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Introduction The Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) caused widespread devastation, displacing residents and increasing concerns about social isolation. In this study, we examine the association between housing type at a single postdisaster time point (6 years after the GEJE) and social isolation.Methods Data from 16 610 participants (5828 men and 10 782 women; mean age 59.4±11.1 years) in the Tohoku Medical Megabank Project Community-based Cohort Study were analysed. Housing was categorised into eight types. Social isolation was measured using the Lubben Social Network Scale-6. Adjusted ORs and 95% CIs were calculated using logistic regression, with analyses stratified by gender and age.Results Men living in rental housing, particularly those under 65, had a higher risk of social isolation compared with those who remained in their pre-GEJE homes (OR: 1.87, 95% CI 1.06 to 3.28). Men under 65 in rebuilt homes in affected areas also showed reduced risk (OR: 0.41, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.86). Men aged 65 and older in prefabricated or temporary housing were at high risk (OR: 2.19, 95% CI 1.19 to 4.03), but this association disappeared after adjusting for baseline social isolation. Among women, only those aged 65 and older living with friends or relatives had a significantly high risk of social isolation.Conclusions Housing type influences social isolation after disasters, especially among men. Rental housing may increase isolation risk, while reconstructed homes may reduce it. Disaster recovery policies should address housing-related social isolation.