Eagle plaques on homes are an American tradition. Who qualifies for them?

Comments: by Addy Bink - 05/18/26 12:00 PM ET Comments: Link copied by Addy Bink - 05/18/26 12:00 PM ET Comments: Link copied NOW PLAYING (NEXSTAR) – The American dream of owning a house with a yard and a picket fence may still be in reach today, but achieving the once-common feat of paying off a mortgage may feel far-fetched. Americans are still buying homes. The most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau found that there are roughly 84.2 million owner-occupied homes in the country. But one tradition of home ownership has seemingly faded. You may still see remnants of it if you drive through an older neighborhood or if you own an older home. What you re looking for is a metal eagle. They may be made of wood, cast iron, or metal, and can be found above garages and front doors alike. Your first thought may be that the eagle is simply patriotic symbolism, considering our national bird is the bald eagle. As you may have inferred by now, that answer is about halfway accurate. To better understand the eagle plaques, you have to go back about 70 years. At the time, American soldiers were returning home from World War II. Many would take advantage of the newly signed Servicemen s Readjustment Act, better known as the G.I. Bill, which provided veterans with funds for college, unemployment insurance, and housing. Within about a decade of the bill being enacted, 4.3 million home loans had been granted, and 20% of all new homes built post-World War II were bought by veterans. It was also a time of strong patriotism nationwide, which seemingly sparked a tradition among homeowners, Chris Varsek, the lead real estate agent with The Varsek Team in Illinois, previously explained to Nexstar. As Americans paid off their mortgages, they would hang eagle plaques above their front doors, garages, or another part of their home, to signify they were free from debt, he explained. The decor was (and still is) sometimes known as a freedom flyer. The tradition would continue for decades, but its history has largely been lost to time, Varsek added. At present, Census data suggests 39.4% of owner-occupied homes – or roughly two-in-five homeowners – are mortgage-free and eagle-eligible. That s about 33.1 million American homes that could be displaying an eagle on their home. Some states have more freedom flyer-worthy homeowners than others. In West Virginia, for example, Census data shows nearly 60% of owner-occupied homes do not have a mortgage. That s nearly 294,000 homes that could be adorned with an eagle plaque. In only Maryland and the District of Columbia are fewer than 30% of owner-occupied homes mortgage-free. That s an improvement from the previous Census report in which Colorado also fell below the 30% benchmark. The latest data shows 30.6% of owner-occupied homes are mortgage-free. The interactive map below shows the percentage of owner-occupied homes that are without a mortgage in the U.S., according to five-year estimates from the Census annual American Community Survey, which occurs more frequently than the actual Census. This data was released last fall. The darker blue the state, the higher that percentage. Mississippi is the only other state with a rate of mortgage-free, owner-occupied homes above 50% (technically, 50.6%). If you re a new homeowner or are currently shopping the market, it may be a while before you can earn your eagle plaque. Home prices continued to rise nationally last month, albeit at a slower rate. The U.S. median sales price increased 0.9% in April from a year earlier to $417,700, an all-time high for any April on data going back to 1999, the National Association of Realtors said earlier this month. Home prices have risen on an annual basis for 34 months in a row. Meanwhile, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage was at 6.37% during the first week of May, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. For comparison, in 1955, when the typical home price was around $22,000, the average mortgage rate was around 4%. The last time rates were that low in the U.S. was early 2022. Unfortunately, when you do pay off your mortgage, it s unlikely anyone will bring a cast iron eagle plaque to your home. You can, however, find them at retailers like Home Depot and Amazon. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Eagle plaques on homes are an American tradition. Who qualifies for them?

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