Data Shows Black Mortgage Applicants Denied at Higher Rates in Every Major American City

A new analysis of Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data reveals a persistent gap in mortgage denial rates between black and white applicants across all 50 of the largest U.S. metro areas. In this episode of Everyday Economics, Ph.D. Economist Orphe Divounguy break down why these disparities exist, and why the widest gaps are appearing not in expensive housing markets — but in lower-cost, financially stretched regions. The discussion focuses on key underwriting factors including credit scores, debt-to-income ratios, income levels, and down payment access, while also examining long-term structural influences such as generational home equity and the lasting economic effects of historical housing policy. #HousingMarket #MortgageRates #EconomicInequality #HomeBuying #HMDA #Economics #HousingCrisis #CreditScore #RealEstate #EverydayEconomics