Key statistics
- The median age of first-time home buyers reached 40, an all-time high, in NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. (NAR)
- First-time buyers made up 21% of home buyers, the lowest share since NAR began tracking in 1981. (NAR 2025 Profile)
- In 1981, 44% of buyers were first-time buyers and their median age was 29. (NAR)
- The median age of repeat buyers rose to 62 and of all buyers to 59, both record highs. (NAR 2025 Profile)
- The median first-time buyer down payment was 10%, matching the highest level recorded since 1989. Repeat buyers put down 23%. (NAR 2025 Profile)
- 22% of first-time buyers used a gift or loan from family or friends for their down payment; 26% tapped financial assets such as a 401(k), stocks or cryptocurrency. (NAR 2025 Profile)
- First-time buyers had a median household income of $94,400. (NAR 2025 Profile, via Builder)
- The share of first-time buyers using an FHA loan fell from 55% in 2009 to 28% in 2025. (NAR)
- The first-time buyer share peaked at 50% in 2010, during the federal first-time homebuyer tax credit. (NAR)
- The homeownership rate for householders under 35 was 35.2% in the second quarter of 2026, down from 36.4% a year earlier. (U.S. Census Bureau)
- Delaying homeownership from age 30 to 40 can mean losing about $150,000 in equity on a typical starter home, NAR estimates. (NAR)
- 26% of all home buyers paid all cash, a record high. (NAR 2025 Profile)
What is the average age of a first-time home buyer?
The median age of a first-time home buyer in the US is 40, according to the National Association of REALTORS® 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, released November 4, 2025. That is the oldest age NAR has recorded since the survey began in 1981.
NAR reports a median, the age at which half of first-time buyers were older and half younger. It is the figure most outlets mean when they say "average age". The survey covers primary residence purchases made between July 2024 and June 2025.
The age has jumped fast. It was 33 in the 2021 report, 36 in 2022, 35 in 2023 and 38 in 2024. In the 1980s, the typical first-time buyer was in their late 20s. In 1981 the median was 29.
Repeat buyers are older still. The median repeat buyer was 62 in the 2025 report, and the median for all buyers was 59. Both are records.
| Report year | First-time buyers | Repeat buyers | All buyers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 29 | 36 | 31 |
| 2010 | 30 | 49 | 39 |
| 2011 | 31 | 53 | 45 |
| 2012 | 31 | 51 | 42 |
| 2013 | 31 | 52 | n/a |
| 2014 | 31 | 53 | n/a |
| 2015 | 31 | 53 | n/a |
| 2016 | 32 | 52 | n/a |
| 2017 | 32 | 54 | 45 |
| 2018 | 32 | 55 | n/a |
| 2019 | 33 | 55 | 47 |
| 2020 | 33 | 55 | 47 |
| 2021 | 33 | 56 | n/a |
| 2022 | 36 | 59 | n/a |
| 2023 | 35 | 58 | 49 |
| 2024 | 38 | 61 | 56 |
| 2025 | 40 | 62 | 59 |
Source: NAR 2020 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, Chapter 1 and Exhibit 1-1 (copy hosted by the Arizona Association of REALTORS®) for 1981 and 2010 to 2020; NAR 2012 Profile highlights for the 2012 all-buyer age; NAR, 40 years of the Profile for 2021; NAR REALTOR® News, November 3, 2022 and NAR 2023 Profile highlights for 2022 and 2023; NAR 2024 Profile highlights for 2023 and 2024 all-buyer ages; NAR press release, November 4, 2025 for 2025. The 2010 to 2018 first-time and repeat values, plus the 2012 and 2013 repeat values, are read from the data labels of NAR's Exhibit 1-1 chart; NAR's text confirms first-time ages held between 30 and 32 from 1995 to 2018 and repeat ages of 53 in 2011, 2014 and 2015, 52 in 2016, 54 in 2017 and 55 in 2018 to 2020. "n/a" means we could not open an NAR source for that year. Each report year covers purchases from July of the prior year through June of the report year.
Median age of first-time and repeat home buyers, 1981 to 2025
Chart data
| Category | First-time buyers | Repeat buyers |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 29 | 36 |
| 2010 | 30 | 49 |
| 2011 | 31 | 53 |
| 2012 | 31 | 51 |
| 2013 | 31 | 52 |
| 2014 | 31 | 53 |
| 2015 | 31 | 53 |
| 2016 | 32 | 52 |
| 2017 | 32 | 54 |
| 2018 | 32 | 55 |
| 2019 | 33 | 55 |
| 2020 | 33 | 55 |
| 2021 | 33 | 56 |
| 2022 | 36 | 59 |
| 2023 | 35 | 58 |
| 2024 | 38 | 61 |
| 2025 | 40 | 62 |
Share of first-time home buyers by year
First-time buyers made up 21% of home purchases in NAR's 2025 Profile, the lowest share in the survey's 44-year history. The previous record low was 24% in 2024. Before that, it was 26% in 2022.
For most of the series, first-time buyers were about two in five buyers. NAR calls 40% the historical norm. The share was 44% in 1981, hit an all-time low of 30% in 1987, recovered to 44% in 1991 and stayed between 40% and 42% from 1993 to 2005. It peaked at 50% in 2010, when the federal first-time homebuyer tax credit pulled buyers forward. It has been under 40% every year since 2011.
NAR's deputy chief economist Jessica Lautz said the first-time buyer share has contracted by 50% since 2007.
| Report year | First-time buyer share |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 44% |
| 1985 | 37% |
| 1987 | 30% |
| 1989 | 38% |
| 1991 | 44% |
| 1993 | 41% |
| 1995 | 42% |
| 1997 | 42% |
| 1999 | 42% |
| 2001 | 42% |
| 2003 | 40% |
| 2004 | 40% |
| 2005 | 40% |
| 2006 | 36% |
| 2007 | 39% |
| 2008 | 41% |
| 2009 | 47% |
| 2010 | 50% |
| 2011 | 37% |
| 2012 | 39% |
| 2013 | 38% |
| 2014 | 33% |
| 2015 | 32% |
| 2016 | 35% |
| 2017 | 34% |
| 2018 | 33% |
| 2019 | 33% |
| 2020 | 31% |
| 2021 | 34% |
| 2022 | 26% |
| 2023 | 32% |
| 2024 | 24% |
| 2025 | 21% |
Source: NAR 2020 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, Exhibit 1-16 and Chapter 1 text for 1981 to 2020; NAR, 40 years of the Profile for 2021; NAR REALTOR® News, November 3, 2022 for 2022; NAR 2023 Profile highlights for 2023; NAR 2024 Profile highlights for 2024; NAR press release, November 4, 2025 for 2025. NAR did not publish the survey every year before 2003. Values for 1981 to 2020 are the data labels in NAR's Exhibit 1-16; NAR's text confirms 1981, 1987, 1991, 1993 to 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2019 and 2020.
First-time home buyers as a share of all buyers, 1981 to 2025
Chart data
| Category | First-time home buyers as a share of all buyers, 1981 to 2025 |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 44 |
| 1985 | 37 |
| 1987 | 30 |
| 1989 | 38 |
| 1991 | 44 |
| 1993 | 41 |
| 1995 | 42 |
| 1997 | 42 |
| 1999 | 42 |
| 2001 | 42 |
| 2003 | 40 |
| 2004 | 40 |
| 2005 | 40 |
| 2006 | 36 |
| 2007 | 39 |
| 2008 | 41 |
| 2009 | 47 |
| 2010 | 50 |
| 2011 | 37 |
| 2012 | 39 |
| 2013 | 38 |
| 2014 | 33 |
| 2015 | 32 |
| 2016 | 35 |
| 2017 | 34 |
| 2018 | 33 |
| 2019 | 33 |
| 2020 | 31 |
| 2021 | 34 |
| 2022 | 26 |
| 2023 | 32 |
| 2024 | 24 |
| 2025 | 21 |
The NAR series measures the share of buyers. For scale, NAR's 2025 methodology note says 4,746,000 homes were sold to primary residence buyers in 2024 across new and existing homes, based on the REALTORS® Confidence Index.
Why first-time buyers are getting older
First-time buyers are older because saving for a down payment takes longer, NAR's research says. In the 2023 report, 38% of first-time buyers said saving for a down payment was the most difficult step in buying. In the 2024 report, 32% said the same, and 36% said understanding the process and steps was the hardest part.
NAR ties the delay to high rents, student loan debt and limited inventory at affordable prices. In the 2022 report, NAR said first-time buyers are older because they save for longer or rely on a generational transfer of wealth. Childcare costs also cut into savings for younger households, NAR notes.
The cost of waiting is measurable. NAR estimates that delaying homeownership until age 40 instead of 30 can mean losing roughly $150,000 in equity on a typical starter home.
Household make-up has changed alongside age. In 1981, 68% of first-time buyers were married couples. By 2021 that was 50%. In the 2025 report, 25% of first-time buyers were single women and 10% were single men.
| Measure | Value | Report year |
|---|---|---|
| Married couples as share of first-time buyers | 68% | 1981 |
| Married couples as share of first-time buyers | 50% | 2021 |
| Single women as share of first-time buyers | 25% | 2025 |
| Single men as share of first-time buyers | 10% | 2025 |
| First-time buyers who rented before buying | 72% | 2020 |
| First-time buyers who lived with family or friends before buying | 22% | 2020 |
| First-time buyers who identified as non-white | 36% | 2024 |
| First-time buyers born outside the US | 13% | 2024 |
| First-time buyers whose main reason was the desire to own a home | 64% | 2024 |
| First-time buyers citing saving for a down payment as the hardest step | 38% | 2023 |
| First-time buyers citing saving for a down payment as the hardest step | 32% | 2024 |
| Median expected tenure in home, first-time buyers | 18 years (record) | 2022 |
Source: NAR, 40 years of the Profile; Builder, November 7, 2025, reporting the NAR 2025 Profile; NAR 2020 Profile, Chapter 1; NAR 2024 Profile highlights; NAR 2023 Profile highlights; NAR REALTOR® News, November 3, 2022.
First-time home buyer income
First-time buyers had a median household income of $94,400 in NAR's 2025 Profile, against $109,000 for all buyers. That is down from $97,000 for first-time buyers in the 2024 report, which NAR said was up $26,000 in two years.
Over a longer span, first-time buyer income has climbed well ahead of the pace many renters can match. In the 2012 report, first-time buyers had a median household income of $61,800. In the 2020 report it was $80,000. That is a 53% rise from the 2012 report to the 2025 report in nominal terms (our calculation from NAR's figures).
| Report year (income year) | First-time buyers | Repeat buyers | All buyers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 (2011 income) | $61,800 | $93,100 | $78,600 |
| 2020 (2019 income) | $80,000 | $106,700 | $96,500 |
| 2023 (2022 income) | n/a | n/a | $107,000 |
| 2024 | $97,000 | n/a | n/a |
| 2025 (2024 income) | $94,400 | n/a | $109,000 |
Source: NAR 2012 Profile highlights; NAR 2020 Profile, Exhibit 1-21; NAR 2023 Profile highlights; NAR 2024 Profile highlights; Builder, November 7, 2025 for the 2025 Profile figures. NAR reports income for the calendar year before the report. "n/a" means the figure was not in the NAR source we opened.
Median household income of first-time vs all home buyers
Chart data
| Category | First-time buyers | All buyers |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 61,800 | 78,600 |
| 2020 | 80,000 | 96,500 |
| 2025 | 94,400 | 109,000 |
First-time home buyer down payment statistics
The median first-time buyer down payment was 10% in NAR's 2025 Profile, matching the highest level recorded since 1989. Repeat buyers put down a median of 23%, and all buyers 19%.
First-time down payments have risen four years in a row: 6% in 2022, 8% in 2023, 9% in 2024 and 10% in 2025. NAR links the rise to competition from all-cash buyers. A bigger down payment makes an offer more competitive and lowers the monthly payment at higher mortgage rates.
Repeat buyers are drawing on equity. Their median down payment of 23% in 2024 and 2025 was the highest since 2003. In the 2025 report, 30% of repeat buyers paid all cash, and 26% of all buyers did, a record high. Between 2003 and 2010, fewer than one in 10 buyers paid all cash, NAR says.
| Report year | First-time buyers | Repeat buyers | All buyers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 6% | 17% | n/a |
| 2023 | 8% | 19% | n/a |
| 2024 | 9% | 23% | 18% |
| 2025 | 10% | 23% | 19% |
Source: NAR REALTOR® News, November 3, 2022; NAR 2023 Profile highlights; NAR 2024 Profile highlights; NAR REALTOR® News, "NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers, Sellers Reveals Market Extremes," November 4, 2025. NAR also reports a 9% first-time down payment in 1997 and a 21% repeat down payment in 2005 as historical reference points.
Median down payment, first-time vs repeat buyers, 2022 to 2025
Chart data
| Category | First-time buyers | Repeat buyers |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 6 | 17 |
| 2023 | 8 | 19 |
| 2024 | 9 | 23 |
| 2025 | 10 | 23 |
On a typical home, the difference in cash needed is large. For more on down payment amounts by price and loan type, see our down payment statistics.
Where first-time buyers get their down payment
59% of first-time buyers used personal savings for their down payment in the 2025 Profile, 26% used financial assets such as a 401(k), IRA, stocks or cryptocurrency, and 22% received a gift or loan from relatives or friends.
The mix has shifted. In earlier reports, a gift or loan from family was more common than financial assets among first-time buyers. In 2025, financial assets moved ahead. Builder's coverage of the report notes that NAR described the first-time buyers who do succeed as an "elite" group.
Family help remains significant. Roughly one in five first-time buyers has relied on a gift or loan from family or friends in every report since 2022: 22% in 2022, 23% in 2023, 25% in 2024 and 22% in 2025.
| Source | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Personal savings | n/a | n/a | 69% | 59% |
| Gift or loan from relative or friend | 22% | 23% | 25% | 22% |
| Financial assets (stocks, bonds, 401(k), IRA, crypto) | 20% | 24% | n/a | 26% |
Source: NAR REALTOR® News, November 3, 2022; NAR 2023 Profile highlights (2023 financial assets: stocks or bonds 11%, 401(k) or pension 9%, IRA 2%, cryptocurrency 2%; 2022 total 20%); NAR 2024 Profile highlights; NAR press release, November 4, 2025. Buyers could name more than one source. "n/a" means the figure was not published in the NAR source we opened.
Among repeat buyers, 54% used proceeds from the sale of a previous home for their down payment in the 2025 report.
How first-time buyers finance their homes
28% of first-time buyers used an FHA loan in NAR's 2025 Profile, down from 55% in 2009. Conventional loans now dominate. In the 2024 report, 52% of first-time buyers used a conventional loan, 29% FHA and 9% VA.
Nearly all first-time buyers borrow. In the 2024 report, 91% of first-time buyers financed their purchase, compared with 69% of repeat buyers, and the median first-time buyer financed 91% of the price. In the 2024 report, 77% of first-time buyers chose a fixed-rate mortgage.
| Measure | Value | Report year |
|---|---|---|
| First-time buyers using FHA loans | 55% | 2009 |
| First-time buyers using FHA loans | 29% | 2024 |
| First-time buyers using FHA loans | 28% | 2025 |
| First-time buyers using conventional loans | 52% | 2024 |
| First-time buyers using VA loans | 9% | 2024 |
| First-time buyers who financed their purchase | 91% | 2024 |
| Repeat buyers who financed their purchase | 69% | 2024 |
| Median share of price financed, first-time buyers | 91% | 2024 |
| First-time buyers using a fixed-rate mortgage | 77% | 2024 |
| First-time buyers who financed their purchase | 96% | 2012 |
| All buyers paying all cash | 26% | 2025 |
| Repeat buyers paying all cash | 30% | 2025 |
Source: NAR REALTOR® News, November 4, 2025; NAR 2024 Profile highlights; NAR 2012 Profile highlights; NAR press release, November 4, 2025.
During the 2025 survey period, mortgage rates averaged 6.69%, NAR says. In the 2024 survey period they averaged 7.02% and peaked at 7.79%.
Homeownership rate by age group
The homeownership rate for householders under 35 was 35.2% in the second quarter of 2026, according to the Census Bureau's Housing Vacancies and Homeownership survey, released July 28, 2026. That was lower than the 36.4% rate a year earlier, a statistically significant decline. The overall US homeownership rate was 65.0%.
Homeownership rises steeply with age. It was 60.9% for householders aged 35 to 44, 69.7% for 45 to 54, 75.1% for 55 to 64 and 78.6% for those 65 and over. The gap between the youngest and oldest groups was 43.4 percentage points.
The under-35 rate has fallen in each of the last four second quarters, from 39.1% in 2022. That lines up with NAR's falling first-time buyer share over the same period.
| Age of householder | Homeownership rate, Q2 2026 | Margin of error (±) | Q2 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 35 | 35.2% | 0.7 | 36.4% |
| 35 to 44 | 60.9% | 0.7 | 61.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 69.7% | 0.7 | 69.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 75.1% | 0.7 | 75.8% |
| 65 and over | 78.6% | 0.5 | 78.6% |
| All households | 65.0% | 0.5 | 65.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Quarterly Residential Vacancies and Homeownership, Second Quarter 2026, Table 6 (released July 28, 2026). Rates are not seasonally adjusted. Census reports that only the under-35 change from Q2 2025 is statistically significant.
Homeownership rate by age of householder, Q2 2026
Chart data
| Category | Homeownership rate by age of householder, Q2 2026 |
|---|---|
| Under 35 | 35.2 |
| 35 to 44 | 60.9 |
| 45 to 54 | 69.7 |
| 55 to 64 | 75.1 |
| 65 and over | 78.6 |
| Year (Q2) | Under 35 | 35 to 44 | All households |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 36.5% | 60.0% | 64.3% |
| 2019 | 36.4% | 59.4% | 64.1% |
| 2020 | 40.6% | 64.3% | 67.9% |
| 2021 | 37.8% | 61.3% | 65.4% |
| 2022 | 39.1% | 61.9% | 65.8% |
| 2023 | 38.5% | 63.1% | 65.9% |
| 2024 | 37.4% | 62.2% | 65.6% |
| 2025 | 36.4% | 61.0% | 65.0% |
| 2026 | 35.2% | 60.9% | 65.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Quarterly Residential Vacancies and Homeownership, Second Quarter 2026, Tables 4 and 6 (released July 28, 2026). Census notes 2020 data were affected by pandemic-related collection changes; treat the 2020 spike with caution.
Homeownership rate for householders under 35, Q2 2018 to Q2 2026
Chart data
| Category | Under 35 |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 36.5 |
| 2019 | 36.4 |
| 2020 | 40.6 |
| 2021 | 37.8 |
| 2022 | 39.1 |
| 2023 | 38.5 |
| 2024 | 37.4 |
| 2025 | 36.4 |
| 2026 | 35.2 |
First-time buyers and real estate agents
First-time buyers lean on agents more than any other group. In NAR's 2025 Profile, 76% of first-time buyers said their agent helped them understand the buying process. In the 2024 report, the figure was 80%, against 53% of all buyers.
They also find agents through people they know. In the 2024 report, 51% of first-time buyers found their agent through a referral from a friend, neighbor or relative, compared with 40% of all buyers.
Across all buyers, 88% bought through an agent or broker in the 2025 report, and 92% of buyers of previously owned homes did. Ninety-one percent of buyers said they would use their agent again or recommend them. On the sell side, 91% of sellers used an agent and 5% sold by owner, a record low. Our FSBO statistics page covers the seller side in detail.
| Measure | First-time buyers | All buyers | Report year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agent helped them understand the process | 76% | n/a | 2025 |
| Agent helped them understand the process | 80% | 53% | 2024 |
| Found agent through referral from friend, neighbor or relative | 51% | 40% | 2024 |
| Bought through an agent or broker | n/a | 88% | 2025 |
| Would use agent again or recommend | n/a | 91% | 2025 |
Source: NAR REALTOR® News, November 4, 2025; NAR 2024 Profile highlights; NAR press release, November 4, 2025.
For agents and brokers, a first-time buyer file carries more steps that are new to the client: earnest money, inspection and appraisal contingencies, loan approval deadlines, and title and escrow. Buyers who do not know what comes next rely on the agent to keep every date in view. A shared checklist and deadline calendar on a transaction management platform makes that easier to run across a whole office. Our guides to the real estate transaction process and managing critical transaction dates walk through each step.
What the first-time buyer slump means for the housing market
Repeat buyers made up 79% of all buyers in NAR's 2025 Profile, and they are reshaping who buys and how. NAR's Jessica Lautz calls the market "a tale of two cities": equity-rich owners trading homes with large down payments or cash on one side, and first-time buyers struggling to get in on the other.
The equity numbers explain the split. NAR estimates that homeowners gained an average of $140,900 in wealth over the last five years. Sellers in the 2025 report had owned their homes for a median of 11 years before selling, a record. Between 2000 and 2008, the typical seller had stayed only six years.
Fewer moves by existing owners mean fewer starter homes coming up for sale. Buyers in the 2025 report expected to stay in their new home for a median of 15 years, and 28% said they never intend to move. In the 2022 report, first-time buyers alone expected a median stay of 18 years, a record for that group.
Household shape is shifting too. Only 24% of all buyers in the 2025 report had children under 18 at home, an all-time low, compared with 58% in 1985. Married couples fell to 61% of all buyers. NAR links the drop in buyers with children to falling birth rates, the rise of older repeat buyers and the cost of childcare.
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Repeat buyers as share of all buyers | 79% |
| All buyers paying all cash | 26% (record high) |
| Median seller tenure in home | 11 years (record high) |
| Typical seller tenure, 2000 to 2008 | 6 years |
| Median expected tenure in purchased home, all buyers | 15 years |
| Buyers who say they will never move | 28% |
| Buyers with children under 18 at home | 24% (record low; 58% in 1985) |
| Average homeowner wealth gain over the last five years | $140,900 |
| Median age of home sellers | 64 (record high) |
Source: NAR REALTOR® News, "NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers, Sellers Reveals Market Extremes," November 4, 2025; NAR press release, November 4, 2025.
For agents, this means a client base that skews older and wealthier, with first-time buyers a smaller but more advice-hungry slice. A first-time buyer who closes at 40 with a 10% down payment has usually spent years saving and wants every step explained.
What to watch in NAR's 2026 Profile
NAR's 2026 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers is due in November 2026, based on the November 4 release dates of the 2024 and 2025 editions. It will cover purchases made between July 2025 and June 2026.
The figures most likely to make news: whether the first-time share falls below 21%, whether the median first-time buyer age passes 40, and whether the first-time down payment moves past 10%. The Census under-35 homeownership rate fell to 35.2% in the second quarter of 2026, which points to continued pressure on first-time buying during the survey window. Census will publish third quarter 2026 rates on October 28, 2026.
We will update every table on this page within a week of NAR's release.
How we compiled these statistics
We used only sources we opened during research in October 2026.
- NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. NAR's annual survey of recent primary residence buyers, published since 1981. The 2025 edition surveyed 173,250 recent buyers in July 2025 and received 6,103 responses, an adjusted response rate of 3.5%, with a confidence interval of ±1.25% at 95% confidence. It covers purchases from July 2024 to June 2025. Long-run first-time share (1981 to 2020) and median ages (1981, 2010 to 2020) come from Exhibits 1-1 and 1-16 and the chapter text of NAR's 2020 Profile, read from a copy published by the Arizona Association of REALTORS®. Later years come from NAR's highlights documents (2023, 2024), NAR's press releases and NAR REALTOR® News articles (2021, 2022, 2025). The 2025 first-time buyer income ($94,400) and all-buyer income ($109,000) are as reported by Builder magazine from the 2025 Profile; NAR's free release did not include them.
- Census Bureau CPS/HVS. Homeownership rates by age of householder from the Quarterly Residential Vacancies and Homeownership release for the second quarter of 2026 (July 28, 2026). The next release is October 28, 2026.
Definitions. NAR's "first-time buyer" is a buyer who has not previously purchased a home. NAR publishes medians: half of buyers are above the figure and half below. Most media call NAR's median age the "average age". Census homeownership rate is owner-occupied households divided by all occupied households.
Caveats. NAR's survey covers owner-occupants only and excludes investors and vacation homes. NAR notes that not all results are directly comparable across years because of questionnaire changes. Values for some pre-2021 years are read from the data labels of NAR's exhibits; where NAR's text states the same value, we checked it. Census rates are not seasonally adjusted and carry margins of error of ±0.5 to ±0.7 points.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average age of a first-time home buyer?
The median age of a first-time home buyer was 40 in NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, an all-time high. It was 38 the year before and 29 in 1981.
What is the average age of a home buyer?
The median age of all home buyers was 59 in NAR's 2025 Profile, a record. Repeat buyers had a median age of 62.
What percentage of home buyers are first-time buyers?
First-time buyers made up 21% of home buyers in NAR's 2025 Profile, the lowest share since NAR began tracking in 1981. The historical norm is about 40%.
When was the first-time buyer share highest?
The first-time buyer share peaked at 50% in NAR's 2010 Profile, when the federal first-time homebuyer tax credit was in place. It has been below 40% every year since 2011.
How much do first-time home buyers put down?
The median first-time buyer down payment was 10% of the purchase price in NAR's 2025 Profile, the highest since 1989. Repeat buyers put down a median of 23%.
How many first-time buyers get help from family with the down payment?
22% of first-time buyers used a gift or loan from a relative or friend for their down payment in NAR's 2025 Profile. The share was 25% the year before.
What is the median income of first-time home buyers?
First-time buyers had a median household income of $94,400 in NAR's 2025 Profile, compared with $109,000 for all buyers.
What is the homeownership rate for people under 35?
The homeownership rate for householders under 35 was 35.2% in the second quarter of 2026, according to the Census Bureau, down from 36.4% a year earlier.
How many first-time buyers use FHA loans?
28% of first-time buyers used an FHA loan in NAR's 2025 Profile, down from 55% in 2009.
When is the next NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers released?
NAR's 2026 Profile is expected in November 2026. The 2024 and 2025 editions were both released on November 4.
Sources
- National Association of REALTORS®. "First-Time Home Buyer Share Falls to Historic Low of 21%, Median Age Rises to 40." November 4, 2025. https://www.nar.realtor/newsroom/first-time-home-buyer-share-falls-to-historic-low-of-21-median-age-rises-to-40
- National Association of REALTORS®. "NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers, Sellers Reveals Market Extremes." November 4, 2025. https://www.nar.realtor/news/real-estate-news/nar-2025-profile-of-home-buyers-sellers-reveals-market-extremes
- National Association of REALTORS®. Highlights From the Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (2025 edition page). Accessed October 8, 2026. https://www.nar.realtor/research-and-statistics/research-reports/highlights-from-the-profile-of-home-buyers-and-sellers
- National Association of REALTORS®. 2024 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, Highlights. November 4, 2024. https://nar.realtor/sites/default/files/2024-11/2024-profile-of-home-buyers-and-sellers-highlights-11-04-2024_2.pdf
- National Association of REALTORS®. 2023 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, Highlights. November 13, 2023. https://www.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/documents/2023-profile-of-home-buyers-and-sellers-highlights-11-13-2023.pdf
- National Association of REALTORS®. "First-Time Home Buyers Are Vanishing From the Market." November 3, 2022. https://www.nar.realtor/news/real-estate-news/first-time-home-buyers-are-vanishing-from-the-market
- National Association of REALTORS®. Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers: 40 years of data (2021). Accessed October 8, 2026. https://www.nar.realtor/node/184056
- National Association of REALTORS®. 2020 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, Chapter 1 (copy published by the Arizona Association of REALTORS®). 2020. https://www.aaronline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/11/Profile-of-Home-Buyers-and-Sellers.pdf
- National Association of REALTORS®. Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers 2012, Highlights. November 2012. https://www.nar.realtor/sites/default/files/Highlights-NAR-2012-HBS-2012-11-12.pdf
- Builder. "NAR: Share of First-Time Buyers Falls to Record Low." November 7, 2025. https://www.builderonline.com/data-analysis/nar-share-of-first-time-buyers-falls-to-record-low/
- U.S. Census Bureau. Quarterly Residential Vacancies and Homeownership, Second Quarter 2026 (CB26-116). July 28, 2026. https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/files/currenthvspress.pdf
- U.S. Census Bureau. Housing Vacancies and Homeownership, current release page. Accessed October 8, 2026. https://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/current/index.html
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