US Black Consumers – Meaning of Home: 2026
For Black consumers, home is a dynamic blend of family structure, emotional comfort and lifestyle needs.
Trusted by leading global brands
Collapse All
-
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Outlook for Black consumers and the meaning of home
- Opportunities
- Inclusive design messaging that considers men and women
- Ad campaigns showing the future of home life; representation can help consumers understand their options
- Home solutions that support real routines
-
THE MARKET
- Black consumers – population size and homeownership rate
- Black consumers and the economic outlook
- How will an increasingly urban future impact Black consumers’ meaning of home?
- Homeownership for the Black population is in flux
- Graph 1: homeownership rates, by Black alone vs all, 2016-25
- President Trump addresses affordable housing – successful implementation could mean increased homeownership for Black Americans
- Proposed housing policies reinforce affordability constraints for Black consumers but offer limited near-term relief for buyers
-
THE CONSUMER
- Defining the meaning of home
- Home for family and future
- Patterns in independent living offer insight into Black consumers’ priorities
- Graph 2: who do you live with, by Black consumers and all consumers, 2025
- Black Millennials are living in the family sweet spot
- Black Gen Zs’ living arrangements show early lifestage transitions, relying heavily on family and shared living
- Graph 3: Black consumers – who do you live with, by Gen Z, 2025
- Income shapes household structure as Black adults consider economic risks, marriage and family planning
- Graph 4: Black consumers – who do you live with, by household income, 2025
- Income shapes household structure as Black adults consider economic risks, marriage and family planning
- Graph 5: Black consumers – who do you live with, by age and household income, 2025
- Home for comfort
- Gendered comfort gap: women are cozier in their home
- Graph 6: Black consumers – top five ways consumers see their home, by gender, 2025
- Graph 7: Black consumers – attitudes toward home – nostalgia and loneliness, by gender, 2025
- A happy home isn’t always a relaxing one; while both men and women see home as their happy place, emotional comfort differs based on roles
- Men panic over pillows – what feels decorative to women can create distance; brands can restore comfort by showing how design choices affect men’s ability to relax
- Modern love, modern homes: design for Black Millennials’ relationship reality – not just marriage
- Graph 8: Black consumers – how consumers see their home – “my happy place” and “a foundation for my future,” by marital status, 2025
- Graph 9: Black consumers – how consumers see their home – “my happy place” and “a foundation for my future,” by all Black consumers and Millennials by marital status, 2025
- Trade-off of togetherness: multigenerational households feel the weight of responsibility but value the long-term benefits of family
- Graph 10: Black consumers – how consumers see their home – “source of responsibilities” and “crowded,” by generations in household, 2025
- Black LGBTQ+ are unsettled in their homes, but have desire for change
- Graph 11: Black consumers – important elements of “home” (very important), by LGBTQ+ identity, 2025
- Onsite workers need a place to decompress
- Graph 12: Black consumers – important elements for home (very important), by WFH status, 2025
- Comfort and stability are essential for older Black adults
- Graph 13: Black consumers – important elements of home (very important), by generation, 2025
- Home for lifestyles
- Black consumers center home life on relaxation and connection, though achieve wellbeing by cooking and cleaning more than the average consumer
- Graph 14: Black consumers – top activities to achieve wellbeing at home, 2025
- Graph 15: top activities to achieve wellbeing at home – “cooking,” “cleaning” and “spending time outside,” Black consumers vs all consumers, 2025
- Financial health impacts methods Black consumers use to cultivate wellbeing
- Graph 16: Black consumers – top activities for wellbeing, by financial situation, 2025,
- Analyst POV: lifestyle can influence home preferences – even with growing families, urban living is still a viable option
- Preference for more dedicated space may be leading Gen Z and Millennials to want new living space – lenders can promote equity loans as the ideal solution for renovations
- Home for hosting
- Hosting is a key part of home for Black consumers
- Joy, skill and tradition drive hosting, while stress, space limitations and the work involved put the brakes on it
- Graph 17: Black consumers – reasons WHY you host social gatherings at your home, 2025
- Graph 18: Black consumers – reasons why you DON’T host social gatherings at your home, 2025
- Proximity to loved ones impacts hosting potential
- Inspire hosts with tutorials and messaging about the beauty of gathering, not just the beauty of their home
-
INNOVATION AND MARKETING
- MIT AI technology can help Black consumers in the kitchen by creating recipes based on their mood and preferences from items in their pantry
- Global cleaning products to invigorate consumers’ home
- When scent becomes part of the hosting experience: spotlight on Air Wick
- Clorox proves cleaning makes you feel good
-
APPENDIX
- Report scope
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Generation groups
- The consumer
- Across consumers, households center on immediate family, but Black consumers are more likely to live solo while Hispanic consumers show stronger ties to multigenerational living
- Graph 19: who consumers live with, by Black, Hispanic and all consumers, 2025
- Consumers see their home as relaxing, safe and enjoyable
- Graph 20: how do you see your home, by Black, Hispanic and all consumers, 2025
- Black consumers are close to home, living less than 30 minutes away, on par with the general population
- Graph 21: how far do you live from family that raised you, by Black, Hispanic and all consumers, 2025
- Comfort and peace are highly important to all consumers; Black consumers place more emphasis on space to raise family and their personal style
- Graph 22: Black consumers – important elements of home (NET important), by Black and all consumers, 2025
- Relaxation is essential, but Black consumers have a special interest in cooking, alone time and cleaning when compared to the general population
- Graph 23: top activities at home that achieve wellbeing, by Black, Hispanic and all consumers, 2025
- Hosting is a priority for all consumers; however, Black consumers are slightly less engaged than the general population
- Graph 24: hosting social gatherings, by Black, Hispanic and all consumers, 2025
- Joy, skill and tradition are the primary reasons consumers tend to host; Black consumers have more confidence in their skills than other groups
- Graph 25: reasons WHY you host social gatherings at your home, by Black, Hispanic and all consumers, 2025
- For Black consumers, lack of enjoyment is the key reason for sitting out; Hispanic consumers’ concerns are more focused on space
- Graph 26: reasons why you DON’T host social gatherings at your home, by Black, Hispanic and all consumers, 2025
- Abbreviations
"Home for Black consumers is defined by lifestyle. As work and family needs shift, home becomes a space to decompress, separate roles and live intentionally."
Courtney Rominiyi, Multicultural Consumer Insights Analyst
For Black consumers, home is a dynamic blend of family structure, emotional comfort and lifestyle needs. Many households juggle caregiving and limited space. Residents of multigenerational homes report increased responsibility, while parents of young children overindex on feeling their homes are cluttered. Women build emotional texture through décor and coziness, while Millennials connect home to safety and future stability.
Despite a 45.7% homeownership rate, 58% hosted gatherings, showing that home as a cultural and social anchor isn’t tied to owning property. Hosting reflects optimism, shaping demand for solutions that make entertaining easier, more comfortable and more expressive of identity.
Meanwhile, urbanization, affordability pressures and shifting federal policies are reshaping expectations of what “space” should offer. As costs rise and living arrangements diversify, Black consumers continue to rely on home as a flexible ecosystem, supporting rest, family connection, creativity and the pursuit of legacy in an ever‑changing environment.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
- Forecast for increase in urbanization and its impact on living space
- Economic policies affecting Black homeownership and trajectory
- Evolving household structures across different lifestages and income brackets
- Comfort and lifestyle preferences based on gender, age, work style and LGBTQ+ status
- Hosting as a key marker of wellbeing and social optimism
- Product and innovation trends in cleaning and AI-powered home tools
£ 3,695 excl. Tax
Secure direct checkout
Instant PDF download
Portal access included
Need help deciding?
Get in touch
Trusted by global industry leaders
At Jackman, we believe that powerful strategies are based on human insight. Mintel’s leading-edge reports and insights into consumer attitudes and behaviors are an important input as we develop and execute strategy.
Alana Gavin, VP Research and Insights, Jackman
When I’m investigating specific sectors I tend to use Mintel reports for their forecasting, which I’ve always found to be very accurate.
They also offer really broad and deep coverage in their reports. They are very, very detailed. For example, we were able to gain insight across a wide range of business areas from just one report, proving that Mintel is excellent value for money.
So overall, it’s the level of detail and the quality of forecasting that really stand out for me.
Rebecca Green, Market Insight Manager, Wincanton
We utilize Mintel Reports, Trends and Comperemedia to mine for insights across the numerous business verticals that Epsilon serves, such as CPG, automotive, telecom, healthcare/pharma, retail and financial services.
By integrating Mintel insight into new business opportunities, we have been able to gain the competitive edge necessary to advance partnerships with global brands and key business players.
For our organization, it’s about depth and breadth. Having one without the other doesn’t enable success in our business.
Virginia Harvey, Secondary Research Manager, Epsilon
We use Mintel Reports, mostly for financial services and ecommerce markets, plus a few retail and technology ones.
As a leading payments provider, we value additional insights into consumer behaviour, opinions and trends that are shaping the many different markets we operate in. Mintel is a very good and very quick way for us to obtain those insights.
We use Mintel to get a view on where a particular market is going, which can support us in product development and help us identify opportunities or indeed risks, it is a very useful barometer of a market’s potential.
Andrew Neeson, Market Intelligence Manager, VocaLink
One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.
We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.
We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.
Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
Mintel is really good for getting a handle on a particular category quickly. If we are working on a new business pitch in an area we don’t have much experience in, it’s a brilliant way to get up to speed with what’s going on, what’s changing and what the key trends are in any category.
It’s very rare now that anyone will plough through a 200-page report – that’s why the summaries are really useful. We know they are backed up by a lot of detail, so if you need to go into something in more depth you know the information will be all there for you.
Pauline Robson, Managing Partner, Mediacom
We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.
Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.
Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
We use Mintel to inform our thinking and reinforce strategy. If you’re presenting new ideas, it’s essential they are underpinned by robust data and evidence, and clearly rooted in fact.
Mintel gives us all that. It’s a great brand and one that is trusted by clients.
Marie Stafford, European Director, The Innovation Group, VML
Mintel helps us when we want to know something quickly – it provides fast answers to our questions. If we need to get a view of what’s going on in a particular market it’s very useful.
When carrying out background research, I find Mintel an excellent starting point.
The fact that it covers so many markets is a big plus for me– instead of having to buy specialist products in each area we are interested in, especially when we only require a brief view on a particular market, we can go to Mintel for help as a one-stop shop. I find Mintel a useful and valuable resource.
Ben Zeidler, Director - Research and Analytics, Tenth Wave
There is no question that Mintel is the go-to resource for the best quality market research, but I did not think it was an affordable option for Abacus Marketing to consider. As a small marketing agency, we only work with a few new clients each year.
However, we have a very high-end consultative approach to our work, so we really do need a partner like Mintel to provide the big agency experience we are always aiming to deliver. Our clients come from an incredibly diverse range of industry sectors, so we obviously need access to market research reports from a very wide spectrum of marketplaces – and that is precisely what we got.
Stephen Taylor-Brown, Managing Director, Abacus
Working in a customer-obsessed organization means that data and insights have to be at our fingertips. Mintel’s reports help us support anecdotes with real quantifiable insights. The summary sections (which I really like) helps save time by giving a birds eye view of the content before spending time combing through the pages.
Our business review discussions are strengthened by the relevancy of the reports to help us better understand our customers. In addition, the customer service received from the team (especially in crunch periods) makes the process of understanding customer behavior even better.
Ngozi Ngonadi-Nkwoji, Senior Marketing Manager, Amazon
We have such a great working relationship with Mintel on lots of different levels. As an insight partner, they have helped us to develop our business planning in specific categories as well as supporting our creative process but they’ve also been super helpful with facilitating our events in their inspirational offices near St Paul’s.
They’re an innovative company, with a client-focused team that always delivers.
Abby Carvosso, Group Managing Director, Bauer Media Group
