Joint Center for Housing Studies

The do-it-yourself (DIY) share of home improvement spending has declined substantially since 1995. That decline, however, has not been uniform: It has been much steeper for discretionary improvement projects than for replacement work, and has varied by homeowner age. The shift has given professional contractors a larger share of the market, even as DIY spending remains substantial.

High development and operating costs already threaten the availability and production of multifamily affordable housing in the US. Soaring insurance costs paired with frequent destructive climate events further compound this problem. In an already-strained market, inflation, reinsurance markets, and weak regulatory oversight contribute to rising and volatile property insurance costs and availability.

Our Mission The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies strives to improve equitable access to decent, affordable homes in thriving communities. We conduct rigorous research to advance policy and practice, and we bring together diverse stakeholders to spark new ideas for addressing housing challenges. Through teaching and fellowships, we mentor and inspire the next generation of housing leaders.

Declining immigration is undermining population growth, according to our recently released State of the Nation’s Housing report, making communities more reliant on domestic migration and natural change (births minus deaths) to grow their populations. In 2025, these two components (domestic change) varied sharply across county types—and that variation will determine which communities can sustain growth as immigration continues to decline.

Interactive Maps & Data For permission to embed our interactives, contact Resources The data behind each figure in the report can be found in both the Excel Data and the PowerPoint below (in the PPT charts, open the figure you are interested in, right-click on the figure, and choose "Edit data").

Recently released Census data show that population growth slowed sharply in 2025 amid an abrupt decline in immigration. The Census Bureau projects that immigration will decline further in 2026, which would result in historically low growth if natural change (births minus deaths) remains near current levels. Examining how past gains in immigration have contributed to state population growth offers insight into how a future decline would be felt across the country.

Interactive Maps & Data For permission to embed our interactives, contact Resources The data behind each figure in the report can be found in both the Excel Data and the PowerPoint below (in the PPT charts, open the figure you are interested in, right-click on the figure, and choose "Edit data"). Suggested Citation: Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. 2026. America's Rental Housing 2026. https://www.jchs.harvard.edu/americas-rental-housing-2026.

Our Mission Advancing equitable access to decent, affordable homes in thriving communities The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies conducts rigorous research to advance policy and practice and brings together diverse stakeholders to spark new ideas for addressing housing challenges. Through teaching and fellowships, we mentor and inspire the next generation of housing leaders.

Our Mission Advancing equitable access to decent, affordable homes in thriving communities The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies conducts rigorous research to advance policy and practice and brings together diverse stakeholders to spark new ideas for addressing housing challenges. Through teaching and fellowships, we mentor and inspire the next generation of housing leaders.

In recent years, the number of states with laws requiring landlords to disclose flood risk to renters has nearly tripled, from just four states in 2017 to eleven by the end of 2025. Other states, such as Massachusetts, are actively considering renter flood disclosure bills, suggesting more renters may soon gain access to flood risk information before signing a lease.