The American Dream Out of Reach
Nevada has one of the lowest rates of homeownership in the entire country. According to a new report from Property Shark based on U.S. Census Bureau data, only 60.4% of Nevada homes are owner-occupied, well below the national average of 65.2%.
Only three states have lower homeownership rates: Washington D.C. (39.1%), New York (54.1%), and California (55.9%). Notice anything about these places? They all have heavy government intervention in housing markets and burdensome regulations.
Alexandra Popa from Property Shark said:
“Nevada’s homeownership rate stayed nearly flat, inching up just 0.1 percentage points from 60.3 percent in the previous year to its current 60.4 percent,”
Why This Matters to Conservatives
The right to own property is a cornerstone of American freedom. When families can’t afford to buy homes, they miss out on building wealth and putting down roots in their communities. Homeownership gives people a stake in their neighborhood and their country.
High taxes, excessive building regulations, and government interference make it harder for regular folks to afford homes. The places with the lowest homeownership are also known for their heavy-handed government policies.
A Tale of Two Cities
There’s an interesting split happening within our state. North Las Vegas has the highest homeownership rate at 65.1%, followed by Henderson at 64.7%. These cities also have the eighth and ninth lowest rates of renter-occupied homes in the country at 34.9% and 35.3% respectively.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas city proper has seen one of the steepest declines in homeownership, dropping from 59% to 56.8% in just one year. This raises questions about whether different local policies might be affecting these numbers.
The Cost of Renting
Nevada has the fourth-highest level of renter-occupied homes at 39.6%. Nearly 4 out of 10 Nevada households are sending their hard-earned money to landlords instead of building equity in their own property.
When you rent, you’re essentially paying someone else’s mortgage. That money leaves your pocket forever instead of building wealth for your family’s future. Many financial experts agree that homeownership is one of the most reliable ways for middle-class families to build wealth.
Empty Homes and Rising Prices
The Property Shark report reveals another troubling statistic – Nevada has one of the highest rates of owner-held homes that sit vacant at 1.1%, making it the sixth highest in the country.
At the same time, home prices continue to climb. The median sale price for a house in Southern Nevada hit $485,000 in February 2025, tying the record high set in January.
Construction of new homes nationally has been increasing since bottoming out in January 2011 when only about 35,000 units were built. In July 2024, about 133,200 new homes were built across America – a level we haven’t seen since June 2000.
What Critics Say
Those on the left often argue that we need more government programs and subsidies to increase homeownership. They point to rising home prices as proof that the market isn’t working.
But history tells a different story. The national homeownership rate peaked at 69.2% in 2004, before government policies encouraged risky lending that led to the housing crash and Great Recession.
Looking Ahead
Nevada added 13,275 new residents last year, the 14th highest in the nation. Many are fleeing states like California, which lost over 341,000 residents. People are voting with their feet, leaving heavily regulated states for places with more freedom.
The path to higher homeownership isn’t through more government – it’s through less. By removing barriers and letting the market work, we can help more Nevada families achieve the American Dream of owning their own home.
This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
