U.S. Homebuyers Face Shorter but Still Prolonged Down Payment Saving Periods in 2025
The typical American homebuyer required seven years to save for a median down payment in 2025—a significant improvement from the 12-year peak in 2022 but still nearly double pre-pandemic timelines. Rising home prices and sluggish savings rates continue to extend the path to homeownership, with high-cost markets like San Francisco demanding decades of savings while more affordable regions require just a few years.
Delayed homeownership carries macroeconomic consequences: rent burdens escalate, wealth-building through equity accumulation slows, and housing-linked economic activity—from construction to mortgage lending—faces persistent headwinds. Though conditions have eased since 2022's historic lows, the accessibility gap remains a structural drag on household financial mobility.
