The latest American at Home Study finds that one- and two-person households now make up 64% of all U.S. homes. The America at Home Study is done in partnership with Kantar and is the nation’s leading longitudinal survey tracking the evolving attitudes and behaviors of U.S. households since the onset of the pandemic. According to the World Uncertainty Index, global feelings of uncertainty are approaching pandemic levels, impacting the styles and functional features homebuyers are looking for.
“As Americans redefine what home means to them, wellness has emerged as an increasingly important component of homebuying decisions. Today’s buyers are looking beyond square footage and price—they’re seeking spaces that nurture their health, foster connection, and adapt to the realities of modern life,” said J. Walker Smith, Kantar’s Knowledge Lead, “The America at Home Study shows that the desire for wellbeing is not just a trend, but a fundamental shift in how people evaluate value and make choices about where and how they want to live.”
Kantar has identified the motivations shaping home and community choices for nearly 16,000 Americans surveyed since March 2020, leveraging its proprietary MindBaseTM attitudinal segmentation. Kantar MindBaseTM is a unique tool that identifies 12 unique consumer segments across five generations, providing developers, builders, and marketers actionable insights into the values, aspirations, and lifestyle priorities driving today’s housing decisions.
As household size shrinks and hybrid work becomes embedded in daily life, the need for community spaces that foster casual interaction and emotional wellness has become increasingly more important. Singles have below average homeownership rates, and are the fastest growing household type, highlighting the importance of designing homes that meet their needs and their budgets.
Inventory Misfit: pricing, size, and new pathways to buying
Despite strong interest in homeownership, nearly one-third of Americans say the housing market isn’t meeting their needs. Eighty-seven percent of respondents say financial wellness is important, but only 45% are satisfied with that area of wellness in their life. This is fueling many Americans’ willingness to compromise in order to purchase a home.
Forty percent of respondents said they would accept a smaller home (up from 21%), and half of respondents say they would now consider a rent-to-own arrangement to achieve homeownership, up significantly from 33% in the previous wave. This signals a significant turning point in attitudes toward ownership models, reflecting increased flexibility and financial caution, especially among younger buyers.
But value has been redefined to go beyond affordability and return on investment. It’s no longer about price alone. Consumers now measure affordability in terms of utility, operational cost, and emotional return on investment.
Rebalancing of home, work, and play
For the first time in the study’s history, “walkability to coffee shops and casual eateries” (49%) surpassed “trails” (48%) as the most desired community feature. This signals a deep need for informal, everyday connection points, especially among the growing number of smaller households or people working from home. People want close proximity to third spaces whether that be a coffee shop or a shaded park. Communities that provide this sense of physical and social wellbeing by prioritizing community amenities for small, frequent moments of connection will be more desirable and resilient.
At the same time, people are spending more time at home than ever before. Even before the pandemic, time away from home was trending downward and the pandemic accelerated this shift.
With home being the center of life, comes greater expectations for home, especially as it relates to the kitchen. When asked how they would spend a $50,000 improvement budget, the top answer for respondents was a better equipped and more modern kitchen for cooking (29%). More than a cooking space, the kitchen has evolved from a showcase to a Swiss army knife, serving as a hub for health, connection, and multifunctional living. And cooking and baking at home continues to be activity respondents consistently say they are doing more of over all four waves of the study.
Homes aren’t single-purpose. They’re now expected to serve as offices, gyms, social hubs, and havens, blending multiple functions into one adaptable space. If your home can’t flex, it’s failing you.
Wellness as the Deciding Factor for Home Purchases and Decisions
Safety has long been synonymous with the idea of home, but its meaning has evolved as wellness take center stage in driving home related decisions and purchases. In fact, 60% of respondents in 2025 cited wellness as their primary driver—up sharply from 43% in 2023.
With wellness now woven into the very definition of home, buyers expect more than fortresses; they want sanctuaries. This shift has reshaped buying priorities, with features that promote health and wellbeing moving to the forefront. Demand for whole-home water filtration rose to 70% (up from 43% in the previous wave), and indoor air purification jumped to 69% (up from 48%). These features have gone from niche amenities to purchase-driving essentials.
Applying the MindBaseTM lens to examine how twelve unique segments lean into these wellness desires reveals striking differences. Boomer Full Throttles stand out for their strong preference for water wellness: 74% express a desire for water filtration compared to their peers at 61%. Additionally, 58% prioritize water conservation—significantly higher than peers at 49% and younger generations, including Gen X at 48%, Millennials at 49%, and Gen Z at 50%.
“MindBase allows us to see beyond demographics and understand the attitudinal drivers behind every housing decision,” said Teri Slavik-Tsuyuki, Principal, TST Ink LLC.“Americans are seeking sanctuary and security amid cultural and economic disruption, and our segmentation reveals how wellness, safety, and value are reshaping the meaning of home.”
To access the full America at Home study, click here.
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About Kantar
Kantar is the world’s leading AI-native marketing data and analytics business and an indispensable brand partner to the world’s top companies. We combine the most meaningful attitudinal and behavioral data with deep expertise and advanced analytics to uncover how people think and act. We help clients understand what has happened and why and how to shape the marketing strategies that shape their future.
About Kantar’s MindBaseTM
MindBaseTM offers a scalable, cost-effective solution for identifying and activating consumer segments. By appending MindBase® segments to CRM systems, organizations can tailor outreach, inform site selection, and design communities that resonate with the most relevant consumer motivations.