An owner-occupier is a person who lives in a house that he or she owns. Owner-occupancy is therefore also called home ownership.

In modern economies, variations in the rate of owner occupancy are a good index of the overall wealth of the nation, at least across time within a nation. Between nations, variations in traditions and in tax regimes make such comparisons hard to interpret.

It is widely believed by politicians that owner-occupiers are more likely to vote for parties of the right, and such parties therefore often take steps to encourage home ownership.