The bar chart provides information on the percentage of households that were either owned or rented in England and Wales from 1918 to 2011.
Overall, the data reveals a clear shift from renting being the predominant form of housing to homeownership becoming more common over time. In 1918, renting was overwhelmingly more popular, but by 1971, ownership and renting were equal. From that point on, homeownership steadily increased, overtaking renting and remaining the dominant trend through to 2011.
In 1918, nearly 78% of households were rented, with only 22% being owned. This pattern continued until 1961, although the proportion of rented homes steadily declined. By 1939 and 1953, the percentage of rented homes dropped to around 69%, while ownership slowly climbed to just over 30%. In 1961, rented accommodations still dominated at 59%, but ownership had increased to approximately 41%.
From 1971 onwards, the trend shifted, and homeownership became equally popular, with both renting and owning at 50%. This marked a turning point, as ownership surged in the following decades, reaching a peak of around 69% in 2001. Conversely, rented households saw a significant decline, falling to around 31% by 2001. In 2011, the proportion of rented homes saw a slight rise to 36%, while ownership decreased slightly to 64%.