For a state where folks are supposedly fleeing, Californians keep their homes for a long time.

My trusty spreadsheet peeked at one yardstick of longevity: Attom’s study on the average length of ownership for home sellers across the 50 states and the District of Columbia in the third quarter of 2025.

This year’s California sellers owned their homes for 11.2 years, the third-longest nationwide, and almost 3 years longer than the 8.4 years nationwide.

Remember, California’s stagnant population is not about people leaving for other states. It’s largely due to woefully few Americans moving to the Golden State.

The longest holding period was in Massachusetts, with sellers owning for 12.9 years, followed by Connecticut at 12.7 years. No. 4 was Rhode Island at 11 years, and Washington state was 10.7 years. Curiously, these states have some of the nation’s most expensive homes.

The shortest ownership period was in Maine, with sellers owning for 4.8 years, followed by Mississippi at 5.7, South Dakota at 5.8, West Virginia at 6, and Georgia at 6.1. Note that some of the nation’s most affordable housing is in these states.

And California’s big economic rivals? Texas ranked No. 26 with sellers owning for 7.5 years, and Florida ranked No. 16 at 8.6 years.

The length of ownership among sellers is rising nationwide.

For example, California’s ownership duration in the third quarter was a record high in data dating to 2000 – one of 34 states to reach such a peak in the same quarter.

Why? First, the historically cheap mortgages of the pandemic era make relocation financially challenging now that rates are near historic norms.