Stats That Gen Z Homebuyers Should Know (Gathered by a Gen Z Realtor)

Let me be real with you for a second: buying a home right now is hard. Prices are up. Rates are up. Groceries, gas, rent — all of it is up. If you're a Gen Z buyer looking at the housing market and feeling like the door is barely cracked open, you're not imagining things. The data backs you up.

But the data also tells a story that I think you need to hear — because buried inside the discouraging headlines are some genuinely reassuring truths about who is buying homes, how they're doing it, and what it means for your path to ownership. As a Gen Z realtor, I live in these numbers. Here's what they're actually saying. 

The Average First-Time Homebuyer Is Now 40 Years Old

Let that sink in. According to the National Association of REALTORS® 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, the median age of a first-time homebuyer has climbed to 40 years old — an all-time high. A decade ago, that number was in the early 30s. In other words, the timeline most of us were handed — graduate, get a job, buy a house in your late 20s — hasn't been realistic for a long time.

This isn't a character flaw or a lack of discipline. It's a market reality. First-time buyers now make up just 21% of all home purchases — the lowest share since NAR began tracking this data in 1981. For context, that share was closer to 40% just fifteen years ago.

The system has gotten harder. That's the honest answer. And knowing that is actually useful, because it means you can stop measuring yourself against a benchmark that no longer exists.

Gen Z Is Showing Up — and Showing Up Differently

Here's the part that gets me excited: despite all of it, Gen Z made up 4% of all home buyers in the most recent generational trends report (up from 3% the year before). That may sound small, but it's growing — and the way Gen Z is buying is what really stands out.

Nationally, single women now make up 21% of all home buyers — more than double the 9% share held by single men. Women are already outpacing men as solo buyers across every generation. But Gen Z takes it even further:

• 35% of Gen Z buyers are single females — the highest share of any generation in the market. Woooho! Let's go girls. 

• 17% of Gen Z buyers are unmarried couples — also the highest share of any generation

Read that again. More than a third of Gen Z homebuyers are women buying on their own. Gen Z isn't waiting for a partner, a ring, or society's permission. The driving force, as NAR Deputy Chief Economist Jessica Lautz put it, is "simply the desire to own a home of their own."

This is a generation rewriting the rulebook on what homeownership looks like — and doing it in one of the hardest markets in modern history.

The Family Help Factor Is Real — and It's Becoming the Norm

The "Bank of Mom and Dad" is officially a major force in the housing market — and the data around Gen Z is staggering.

22% of first-time buyers used gifts or loans from family and friends to fund their down payment (NAR 2025 Profile) — nearly 1 in 4. Among Gen Z buyers specifically, 13% received family gifts and 8% used family loans toward their down payment, meaning about 1 in 5 Gen Z buyers tapped the Bank of Mom and Dad. And according to Northwestern Mutual's 2026 Planning & Progress Study, 74% of parents with children at home say they would consider or have already started financially planning to help their kids buy a home — and 29% say it's more important to them than helping pay for college, with 55% calling it equally important.

The research puts it plainly: "In today's housing market, homeownership has become a team sport, and parents are increasingly the MVPs."

But here's the truth: the Bank of Mom and Dad isn't an option for everyone. And that's not a flaw — it's a reality that shapes how the majority of Gen Z buyers have to approach this market. For the roughly 4 in 5 Gen Z buyers who aren't using family gifts or loans, government-backed programs have become the primary path in. Gen Z now accounts for 27% of all FHA purchase mortgages nationally — the highest share of any generation. First-time buyer programs, down payment assistance, USDA and VA loans: these aren't backup plans. For most Gen Z buyers, they're the plan. (More on those in the programs section below.)

If family support is available to you, using it is smart, normal, and increasingly necessary. If it isn't, you're in good company — and there are real tools built for exactly your situation.

Why the Timing of Your Purchase Still Matters

Even in a tough market, the math strongly favors buying sooner over later. According to realtor.com's 2026 Generational Wealth Report, the difference in net worth at age 50 based on when you buy your first home is striking:

• Buy between ages 28–32: +22.5% higher net worth at 50 (+$119,000 average)

• Buy between ages 33–37: +11.2% higher net worth at 50 (+$59,000 average)

• Buy between ages 38–42: just +1.5% higher net worth at 50 (+$8,000 average)

"Earlier entry into the market doesn't just provide a place to live; it catalyzes broader balance-sheet growth," says Danielle Hale, chief economist at realtor.com. Every year of appreciation and mortgage paydown you gain in your 20s and 30s compounds into the next decade of your financial life.

That doesn't mean you should rush into a purchase that isn't financially right for you. It means the math still strongly rewards action when you're ready — and that the gap between "waiting a couple years" and "buying now" is measured in tens of thousands of dollars.

What Gen Z Is Actually Buying

The data shows that younger buyers are gravitating toward more accessible property types. Nationally, townhome sales have risen for two consecutive years as buyers search for lower price points than single-family detached homes. Condominiums and attached homes are also popular entry-level options.

Multigenerational homes — where adult children, parents, or other family members share the space — are another growing strategy, with 9% of Younger Millennial buyers purchasing multigenerational homes (up from 7%), often citing cost savings and caring for aging parents.

The bottom line: today's younger buyers are creative. They're not necessarily buying the house they dreamed about growing up — they're buying the home that gets them in the market. And that's the right call.

Programs That Can Help You Get There

You don't have to go it alone. Here are key programs designed for first-time and low-to-moderate income buyers:

FHA Loans — Backed by the Federal Housing Administration, FHA loans require as little as 3.5% down with a credit score of 580+. One of the most common entry points for first-time buyers. (Note: FHA usage has actually declined as prices have risen — from 55% of first-time buyers in 2009 to 28% today — but for buyers who qualify, it remains a powerful tool.)

USDA Loans — For buyers in eligible rural and suburban areas, USDA loans offer 0% down payment financing. Parts of southwest Montana and surrounding communities qualify. You can check you eligibility here 

VA Loans — If you've served or are currently serving, VA loans offer 0% down with no private mortgage insurance required. One of the most powerful tools available to qualifying buyers.

Montana Housing Programs — The Montana Board of Housing (MBOH) offers programs specifically for first-time buyers, including below-market interest rates and down payment assistance through the MBOH Plus 0% Deferred Down Payment Assistance Program.

Down Payment Assistance (DPA) — Local and state programs offering forgivable loans or grants to help cover the down payment gap. These are massively underutilized because buyers don't know they exist. Ask your lender and your realtor what's available in your area. View resources for Montana assistance programs here.

The Southwest Montana Reality

Let me bring this home — literally. Southwest Montana is one of the most desirable places to live in the entire country, and the numbers reflect that. Gallatin County has the highest median household income in Montana ($90,000+), a thriving economy anchored by construction, healthcare, tech, and outdoor tourism, and a job market that continues to attract people from across the country. People aren't moving here because it's cheap. They're moving here because it's worth it.

That desirability is also what makes this one of the most challenging entry markets in the region. The median sale price for a single-family home in Gallatin County reached $810,000 in 2024 — the highest on record, and more than four times what homes cost here in 2000. The 2025 Gallatin Valley Housing Report puts it plainly: the gap between local incomes and local home prices is wide, and getting in requires a real strategy.

The Housing Affordability Index for a median-income household sits at 39% — which sounds alarming, and it is — but what it actually tells us is that buying here requires creative financing, the right property type, and the right team. It's not a "no." It's a "not without a plan." Mortgage rates are hovering around 6.8% nationally, which is manageable on a $350,000 property and a very different conversation on an $810,000 one.

Here's the thing though: the market is already adapting, and so are buyers. Townhome sales have risen two consecutive years as buyers find more accessible price points. Belgrade and Three Forks have become legitimate first-purchase communities — still competitive, but meaningfully below Bozeman's median. Condos and attached homes remain real entry points for buyers who want to get into the market, start building equity, and grow from there. The buyers who are winning in this market aren't waiting for it to get easier. They're getting creative, getting in, and letting appreciation do the rest.

One more thing worth knowing: renting in the Gallatin Valley isn't the safe, flexible waiting room it used to be. With vacancy rates below 5% and nearly 11,000 households cost-burdened by rent, the financial pressure of staying on the sidelines is real. Every year you rent is a year someone else is building equity in a market that has appreciated dramatically over the past two decades. Ownership here isn't just about lifestyle — it's about locking in your place in a community that a lot of people want to be part of.

A Note From Your Gen Z Realtor

I'm not going to sugarcoat it: this is one of the hardest markets younger buyers have ever faced. In southwest Montana, we're dealing with prices that are dramatically higher than most of the country. The combination of a high cost of living, elevated rates, and limited inventory doesn't make it easy.

But people are buying homes here. Gen Z buyers are showing up — solo, in unmarried partnerships, with family help, getting creative, using every program available, and making it work. You don't have to do it perfectly. You just have to get in.

If you want to talk through what's actually possible for you right now, any ERA Landmark agent would love that conversation. The numbers are just the starting point. The real story is yours.