A Home of One’s Own? Gendered Homeownership in Urban China*

This article contributes to the existing literature on housing inequality in China with new empirical evidence from a gender perspective. Using four rounds of data from the Chinese General Social Survey and adopting individuals as the unit of analysis, the study explores gender disparity in homeownership in urban China. Using binary logistic regression models, we reveal a profound gender gap in individual chance of being homeowners. While men and women may be similarly affected by several characteristics, women’s chance of owning household housing assets is more likely to be affected by factors relating to the private sphere of family life, such as family of origin, number of brothers, and changes in marital status. We emphasize that gender inequality in housing circumstances is an important part of social stratification. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the issue, researchers need to reflect upon the explicit and implicit belief in using family as the unit of analysis.