Transition to Low-Income Homeownership 2 RUNNING HEAD: Effect of Marital Status on Homeownership The Effect of Marital Status on Homeownership Among Low-Income Households

This research examines whether lower-income married renters are more likely to become homeowners than comparable single renters. Using data from the Community Advantage Panel Study, we use discrete-time survival analysis with propensity score matching to explore this relationship. Results indicate married couples have higher odds of buying a home, and do so at faster rates, than their unmarried counterparts. These findings were robust to the control of selection bias between the married and unmarried groups using propensity score matching. The findings suggest efforts to encourage marriage among low-income couples may be associated with subsequent economic mobility through homeownership.