Has the median age of a homebuyer in the US increased from 31 to 56 in the past few decades?
Yes.
According to Apollo Global Management, the median age of a homebuyer was 56 in 2024, against 31 in 1981.
In the past few decades, the median price of a house has risen faster than the median household income, though both rose faster than inflation for the overall economy. In 1984, the median income was $22,420 and the median home price $79,950. In 2024, these figures had increased to $83,730 and $418,975, respectively. This means the median family had to work for 3.6 years to buy a home in 1984, against 5 years in 2024.
The NBC News Home Buyer Index rose from 28 in July 2012 to 81.1 in July 2025, with higher values showing increased difficulty in buying a home.
The Cato Institute estimates that in 2022, 69% of Americans had doubts about whether their children and grandchildren would be able to afford a home.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one, and was originally published on EconoFact.
Sources
- Apollo Academy Median Age of Homebuyers: 56
- Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Median Sales Price of Houses Sold for the United States
- Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Median Household Income in the United States
- Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items in U.S. City Average
- NBC News How hard is it to buy a home right now? The NBC News Home Buyer Index measures the market
- Cato Institute Poll: 87% of Americans Worry about the Cost of Housing; 69% Worry Their Kids and Grandkids Won’t be Able to Buy a Home
- EconoFact Hitting Home: Housing Affordability in the U.S.
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