Owner-occupation falls to 63.1% of Scotland households

Owner-occupation among Scotland households edged down in 2024, according to the Scottish Household Survey. But the headline figure hides a generational gulf in home ownership rates.

In 2024, Scotland had about 2.55 million households, up from 2.18 million in 1999.

Overall owner-occupation was 63.1% of Scotland households in 2024, down slightly from 63.6% in 2023.

Within that total,

35.8% of households owned outright.
27.3% had a loan or mortgage.

Separately

23.3% of households were social renters.
12.6% were private renting.

Notably, outright owners (35.8% of all households) now outnumber mortgaged buyers (27.3%).

The stark generational divide

Less than half of under 35s are home owners

Only 40.4% of households where the highest income householder was aged 16 to 34 were owner-occupied in 2024. Of those who made it onto the ladder 36.5% did so with a mortgage and 3.9% owned outright.
35.3% rented privately. Representing half of all private rented households in Scotland.
23.1% rented socially.

By contrast,

73.2% of households with a highest income householder aged 60 or over were owner-occupied. Most of those were owned outright (68.0%).

Since 1999/2000, the number of owner-occupied households in Scotland has risen by about 260,000 (+19%). Private rented households rose by about 200,000 (+167%). Social rented households fell by about 80,000 (down 12%).

The social decline is linked mainly to the long fall in local authority stock under the Right to Buy initiative, which ceased in 2017. Home owner numbers grew, but private renting grew much faster in percentage terms from a smaller base.

On financial wellbeing, the survey reported that 28% of social rented households said they manage well financially. That compares with 65% of owner-occupied households and 44% of privately rented households.

Housing satisfaction was higher among owners (96% very or fairly satisfied) than among private renters (85%) or social renters (81%).

Notes for editors

This SHS release measures household tenure. It is not the same as dwelling-stock owner-occupation. It is not a Census estimate.

Separately, Housing Statistics 2025 estimates that at 31 March 2024 about 60% of Scotland’s 2.73 million dwellings were owner-occupied. Social rented dwellings were about 23%. About 13% were privately rented or lived in rent-free. About 4% were vacant or second homes.

Stock and household shares are not interchangeable. Empty and second homes sit in dwelling stock but not in household tenure.

The Scottish Government also notes that SHS results can slightly over-represent owner-occupation relative to Census benchmarks. Renting is correspondingly under-represented. That pattern was seen in 2022 and may still be present in 2024.

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Owner-occupation falls to 63.1% of Scotland households

Notes for editors

Sources