Typical Homebuyer in 2026: Older, Richer, and Still Loves the Suburbs

Sales remain at a low point

Existing-home sales were unchanged in 2024 and 2025, at 4.06 million each year. By October 2026, the seasonally adjusted annual rate had fallen to 3.75 million, its lowest in more than a decade, according to the National Association of Realtors.

NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun said buying a home was difficult as mortgage rates reached their highest levels since 2000, except for one month in 2023. He said sales fell to their lowest point since August 2010. The association’s annual report examines sales from July 2025 to June 2026.

Buyer ages shift slightly

The median age of homebuyers slipped to 58, from a peak of 59 the previous year. First-time buyers remained at a median age of 40, while repeat buyers held at 62.

Repeat buyers have aged substantially over time: their median age was 36 in 1981. The report says their median age has risen faster since 1981 than the age of first-time buyers.

Income and household profiles

The typical buyer household had a median income of $120,000; for first-time buyers, the figure was $100,000. The US Census put nationwide median household income at $87,460 in 2025, its highest level.

A typical purchase was a 1,900-square-foot home with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Most buyers did not have children: households with one or two children accounted for 10% of buyers, and those with three or more made up 6%.

Suburbs remain favored

Buyers continued to favor suburban homes, reversing a trend seen in 2022, when the share buying in suburbs fell below 40%. Small towns and rural areas drew more buyers that year, narrowing the gap with suburban buyers.

Condos, which are often concentrated in urban areas, are receiving less interest, the report says. The article does not provide a specific figure for suburban purchases or condo demand.

Education and solo buyers

The survey found that 30% of buyers had a bachelor’s degree, while 27% held a master’s, MBA or law degree. High-school graduates made up 16%. Single women represented 20% of homebuyers, a slight decrease, while single men accounted for 8%. The report describes first-time buyers as struggling to keep pace in a market increasingly divided between those who have and those who do not.