- For the first time, the oldest Americans (70+)held a larger share of real estate wealth than middle-aged Americans (40-54).
- The 70+ age group is the only one that has experienced constant gains in property wealth. Younger Americans, who have faced increasing home costs and home loan rates, have seen their portion of the real estate pie shrink or stay the exact same.
- 55-69 year olds hold the lion’s share of real estate wealth, in spite of losing share throughout the years.
The earliest Americans held 26% of America’s $48 trillion in property wealth as of the third quarter of 2025, the most recent duration for which data is readily available. That’s just shy of the previous quarter’s 26.1%– the highest level for 70+ years of age on record– and compares to 21.6% a years earlier and 16.6% 20 years earlier.
This is based upon a Redfin analysis of Federal Reserve Board information returning to 1989.
The share of real estate wealth held by 70+ year olds went beyond that of 40-54 years of age for the first time on record throughout the second quarter of 2025. At that time, 70+ years of age held 26.1% and 40-54 year olds held 25.9%. Since the third quarter, both groups held precisely 26%.
Prior to in 2015, the 40-54 age consistently held a larger share of realty wealth than the oldest Americans.
Younger Americans Have Seen Declines in Their Share of Property Wealth
The 70+ age group is the just one that has actually seen constant wealth gains over the years.
As pointed out previously, the 40-54 years of age associate held 26% of realty wealth in the third quarter. That’s down from 29.3% a decade previously. The 55-69 year old group saw their share drop to 35.3% from 37.2% over the exact same duration. The share held by the youngest Americans has actually flatlined; individuals under 40 held 12.6% of realty wealth in the 3rd quarter, bit changed from 11.9% a years earlier.
“Breaking into homeownership wasn’t an easy accomplishment for infant boomers, who faced high inflation and high rates of interest. However home loan rates then got in a decades-long decline, fueling years of home rate development that benefited child boomers,” stated Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather. “Those home rate gains, together with a rebound in home loan rates recently, have pushed homeownership out of reach for lots of younger Americans.”
Younger Americans are likewise buying real estate later because they’re marrying later.
The good news is that affordability has already begun to enhance this year. Redfin anticipated late last year that homebuyers would get some relief in 2026 as income growth outpaced home cost development. Home price development has slowed considerably since the pandemic moving craze, and home loan rates have actually come down in recent months. The average 30-year-fixed home loan rate now sits at around 6%, just shy of the lowest level in over 3 years.