Kenya Williams, 26, has been looking for an affordable home in Atlanta for eight months now. “Still nothing,” the IT professional says, adding that her preference is Midtown or somewhere on the eastside near Old Fourth Ward. “I’ve thought about getting a roommate at this point.”

Maybe she should get a little older.

According to the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers (covering transactions from July 2024 to June 2025), the median age of all home buyers—first-time and repeat combined—reached an all-time high of 59 years old.

Nationwide, 59 Is Median Homebuying Age

This is up from 56 in 2024, 49 in 2023, and a far cry from the 31 recorded in 1981 when NAR began tracking the data.

For context:

  • First-time buyers’ median age hit a record 40 (up from 38 in 2024).
  • Repeat buyers’ median age rose to 62 (up from 61 in 2024).

This aging trend reflects broader housing market challenges, including high prices, elevated mortgage rates, and low inventory, which have sidelined younger buyers and boosted the share of older, cash-flush repeat buyers (now 79% of the market).

The first-time buyer share also fell to a historic low of 21%. These figures are based on NAR’s survey of over 173,000 recent buyers, weighted for geographic representation.

Median Homebuying Age in Atlanta

Drawing from the latest data released by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and local analyses, the median age of homebuyers in the Atlanta metro area has reached an estimated 56 years old in 2025—mirroring a national surge to 59 but underscoring unique local pressures like soaring prices and limited inventory.

This trend, fueled by high mortgage rates and economic barriers for younger residents, is reshaping the Peach State’s real estate landscape and raising alarms about the American Dream slipping further out of reach for millennials and Gen Z.

A National Crisis Hits Home in Atlanta

The NAR’s 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, based on surveys of over 173,000 recent buyers nationwide, paints a stark picture: the overall median buyer age hit a record 59, up from 56 in 2024, while first-time buyers—now just 21% of the market—skew even older at a median of 40.

Repeat buyers, who dominate at 79% of purchases, clock in at 62 on average.

”We’re seeing a market dominated by equity-rich boomers and Gen Xers trading up or downsizing, while younger buyers sit on the sidelines,” said Jessica Lautz, NAR’s deputy chief economist.

High interest rates, lingering around 6.7% for a 30-year fixed mortgage, have locked many into their current homes, exacerbating the inventory shortage.

Zillow data shows that in metro Atlanta, aspiring owners must sock away about 10% of median household income monthly to hit that 10% down payment threshold, a far cry from the late-20s entry point common in the 1980s.

Can you afford a home in Atlanta? Read this.

Local Factors Amplifying the Age Gap

Atlanta’s market, while more affordable than coastal hotspots like New York or San Francisco, is no stranger to these pressures. The metro area’s population swelled to 6.4 million in 2024, driven by in-migration and job growth in sectors like tech and logistics, yet housing supply lags.

Racial and generational disparities add layers to the story.

Spurred by gentrification and inflation, Black homeownership rates in Georgia trail the national average, with affordability challenges hitting minority buyers hardest—despite a median first-time buyer age of 35 for some groups entering the market.

Meanwhile, older buyers, often cash-flush from equity gains, snap up 30% of properties all-cash nationwide, a trend echoed locally where 37.6% of April sales were cash deals earlier this year.

In Atlanta’s diverse suburbs like Fulton County, where prices averaged $426,727, this cash wave favors repeat buyers over novices.

Glimmers of Hope and Calls for Action

Not all signs are grim. Forecasts from NAR’s chief economist Lawrence Yun predict a 6% uptick in existing home sales nationally in 2025, with Atlanta poised for a 9-13.5% local rebound as inventory balances and rates potentially ease.

The Atlanta Regional Commission anticipates 1.8 million new residents by 2050, spurring investments in mixed-income developments and infrastructure to boost affordability.

Final Word

Atlanta has one of the best real estate markets in the country, with affordable housing in every quadrant of the city. Large backyards, manicured parcels and strong neighborhoods with ample dining amenities make it one of the top places for transplants.

Not to mention that the city’s dining scene is the best in the Southeast. Looking for a home? Check out our Real Estate Resource Page.

Keep up with what’s going on in Atlanta’s real estate scene here with our Apartment Guide.

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