Black applicants are turned down for a mortgage at an 84% greater rate than white applicants, up 10 percentage points since 2019. 

Zillow reported insufficient credit remained the most common cause for Black mortgage denials in 2020, with over 6% of Black applicants denied based on credit history. 

RELATED: Zillow Finds Remote Work Could Help Black Renters Become Homeowners 

Households of color, renters and lower-income households were also more likely to have housing and economic issues as a result of the pandemic, including job or income loss and trouble making mortgage or rent payments. 

“While there has been progress in Black homeownership in the past few years, there are still many challenges in the way of housing equity,” per the analysis. 

“Homeowners have seen a plethora of housing gains during the pandemic, but the growing disparity between Black and white homeownership rates and home values paints the picture of who those winners actually are. While credit borrowers overall are stronger now than ever, the gap in credit access is growing along racial lines.” 

In 2020, 19.8% of Black applicants nationwide were denied a mortgage, the highest rate among races, compared to 10.7% of white applicants. Denial rates for Black candidates were highest in Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and South Carolina. 

RELATED: OP-ED: How Can We Narrow the Black Homeownership Gap? 

Zillow previously announced the expansion of its Local Legal Protections tool, a feature that aids in the battle against renter discrimination by sharing information about local laws prohibiting landlords from discriminating against renters who use financial assistance to pay their rent.