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Housing, tenure, rooms and condition · data and analysis

Housing and household assets in India: ownership, materials and amenities

Compare NFHS-5 housing materials, reported house ownership and household assets, with rural and urban figures and clear distinctions from property and buyer counts.

PopulationIndia · independent analysisSources reviewed 11 October 2026

Housing is more than a count of buildings. Surveys can describe construction materials, reported ownership and possessions inside households. These measures help explain living conditions, provided a household percentage is kept separate from a percentage of people or a count of properties.

The checked figures

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MeasureValueWho or what is counted?Period and evidence
Households reporting pucca houseIndia · Housing, tenure, rooms and condition60.3%Households represented by NFHS-5; not persons2019–21
Official source ↗Table 2.6, printed p.40 / PDF p.75
Definition and limits

Historical NFHS-5 survey estimates for 2019–21; do not label these as current 2026 asset access or substitute them into NFHS-6. Values in this series describe households. The separate deJurePopulationPercent field is the percentage of usual-resident people in such households and can differ. Pucca is the survey’s materials-based classification, not a certificate of legal tenure, structural safety, floor area or housing affordability. Clean cooking fuel includes electricity, LPG/natural gas and biogas. The reported fuel measure does not establish exclusive use, refill affordability or the absence of other fuels. Basic sanitation means use of an improved facility not shared with another household; it is not a measure of sewage treatment or safely managed sanitation. Possession of an asset does not count devices, establish device quality or usage, or prove a person can use it. Ownership of a house is the survey response, not a title-registry audit.

Households reporting own a houseIndia · Housing, tenure, rooms and condition72.7%Households represented by NFHS-5; not persons2019–21
Official source ↗Table 2.12, printed p.48 / PDF p.83
Definition and limits

Historical NFHS-5 survey estimates for 2019–21; do not label these as current 2026 asset access or substitute them into NFHS-6. Values in this series describe households. The separate deJurePopulationPercent field is the percentage of usual-resident people in such households and can differ. Pucca is the survey’s materials-based classification, not a certificate of legal tenure, structural safety, floor area or housing affordability. Clean cooking fuel includes electricity, LPG/natural gas and biogas. The reported fuel measure does not establish exclusive use, refill affordability or the absence of other fuels. Basic sanitation means use of an improved facility not shared with another household; it is not a measure of sewage treatment or safely managed sanitation. Possession of an asset does not count devices, establish device quality or usage, or prove a person can use it. Ownership of a house is the survey response, not a title-registry audit.

Households reporting internetIndia · Electricity and household appliances48.8%Households represented by NFHS-5; not persons2019–21
Official source ↗Table 2.11, printed p.47 / PDF p.82
Definition and limits

Historical NFHS-5 survey estimates for 2019–21; do not label these as current 2026 asset access or substitute them into NFHS-6. Values in this series describe households. The separate deJurePopulationPercent field is the percentage of usual-resident people in such households and can differ. Pucca is the survey’s materials-based classification, not a certificate of legal tenure, structural safety, floor area or housing affordability. Clean cooking fuel includes electricity, LPG/natural gas and biogas. The reported fuel measure does not establish exclusive use, refill affordability or the absence of other fuels. Basic sanitation means use of an improved facility not shared with another household; it is not a measure of sewage treatment or safely managed sanitation. Possession of an asset does not count devices, establish device quality or usage, or prove a person can use it. Ownership of a house is the survey response, not a title-registry audit.

Households possessing a carIndia · Vehicles, transport and commuting7.5%of householdsHouseholds represented by NFHS-5, according to urban/rural residence2019–21
Official source ↗Table 2.11, printed p.47 / PDF p.82
Definition and limits

Historical NFHS-5 estimates for 2019–21. Household possession does not count cars, drivers, licence holders or people who travel by car. The separate 8.0% usual-resident population measure has a different denominator; this figure is 7.5% of households.

Construction materials and ownership describe different things

NFHS-5, conducted in 2019–21, classifies 60.3% of households nationally as living in pucca houses. The corresponding shares are 84.9% in urban India and 48.0% in rural India. The report’s classification uses housing materials; it is not a certification of structural safety, legal title, adequate space or affordability.

A separate table records 72.7% of households as owning a house: 65.3% in urban areas and 76.4% in rural areas. This is reported household ownership in a survey, not a count of registered property titles. A household can own a house with different construction materials. The ownership and pucca percentages should therefore not be added or treated as interchangeable indicators.

Evidence: National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 2019–21: India, Volume I

Read household assets as possessions, not individual access

In the same survey, 37.9% of households possess a refrigerator and 18.0% possess a washing machine. The rural and urban split adds context: refrigerators are reported by 25.2% of rural households and 63.4% of urban households; washing machines by 9.0% and 36.1%. These describe possession, not the number, condition or frequency of use of the appliances.

Households with internet account for 48.8% nationally, with 41.0% in rural areas and 64.6% in urban areas. This measure does not show that every member has a personal device, an affordable connection or the ability to use online services. The household internet question also differs from a question asking an individual whether they have ever used the internet.

Cars are reported by 7.5% of households nationally, with 4.4% in rural areas and 13.8% in urban areas. This is a household possession measure. It does not count vehicles, establish that each person has access, or match the number of registrations in a transport database. A household can also possess both a car and a motorcycle.

Evidence: National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 2019–21: India, Volume I

The denominator changes the percentage

NFHS provides both household distributions and distributions of the usual household population for several indicators. The share of households in pucca housing is 60.3%, while the share of people living in such households is 59.0%. Neither is a mistake: households vary in size, so giving each household weight is different from counting the people within them.

The comparison tables on this page use household percentages as their main values. If a population-based percentage is shown, it is labeled separately. A household rate should not be multiplied by India’s total population to estimate households or properties. An estimate of households requires a household denominator with a compatible year and definition.

Evidence: National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 2019–21: India, Volume I

What these measures cannot establish about housing demand

A household without reported house ownership is not automatically homeless, and the complement of the ownership percentage is not a verified rental-market share. Likewise, an appliance not present in a household does not automatically indicate an intention or ability to buy it. Affordability, space, service availability and preferences would need separate investigation.

HCES supplies another housing-related measure, but its rent figure has a different denominator. The urban ₹460 average for 2023–24 is per person across the urban population, including people in households reporting no rent expenditure. It is not the typical tenant’s monthly rent or a monthly rent per dwelling.

The NFHS housing and asset figures here remain dated 2019–21. They are useful benchmarks for studying living conditions and framing local research. A current property, rental or appliance market estimate needs evidence for the relevant geography and year, plus a clear choice between people, households, buyers and dwellings.

Evidence: National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 2019–21: India, Volume I · NSS Report 592: Survey on Household Consumption Expenditure, 2023–24

Explore the detailed tables

The source’s units, dates and definitions stay alongside the figures.

Households possessing a car: published breakdowns

2019–21 · Households represented by NFHS-5, according to urban/rural residence

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GroupValueUnit
Urban India13.8%percent of households
Rural India4.4%percent of households
India7.5%percent of households
Original table and definitions

Households: pucca house, NFHS-5

2019–21. Households represented by NFHS-5, according to urban/rural residence.

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Place or categoryValue% of households
Urban India84.9%
Rural India48%
India60.3%

Historical NFHS-5 survey estimates for 2019–21; do not label these as current 2026 asset access or substitute them into NFHS-6. Values in this series describe households. The separate deJurePopulationPercent field is the percentage of usual-resident people in such households and can differ. Pucca is the survey’s materials-based classification, not a certificate of legal tenure, structural safety, floor area or housing affordability. Clean cooking fuel includes electricity, LPG/natural gas and biogas. The reported fuel measure does not establish exclusive use, refill affordability or the absence of other fuels. Basic sanitation means use of an improved facility not shared with another household; it is not a measure of sewage treatment or safely managed sanitation. Possession of an asset does not count devices, establish device quality or usage, or prove a person can use it. Ownership of a house is the survey response, not a title-registry audit.

Original source table ↗ · Table 2.6, printed p.40 / PDF p.75

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Households: own a house, NFHS-5

2019–21. Households represented by NFHS-5, according to urban/rural residence.

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Place or categoryValue% of households
Urban India65.3%
Rural India76.4%
India72.7%

Historical NFHS-5 survey estimates for 2019–21; do not label these as current 2026 asset access or substitute them into NFHS-6. Values in this series describe households. The separate deJurePopulationPercent field is the percentage of usual-resident people in such households and can differ. Pucca is the survey’s materials-based classification, not a certificate of legal tenure, structural safety, floor area or housing affordability. Clean cooking fuel includes electricity, LPG/natural gas and biogas. The reported fuel measure does not establish exclusive use, refill affordability or the absence of other fuels. Basic sanitation means use of an improved facility not shared with another household; it is not a measure of sewage treatment or safely managed sanitation. Possession of an asset does not count devices, establish device quality or usage, or prove a person can use it. Ownership of a house is the survey response, not a title-registry audit.

Original source table ↗ · Table 2.12, printed p.48 / PDF p.83

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Households: internet, NFHS-5

2019–21. Households represented by NFHS-5, according to urban/rural residence.

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Place or categoryValue% of households
Urban India64.6%
Rural India41%
India48.8%

Historical NFHS-5 survey estimates for 2019–21; do not label these as current 2026 asset access or substitute them into NFHS-6. Values in this series describe households. The separate deJurePopulationPercent field is the percentage of usual-resident people in such households and can differ. Pucca is the survey’s materials-based classification, not a certificate of legal tenure, structural safety, floor area or housing affordability. Clean cooking fuel includes electricity, LPG/natural gas and biogas. The reported fuel measure does not establish exclusive use, refill affordability or the absence of other fuels. Basic sanitation means use of an improved facility not shared with another household; it is not a measure of sewage treatment or safely managed sanitation. Possession of an asset does not count devices, establish device quality or usage, or prove a person can use it. Ownership of a house is the survey response, not a title-registry audit.

Original source table ↗ · Table 2.11, printed p.47 / PDF p.82

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Households: mobile telephone, NFHS-5

2019–21. Households represented by NFHS-5, according to urban/rural residence.

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Place or categoryValue% of households
Urban India96.7%
Rural India91.5%
India93.3%

Historical NFHS-5 survey estimates for 2019–21; do not label these as current 2026 asset access or substitute them into NFHS-6. Values in this series describe households. The separate deJurePopulationPercent field is the percentage of usual-resident people in such households and can differ. Pucca is the survey’s materials-based classification, not a certificate of legal tenure, structural safety, floor area or housing affordability. Clean cooking fuel includes electricity, LPG/natural gas and biogas. The reported fuel measure does not establish exclusive use, refill affordability or the absence of other fuels. Basic sanitation means use of an improved facility not shared with another household; it is not a measure of sewage treatment or safely managed sanitation. Possession of an asset does not count devices, establish device quality or usage, or prove a person can use it. Ownership of a house is the survey response, not a title-registry audit.

Original source table ↗ · Table 2.11, printed p.47 / PDF p.82

Download this complete table

Households: any television, NFHS-5

2019–21. Households represented by NFHS-5, according to urban/rural residence.

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Place or categoryValue% of households
Urban India86.8%
Rural India58.4%
India67.8%

Historical NFHS-5 survey estimates for 2019–21; do not label these as current 2026 asset access or substitute them into NFHS-6. Values in this series describe households. The separate deJurePopulationPercent field is the percentage of usual-resident people in such households and can differ. Pucca is the survey’s materials-based classification, not a certificate of legal tenure, structural safety, floor area or housing affordability. Clean cooking fuel includes electricity, LPG/natural gas and biogas. The reported fuel measure does not establish exclusive use, refill affordability or the absence of other fuels. Basic sanitation means use of an improved facility not shared with another household; it is not a measure of sewage treatment or safely managed sanitation. Possession of an asset does not count devices, establish device quality or usage, or prove a person can use it. Ownership of a house is the survey response, not a title-registry audit.

Original source table ↗ · Table 2.11, printed p.47 / PDF p.82

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Households: refrigerator, NFHS-5

2019–21. Households represented by NFHS-5, according to urban/rural residence.

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Place or categoryValue% of households
Urban India63.4%
Rural India25.2%
India37.9%

Historical NFHS-5 survey estimates for 2019–21; do not label these as current 2026 asset access or substitute them into NFHS-6. Values in this series describe households. The separate deJurePopulationPercent field is the percentage of usual-resident people in such households and can differ. Pucca is the survey’s materials-based classification, not a certificate of legal tenure, structural safety, floor area or housing affordability. Clean cooking fuel includes electricity, LPG/natural gas and biogas. The reported fuel measure does not establish exclusive use, refill affordability or the absence of other fuels. Basic sanitation means use of an improved facility not shared with another household; it is not a measure of sewage treatment or safely managed sanitation. Possession of an asset does not count devices, establish device quality or usage, or prove a person can use it. Ownership of a house is the survey response, not a title-registry audit.

Original source table ↗ · Table 2.11, printed p.47 / PDF p.82

Download this complete table

Households: washing machine, NFHS-5

2019–21. Households represented by NFHS-5, according to urban/rural residence.

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Place or categoryValue% of households
Urban India36.1%
Rural India9%
India18%

Historical NFHS-5 survey estimates for 2019–21; do not label these as current 2026 asset access or substitute them into NFHS-6. Values in this series describe households. The separate deJurePopulationPercent field is the percentage of usual-resident people in such households and can differ. Pucca is the survey’s materials-based classification, not a certificate of legal tenure, structural safety, floor area or housing affordability. Clean cooking fuel includes electricity, LPG/natural gas and biogas. The reported fuel measure does not establish exclusive use, refill affordability or the absence of other fuels. Basic sanitation means use of an improved facility not shared with another household; it is not a measure of sewage treatment or safely managed sanitation. Possession of an asset does not count devices, establish device quality or usage, or prove a person can use it. Ownership of a house is the survey response, not a title-registry audit.

Original source table ↗ · Table 2.11, printed p.47 / PDF p.82

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Households: motorcycle or scooter, NFHS-5

2019–21. Households represented by NFHS-5, according to urban/rural residence.

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Place or categoryValue% of households
Urban India60.6%
Rural India44.3%
India49.7%

Historical NFHS-5 survey estimates for 2019–21; do not label these as current 2026 asset access or substitute them into NFHS-6. Values in this series describe households. The separate deJurePopulationPercent field is the percentage of usual-resident people in such households and can differ. Pucca is the survey’s materials-based classification, not a certificate of legal tenure, structural safety, floor area or housing affordability. Clean cooking fuel includes electricity, LPG/natural gas and biogas. The reported fuel measure does not establish exclusive use, refill affordability or the absence of other fuels. Basic sanitation means use of an improved facility not shared with another household; it is not a measure of sewage treatment or safely managed sanitation. Possession of an asset does not count devices, establish device quality or usage, or prove a person can use it. Ownership of a house is the survey response, not a title-registry audit.

Original source table ↗ · Table 2.11, printed p.47 / PDF p.82

Download this complete table

Households: car, NFHS-5

2019–21. Households represented by NFHS-5, according to urban/rural residence.

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Place or categoryValue% of households
Urban India13.8%
Rural India4.4%
India7.5%

Historical NFHS-5 survey estimates for 2019–21; do not label these as current 2026 asset access or substitute them into NFHS-6. Values in this series describe households. The separate deJurePopulationPercent field is the percentage of usual-resident people in such households and can differ. Pucca is the survey’s materials-based classification, not a certificate of legal tenure, structural safety, floor area or housing affordability. Clean cooking fuel includes electricity, LPG/natural gas and biogas. The reported fuel measure does not establish exclusive use, refill affordability or the absence of other fuels. Basic sanitation means use of an improved facility not shared with another household; it is not a measure of sewage treatment or safely managed sanitation. Possession of an asset does not count devices, establish device quality or usage, or prove a person can use it. Ownership of a house is the survey response, not a title-registry audit.

Original source table ↗ · Table 2.11, printed p.47 / PDF p.82

Download this complete table

Additional complete tables to download

Downloads retain the source, population group, period and measurement notes.

Official evidence and definitions

  1. National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 2019–21: India, Volume I

    International Institute for Population Sciences and ICF; Ministry of Health & Family Welfare · NFHS-5, 2019–21 · 2022-05-05. Tables 2.2, 2.6, 2.11, 2.12 and 10.25; exact table/page attached to each metric or series

    Read from an archived original IIPS report after live IIPS and DHS download failures. Table headers and representative numeric pages were visually checked. Archived copy of the official source

  2. NSS Report 592: Survey on Household Consumption Expenditure, 2023–24

    National Statistical Office, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation · August 2023–July 2024 · 2025-01-30. Table 3.5, printed pp.30–31 / PDF pp.48–49; interpretation notes 3.2.5.5–3.2.5.7, printed pp.31–32

PopulationIndia analyses and presents the evidence independently. Government and other named agencies publish the original data. Reference periods belong to the figures; the review date does not make an older statistic current.

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