Single Gen Z women are outpacing their male counterparts when it comes to buying a home, according to new survey data from the National Association of Realtors (NAR). They accounted for 35% of all homebuyers in their generation, while single Gen Z men represented just 18%.
The NAR survey, covering home purchases between July 2024 and June 2025, included buyers from multiple generations, from Gen Z (ages 18-26) to the Silent Generation (ages 80-100). No other generation had a larger share of single women homebuyers than Gen Z. However, overall Gen Zers—defined as those born between 1999 and 2011—still made up only 4% of all homebuyers during the period.
The share of U.S. homes bought by first-time buyers of all ages sank to the lowest level on record since 1981. First-time buyers often lack equity from a previous home for a down payment. Bri LaFluer, now 27, saved half her pay and worked two jobs to buy her home in Baldwinsville, New York, in 2023 at age 24. She purchased a three-bedroom house for $175,000 after a two-year search.
“I’ve always been a really independent person and I just wanted my own place to have peace and quiet by myself,” LaFluer said. She lived with her mother to save for the $20,000 down payment.
Aspiring Gen Z homeowners face challenges including early career stages, lower incomes, and student loans. Their median annual income of $76,000 in 2024 was the lowest among all generations of homebuyers, per NAR. Soaring home prices have further strained affordability, with the median U.S. home sales price at $417,700 last month, up 0.9% year-over-year.
Many Gen Z buyers receive family financial help or tap community grants. One in ten used their 401(k) retirement savings for a down payment. Others, like Mariah Berry, saved on their own. Berry, now 23, bought a two-bedroom home in Charleston, Tennessee, for $218,000 in 2023 after scrimping. “I did not go out and was driving an old beat-up car,” she said. She made a $7,000 down payment with a 30-year mortgage at 6% interest.
The NAR data show single women across all generations made up a quarter of homebuyers from July 2024 to June 2025, while single men accounted for 11%. This trend dates back to at least 1981, with single women's homeownership peaking at 22% in 2006 and single men's at 12% in 2010.
Experts attribute the disparity to women's higher college attendance rates, leading to higher incomes, and a strong desire for independence. “It wasn’t until the 1970s where women were legally protected to have a mortgage on their own,” said Jessica Lautz, NAR’s deputy chief economist. “And they have embraced this and been very strongly embracing this.”
