Homeowners across the U.S. are increasingly staying in their houses longer than they used to, with California showing the longest homeowner tenure, according to a recent study by Redfin.

Homeowner tenure peaked at 13.4 years in 2020, then slipped each year until 2024, according to the real estate brokerage. The declines were largely due to the pandemic-driven homebuying and selling boom, when record-low mortgage rates and the rise of remote work encouraged many Americans to move.

Average tenure across the U.S. increased from 11.8 years in 2024 to 12 years in 2025, as elevated housing costs slowed home sales.

Nationwide, California metros dominate the list of places where homeowners stay the longest.

Los Angeles homeowners were found to hang onto their properties for 20 years, the longest span in the country, according to the report. The metro also recorded the biggest yearly jump in tenure, up from 19.4 years in 2024.

Next was San Jose, where homeowners held onto their homes for an average of 18.7 years, followed by San Francisco (16.5 years), San Diego (14.5 years), and Riverside (12.4 years).

Homeowners in all these metros stayed longer than the national average, according to Redfin.

California’s Tax Policies

The extended tenure in California was largely attributed to the state’s tax laws that incentivize homeowners to stay longer.

Adopted in 1978, Proposition 13 locks homeowners into low property taxes, discouraging them from relocating and taking on a higher tax rate.

Although prolonged low property taxes keep bills low for homeowners, they can also limit the supply of homes for sale, pushing up prices and making it tougher for first-time buyers to break into the market, according to Redfin.

Despite recent tax amendments, such as Proposition 19, aimed at incentivizing longtime homeowners to move, the impact has been limited.

Broader Homeowner Trends

Despite the recent decline in homeowner tenure, homeowners are still staying put for almost twice as long as they did in the early aughts, the report showed.

In 2005, the typical homeowner stayed in their house for about 6.5 years before selling. Over the next decade, people held on to their homes longer as the population grew older.

A 2024 Redfin analysis found that empty-nest baby boomers owned about 28% of the country’s three-bedroom-plus homes, roughly twice as many as millennials with children.

Louisville, Kentucky, recorded the shortest homeowner tenure, where people typically spend about 8.3 years in their house before selling. It was followed by Las Vegas (8.8 years), Charlotte, North Carolina (9.2 years), Orlando, Florida (9.2 years), and Raleigh, North Carolina (9.3 years).

Homes in these places tend to be more affordable, according to Redfin. When prices are lower, it becomes easier for homeowners to sell and relocate because they don’t have to take on high mortgage payments on their next purchase.

Homeowner tenure in some cities, like Las Vegas and Orlando, is also lower because they are vacation destinations, Redfin said. Homeowners in these places often move in and out for short-term employment opportunities.

Homeowner tenure increased in 28 of the 41 metros analyzed from 2024 to 2025, led by Los Angeles, Denver, and Raleigh. It stayed the same in one metro, Richmond, Virginia; and declined in Chicago, Memphis, Tennessee; and Baltimore.