don't currently own a home - and 57% of first-time homebuyers - say homeownership feels out of reach for them today. Just 15% of Americans plan to buy a home in the next 12 months.

• High Home Prices and Interest Rates Are the Top Barriers: Three quarters (74%) of prospective homebuyers, and 85% of first-time homebuyers, say financial obstacles have prevented them from buying a home this year, with high home prices (34%) and high interest rates (33%) ranking as the top two barriers. Financial pressures are causing 74% of prospective homebuyers - and 85% of first-time homebuyers - to delay or reconsider their plans to purchase in the next 12 months. Rising interest rates alone have influenced the home-buying decisions of 51% of all Americans, 73% of prospective homebuyers and 81% of first-time homebuyers, with many either exploring more affordable markets (18%, 30%, 34%, respectively) or pausing their plans altogether (20%, 30%, 26%, respectively).

• Confusion About the Homebuying Process and Credit Exist: Nearly 3 in 5 Americans (59%) say they don't completely understand the steps involved in buying a home - a figure that rises to 64% among first-time homebuyers. At the same time, the overwhelming majority (85%) of Americans view credit score management as a wealth-building strategy, not just a borrowing tool. And, while 84% of Americans claim to understand how their credit score affects mortgage eligibility, about 1 in 5 (22%) underestimate or are unsure of its impact on mortgage rates. This confusion may be influencing the financial inaction of Americans as 17% of prospective homebuyers haven't taken steps to improve their credit score ahead of a purchase, and more than a quarter (26%) haven't encouraged their co-applicant to do the same.

"The path to homeownership starts with understanding your financial readiness, yet our research shows many Americans - particularly first-time buyers - are still navigating that process without clear guidance," added Dito. "Consumers don't need to wait to take action. By better understanding their FICO Score and the role it plays in mortgage access and affordability, they can start building a stronger foundation for homeownership."

For more on FICO's Homeownership Survey, click here: https://www.fico.com/blogs.

FICO has a longstanding commitment to empowering people and economies through financial literacy. In addition to this curriculum and live SABF Fundamentals workshops, FICO provides resources to help people enhance their financial literacy, understand credit and make empowered decisions. This includes in-person and webinar workshops, credit education materials and tools, as well as the myFICO website and app that enable consumers to check and monitor their FICO® Score for free.

For more information about FICO's credit empowerment programs, visit https://www.fico.com/empowerment.

Survey Method

This survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of FICO from June 4-8, 2026 among 3,047 U.S. adults ages 18 and older, among whom 449 plan to buy a home in the next 12 months, of which 175 are first-time homebuyers. The sampling precision of Harris online polls is measured by using a Bayesian credible interval. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.7 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact [email protected].

About FICO

FICO (NYSE: FICO) powers decisions that help people and businesses around the world prosper. Founded in 1956, the company is a pioneer in the use of predictive analytics and data science to improve operational decisions. FICO holds more than 200 U.S. and foreign patents on technologies that increase profitability, customer satisfaction and growth for businesses in financial services, insurance, telecommunications, health care, retail and many other industries. Using FICO solutions, businesses in more than 100 countries do everything from protecting 4 billion payment cards from fraud, to improving financial inclusion, to increasing supply chain resiliency. The FICO® Score, used by 90% of top U.S. lenders, is the standard measure of consumer credit risk in the U.S. and has been made available in over 40 other countries, improving risk management, credit access and transparency.

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Source: FICO