Initial costs of upkeep were higher for new owners of older homes than for those who had lived in their homes for at least 10 years, according to recently released Census Bureau data.

About 61% of owners of older homes started a home improvement project between 2019 and 2021, spending a median of $4,100 on all their home improvement projects during that time.

The 2021 American Housing Survey (AHS) shows that in 2021, the median age of all owned homes was 41 years. Older homes — those built before 1950 — made up about 17% of homes and their owners spent a median of $1,800 a year on upkeep.

Upkeep includes both home improvement projects such as remodeling a kitchen or installing a security system and routine maintenance such as painting, plumbing, roofing and other minor repairs.

The AHS asks homeowners how much they spent on home improvements over the previous two years, or since they moved in if they had lived in the home less than two years.

Owners of older homes who had moved in within the past two years tended to spend more on overall upkeep. These new owners spent a median of $3,900 per year, while longtime owners who had lived in older homes for at least 10 years spent about $1,500 annually.

To estimate annual spending, the amount reported was averaged over the time the owner lived in the home between 2019 and 2021:

About 61% of owners of older homes started a home improvement project between 2019 and 2021, spending a median of $4,100 on all their home improvement projects during that time.
Median annual spending on maintenance alone was around $540 for owners of older homes.

Types of Home Improvement

Regardless of the home’s age, the most common type of projects were interior improvements. Nationwide, 47% of homeowners undertook such projects. The percentage of owners of older homes with interior projects did not differ from this national percentage.

Among owners of older homes, 59% of new owners who had moved in within the last two years did interior projects, compared to 46% of longtime owners who had lived in the home at least 10 years.

The most common types of interior improvements in older homes were additions or replacements of plumbing fixtures; flooring, drywall, paneling or ceiling tiles; and water heaters.

Figure 1. Interior Improvements to Pre-1950 Owner-Occupied Homes: 2019-2021

About 27% of owners of older homes made exterior improvements. The most common types of projects were window and door replacements; replacing the roof; and adding or replacing a porch, deck, patio or terrace.

Figure 2. Exterior Improvements to Pre-1950 Owner-Occupied Homes: 2019-2021

About 21% of owners of older homes made land improvements, which was not statistically different from the share of all homeowners.

The top land improvement projects among owners of older homes were landscaping; adding or replacing fencing; and adding or replacing a driveway or walkway.

Figure 3. Land Improvements to Pre-1950 Owner-Occupied Single Family Homes: 2019-2021

New owners of older homes were more likely (32%) than longtime owners (18%) to undertake land improvements.

Spending by Home Size

Older homes tend to be smaller, with a median of 1,290 square feet of living space compared to around 1,500 square feet for all homes.

Owners of older homes spent a median of $200 per 500 square feet of living space on routine maintenance annually.

Those who undertook at least one home improvement project spent a median of about $700 for each 500 square feet of living space on their projects.

Spending by Home Value

More than half of owners of older homes spent less than 1% of their home’s value annually on home improvement and maintenance.

New owners spent more than longtime owners: a median of 1.5% of the home’s value, compared to 0.6%.

Characteristics of Owners of Older Homes in 2021

The median age of owners of older homes was 58 and 26% of their households had children.

Nationwide, 15% of homeowners lived in an older home. For householders who were Black, Hispanic, White, or Two or More Races, the percentage of homeowners in an older home was not statistically different from the national percentage.

About 10% of homes owned by Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) householders and 7% of homes owned by American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) householders were built before 1950.

More Housing Data

The AHS Table Creator has further information on home improvement from the 2021 AHS and on topics such as maintenance needs, physical characteristics of homes, neighborhood features and household demographics.

The AHS is conducted by the Census Bureau and sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It provides up-to-date information on the quality and cost of housing in the United States and major metropolitan areas. The 2021 American Housing Survey page provides related definitions and information on sampling and nonsampling error.

All comparative statements in this article have undergone statistical testing and, unless otherwise noted, are statistically significant at the 10% significance level.

Katie Gustafson is a statistician in the Census Bureau’s Social, Economic, and Housing Statistics Division.