Average Age of First-Time Homebuyers by State
First-time homebuyers in California and Hawaii are the oldest at 38 — priced out until later in life by high housing costs. Meanwhile, Iowa and the Midwest have the youngest first-time buyers at 31.
Data
| # | State | Avg Age |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 38 |
| 2 | Hawaii | 38 |
| 3 | New York | 37 |
| 4 | New Jersey | 36 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 36 |
| 6 | Washington | 35 |
| 7 | Oregon | 35 |
| 8 | Colorado | 35 |
| 9 | Florida | 34 |
| 10 | North Carolina | 34 |
| 11 | Indiana | 33 |
| 12 | Georgia | 33 |
| 13 | Michigan | 33 |
| 14 | Tennessee | 33 |
| 15 | Iowa | 31 |
Note: First-Time Homebuyers Are Getting Older Across the U.S.
The Age Is Creeping Up
The typical age of a first-time homebuyer in the United States has been rising for years and now sits around the mid-30s. It was not always like this. A generation ago, most people bought their first home in their late 20s. Today, renters are saving longer, waiting until their careers are more settled, and delaying the jump into homeownership until they feel financially ready. Because the age differs from state to state, charting it by state shows how local costs and local economies shape when people manage to buy.
Why People Wait Longer
The big reasons are pretty well known: home prices have climbed much faster than incomes in most metro areas, and rents have risen right along with them, which makes saving for a down payment slower. Student loan payments eat into the money that could have gone into a savings account. Tighter lending rules after the last housing bust mean lenders want bigger down payments and better credit scores. All of that pushes the first purchase later in life.
State by State Differences
The national average hides a lot of variation. In expensive coastal states, where home prices are highest, the typical first-time buyer tends to be older because it simply takes longer to save. In more affordable parts of the country, people often buy younger, though that gap has narrowed as prices climbed almost everywhere. That is exactly why a state-level chart is useful: it turns a hazy national trend into a clear map of who buys young and who buys late.
What This Means for Housing
Older first-time buyers have some knock-on effects. They often buy more expensive homes because they have more savings, which pushes the entry-level market up. They are more likely to want homes near good schools and jobs since they are further along in their careers and family plans. And because they buy later, they pay off their mortgages later, which changes the long-term picture for wealth building through home equity.
Fun Facts
- The average age of a first-time buyer in the U.S. has clearly trended upward over the past few decades and now lands in the mid-30s in most national surveys.
- Millennials and the older half of Gen Z now make up the bulk of first-time buyers.
- Renters in expensive states often need many years just to save a modest down payment.
- Some parents help with down payments, and that help is a big factor in who buys early.
- Remote work let some buyers move to cheaper states, which pulled the average age down in affordable metros even as it rose in pricey ones.
- First-time buyers typically put down less money than repeat buyers because they have less equity to draw on.
- High mortgage rates slow the whole market, but they hit first-timers hardest since they are the most sensitive to monthly payments.