The record-breaking average age of first-time homebuyers revealed

The rising age of first-time homebuyers has dominated discussion of the housing market in recent months—and multiple sources offer varying estimates of how old the typical first-time buyer really is.Last year, the National Association of Realtors reported, based on survey data, that the median age of first-time buyers had jumped to 40.That is the highest age on record, and up from age 33 just five years earlier.That figure has been widely cited by politicians, and is a simple shorthand for capturing the painful affordability struggles that many first-time homebuyers face in the market.But not everyone agrees with the NAR figure.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York used estimates based on credit reports that showed the age of first-time buyers trending lower over time to 36.3 in 2024, down from nearly age 38 in 2000.Recently, a separate estimate based on U.S.Census Bureau data was released by Redfin, asserting that the typical first-time buyer was 35 last year—down from 36 in 2024, but up from 34 a decade earlier.The varying estimates highlight the difficulty of precisely pinpointing first-time buyer age, with each of the various methods used in the three studies carrying certain benefits and drawbacks.“Like a lot of questions that seem simple, the question of who is a first-time homebuyer can get murky,” says Realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale.

“Yes, a family who has never purchased a home before is a first-time homebuyer, but what about the family that owned, then rented for a few years before buying again? In some estimates, this family would be considered a first time homebuyer.”NAR has surveyed primary residence homebuyers periodically since 1981 by asking them “was this your first home purchase?”This survey method is the most direct way to gauge the age of first-time buyers, but faces challenges due to its response rate and sample size.In 2025, NAR mailed out 173,250 questionnaires, which could also be completed online, but h...