Approximately ** percent of Americans aged 26 to 34 who bought a home were first-home buyers, whereas ** percent of home buyers between 35 and 44 bought their first home in that year. Gen Z and Millennial first-time buyers It is no surprise that many Gen Z (18 to 24 years old) and Millennial (25 to 43 years old) home buyers are mostly first-time home buyers. These home buyers are in the early stages of their careers, or still studying in some cases, and often struggling to repay student debt, so they need to save for many years before they afford a down payment. When do they sell? These generations tend to stay in their first homes for several years, which means that the majority of home sellers are older than them. The share of income needed to afford a trade-up home is significantly lower than the money needed for a starter home. A trade-up home is a larger and more expensive home, which homeowners often buy after living in their starter home, or their first home, for several years. This progression generally happens when homeowners have climbed the career ladder and increased their incomes.

Among all home buyers in the United States in 2024, first time home buyers accounted for approximately ** percent of the total. The share of first time home buyers among all home buyers in the United States has fluctuated significantly between 2003 and 2024 having had the highest share of first time home buyers of ** percent in 2010.

Graph and download economic data for Consumer Unit Characteristics: Percent Homeowner by Age: from Age 25 to 34 (CXUHOMEOWNLB0403M) from 1990 to 2023 about age, consumer unit, homeownership, 25 years +, percent, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Homeownership Rate in the United States (RHORUSQ156N) from Q1 1965 to Q2 2025 about homeownership, housing, rate, and USA.

In 2024, the average age of recent first-time buyers in London was slightly higher than the England average. Across the UK, first-time buyers accounted for approximately ******* home sales. First-time buyer prices and mortgages In London, the average value of a mortgage for first-time buyers was far higher than all other regions in the UK. Apart from the initial cost of a down payment, those that can afford to, see monthly payment savings against those renting. In certain parts of the country, annual savings of buying against renting saw first time buyers amounted to over ************ British pounds. Help to buy To encourage first-time buyers, the UK government started the "Help to buy" scheme. The scheme sees people saving for a first-time home receive a ***********bonus to their savings when purchasing a house valued at ******* British pounds (******* British pounds in London). Between December 2015 and March 2018, the North West of England saw the highest number of Help to buy ISA bonuses paid.

Americans who plan to buy a home upon their next move stood at ** percent, according to a national representative survey conducted in August 2025. Historically this figure has fluctuated between ** and ** percent. Meanwhile, the housing sentiment in the country has declined dramatically since 2021. This can be explained with the many challenges first-time buyers face as they enter the housing market, including saving up for a down payment, finding a suitable property, or securing a mortgage.

The homeownership rate was the highest among Americans in their early 70s and the lowest among people in their early 20s in 2024. In that year, approximately **** percent of individuals aged 70 to 74 resided in a residence they owned, compared to approximately ** percent among individuals under the age of 25. On average, **** percent of Americans lived in an owner-occupied home. The homeownership rate was the highest in 2004 but has since declined.

The percentage of first-time home buyers who used assistance programs in 2024

Home Ownership Rate in the United States decreased to 65.10 percent in the first quarter of 2025 from 65.70 percent in the fourth quarter of 2024. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - United States Home Ownership Rate - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.

In 2024, the median income range between of more than 200,000 U.S. dollars was the largest share of homebuyers in the United States that year. Among them, almost ** percent were between 26 and 59 years old. The income range between 100,000 and 124,999 U.S. dollars was the second one with the largest share of homebuyers in the United States that year. Among them, ** percent were between 18 and 34 years old.

Graph and download economic data for Delinquency Rate on Single-Family Residential Mortgages, Booked in Domestic Offices, All Commercial Banks (DRSFRMACBS) from Q1 1991 to Q2 2025 about domestic offices, delinquencies, 1-unit structures, mortgage, family, commercial, residential, domestic, banks, depository institutions, rate, and USA.

The average sales price of new homes in the United States experienced a slight decrease in 2024, dropping to 512,2000 U.S. dollars from the peak of 521,500 U.S. dollars in 2022. This decline came after years of substantial price increases, with the average price surpassing 400,000 U.S. dollars for the first time in 2021. The recent cooling in the housing market reflects broader economic trends and changing consumer sentiment towards homeownership. Factors influencing home prices and affordability The rapid rise in home prices over the past few years has been driven by several factors, including historically low mortgage rates and increased demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the market has since slowed down, with the number of home sales declining by over two million between 2021 and 2023. This decline can be attributed to rising mortgage rates and decreased affordability. The Housing Affordability Index hit a record low of 98.1 in 2023, indicating that the median-income family could no longer afford a median-priced home. Future outlook for the housing market Despite the recent cooling, experts forecast a potential recovery in the coming years. The Freddie Mac House Price Index showed a growth of 6.5 percent in 2023, which is still above the long-term average of 4.4 percent since 1990. However, homebuyer sentiment remains low across all age groups, with people aged 45 to 64 expressing the most pessimistic outlook. The median sales price of existing homes is expected to increase slightly until 2025, suggesting that affordability challenges may persist in the near future.