Buying a first home has always been a major financial milestone, but for many young adults, that goal is becoming harder to reach. A Clever Real Estate analysis of 20 years of U.S. Census data found that homeownership among Americans under 30 dropped from 18.5% in 2005 to 11.8% in 2024, a 36% decline.
The gap is especially clear when comparing younger buyers with baby boomers. Nationally, Gen Z has a homeownership rate of just 4.5%, compared with 73.1% for baby boomers and 44.1% for millennials…