Around the mid-30s, according to most transaction- and credit-based data sources (typically median 32–35), though the widely cited National Association of Realtors (NAR) survey puts it higher at 40.
Key recent figures:
- Redfin (using U.S. Census Bureau Current Population Survey data): Median age of first-time buyers was 35 in 2025 (down slightly from 36 in 2024; it had peaked near 38 around 2018).
- AEI / New York Fed Consumer Credit Panel (based on credit reports and mortgage data): Median around 33–34 recently (e.g., 33 in Q1 2026, down from 34 earlier; average/mean closer to 36). Full-year 2025 median was about 34, little changed from prior years and similar to levels seen in the 2000s.
- National Mortgage Database / Cotality and similar loan-based sources: Often around 32–33.
- NAR 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (survey of recent buyers, covering roughly mid-2024 to mid-2025): Median age 40 (an all-time high in their series), with first-time buyers making up a record-low 21% of the market.
The gap mainly comes from methodology. NAR relies on a voluntary survey with a low response rate (~3.5%), which analysts say underrepresents younger buyers. Data drawn from actual closed loans, credit files, or broader Census samples consistently show younger medians and less dramatic aging over time.
In short, while homeownership is delayed relative to past decades (when first-time buyers were more often in their late 20s), the typical age today is most reliably placed in the mid-30s rather than 40, with some modest improvement in the most recent data as rates and inventory conditions eased slightly. Figures can vary by metro (higher in high-cost coastal markets, lower in more affordable areas).
