---
title: "Rent or Buy?"
description: "By a large margin, most adults who rent would like to one day purchase a home (81%) rather than continue to rent (17%)."
date: "2011-05-18"
authors:
  - name: "Russell Heimlich"
    job_title: "Former web developer"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2011/05/18/rent-or-buy/"
---

# Rent or Buy?

Homeownership remains very alluring to most Americans — including those who currently rent.Among adults who rent, fully 81% would like to buy a house at some point in the future. Only 17% say they would prefer to continue to rent. This is in spite of the fact that renters (31%) are less likely than homeowners (41%) to strongly agree that purchasing a home is the best long-term investment a person can make. Most renters rent as a result of circumstances. Fully 75% say that they cannot afford to own a home right now, while 24% say that they could buy a home but choose to rent instead. [Read More](https://www.pewresearch.org/pubs/1960/homeownership-still-thought-best-long-term-investment-by-big-majority)