Senior housing wealth hits record $14.92 trillion in Q1 2026

Senior housing wealth reached an all-time high of $14.92 trillion in the first quarter of 2026, according to the NRMLA-RiskSpan Reverse Mortgage Market Index. This rebound follows two previous quarters of decline. The increase of 1.8%, or approximately $314.8 billion, was primarily fueled by rising home values. This growth was partially tempered by a 0.4% increase in mortgage debt held by homeowners aged 62 and older, amounting to $10.5 billion.

RiskSpan noted that the improvement in housing affordability, coinciding with mortgage rates falling to their lowest levels since 2022, supported higher home values for older homeowners while moderating the growth of mortgage debt. NRMLA President Steve Irwin highlighted the significance of this record level of senior home equity for retirement security, suggesting it provides greater financial flexibility for older Americans to manage expenses and other retirement needs.