Women Account for Just 11% of 56,523 Home Loans Sanctioned Across 13 Indian Cities in 2025, Reveals Urban Money Report

March 5, 2026: Women in India continue to remain significantly underrepresented in the housing finance market despite increasing financial participation and strong aspirations for property ownership. Data from the Urban Money platform shows that women accounted for only 11% of the 56,523 home loans approved across 13 major Indian cities in 2025 .

Key Findings

The insights come from the report "Women and Housing Finance in India: Progress, Barriers and the Opportunity," released by Urban Money, the fintech mortgage arm of Square Yards. The study analysed lending activity across key housing markets including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Greater Noida, Gurugram, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Noida, Pune and Thane .

Interestingly, women borrowed more than men in only two of these markets. In Gurugram, the average home loan size for women stood at ₹64.5 lakh compared with ₹57.8 lakh for men. A similar trend was seen in Noida, where women borrowed an average of ₹32.1 lakh while men took loans averaging ₹29.4 lakh .

According to the report, this trend may be linked to joint ownership arrangements and financial optimisation strategies such as tax or stamp duty benefits, which are more common in premium housing markets .

On the other end of the spectrum, Chennai recorded the lowest average loan value for women at ₹12.7 lakh, highlighting a substantial disparity in borrowing capacity. Thane, however, emerged as the most balanced market where the average loan sizes between men and women were relatively close .

Gap Between Participation and Access

The limited share of women borrowers stands in sharp contrast to broader demographic and market trends. Women represent nearly half of India's population and are involved in around 30% of residential property registrations in 2025. Surveys also indicate that nearly three out of four women consider real estate their preferred investment asset, suggesting a strong interest in property ownership that is not fully reflected in housing finance participation .

The report also highlights a gap in loan sizes between genders. Women borrowers take home loans averaging ₹23 lakh, compared with ₹29 lakh for men. This difference reflects structural challenges such as lower income levels and constraints in borrowing capacity .

Structural Barriers

The report attributes this imbalance to deeper structural and socio-economic barriers that affect women's credit eligibility even before they apply for housing finance. Women currently account for around 28% of India's corporate workforce, with representation declining sharply at senior levels and dropping to only about 8% at the CEO level .

Factors such as income disparity, career interruptions and employment instability often affect documented repayment capacity, which is a key factor in home loan approvals. Common reasons cited for rejection of loan applications by women include insufficient income, irregular employment history, low credit scores and limited credit history .

Expert Commentary

Kanika Gupta Shori, COO and co-founder of Square Yards, noted that India has seen considerable progress in women's socio-economic participation. More women are pursuing higher education, entering the workforce, launching businesses and actively using formal financial instruments such as mutual funds, insurance and retirement plans. However, this progress has not yet translated proportionately into easier access to housing finance or property ownership .

She added that women represent one of the most under-tapped segments in India's housing finance ecosystem. Expanding their access to home loans is essential not only for advancing financial inclusion but also for supporting long-term wealth creation and economic empowerment .

Amit Prakash Singh, co-founder and Chief Business Officer at Urban Money, said the industry needs to focus on solutions that strengthen women's credit profiles rather than relying solely on incentives. According to him, enabling women to participate independently in the credit ecosystem could significantly expand both financial inclusion and the housing finance market .

Conclusion

Overall, the findings highlight a persistent gap between women's growing economic participation and their ability to access housing finance. As homeownership continues to play a central role in long-term wealth creation in India, addressing this imbalance will be critical to building a more inclusive and equitable housing market .