More from Grok AI on why the median age of home buyers would be expected to rise
The leading edge of Baby Boomers reached age 65 in 2011. While initially small in number, this group is the leading edge that began to downsize. Up to 40% of “Boomers” may move within a few years of reaching age 65 – 34% of those who move do so for downsizing, and 19% move to be closer to family.
But the initial group is not going to have a big impact because it was small – but gradually the number of those hitting retirement at age 65 would peak in 2024 (the Baby Boom peaked in 1959). We are now at the peak of the Baby Boom retiring, selling and buying a new home. That is going to increase the true median buyer age.
Surprisingly, about 50% of all workers have retired by age 62 (based on studies and Social Security data showing how many apply for Social Security at first eligibility at age 62.)
Note also, per the previous post, that the NAR data on first-time and repeat buyers may suffer from a very bad sample bias problem. Their most recent survey went out to over 170,000 people but had only a 3.2% response rate. The survey consists of a paper form with 120 questions. The only people with the time to answer a 120-question survey are likely to be retired people, badly biasing their survey results. Their recent survey claimed the median age of buyers is around 59-62 and that first time buyers are 41 years old. In fact, the median age of the US is 39 and the median age of buyers, per other analyses, may be closer to 40-41.
Historical Median Ages of Repeat Buyers from NAR Reports (1981–2025)
The data shows a gradual rise in the median age of repeat buyers from the 1980s through the 2000s (likely driven by longer homeownership tenures and economic factors), but it accelerates noticeably after 2011 as the leading edge of boomers (born 1946) reached traditional retirement age and began downsizing or relocating.
By the peak boomer years (around 1959 births hitting 65 in 2024), the median has surged, reflecting their outsized share of moves fueled by home equity.
NAR’s Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers has tracked this since 1981, but comprehensive year-by-year tables aren’t always publicly compiled in one place (reports are annual PDFs). Below is a summary of available data points from NAR-sourced analyses, focusing on 1990 onward, with select earlier and later years for context. The trend is linear until ~2010, then steeper, aligning with your timeline.
| Year | Median Age of Repeat Buyers | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 36 | Baseline; boomers were in prime family-forming years (ages 15–35). |
| 1990 | 40 | Steady rise; pre-boomer retirement wave. |
| 1995 | 42 | Continued gradual increase amid 1990s housing boom. |
| 2013 | 52 | Post-recession stabilization; early boomer retirements starting to show. |
| 2015 | 53 | Matches broader buyer age uptick; repeat buyers ~70% of market. |
| 2023 | 58 | Acceleration begins; boomers now dominant in moves. |
| 2024 | 61 | Record at the time; 76% repeat buyer share, many all-cash. |
| 2025 | 62 | New peak; 79% repeat share, with 50% over 62—peak boomer impact evident. |
Trends and Boomer Context:
- Pre-2011 (e.g., 1990–2010): Ages hovered in the low-to-mid 40s, per interpolated NAR patterns, as Silent Generation and early boomers traded up during career peaks. Repeat buyers were often in their 40s, motivated by family needs rather than retirement.
- 2011 Onward: Sharp climb (from ~50 in 2010 to 62 now), coinciding with boomers’ retirement wave. By 2024–2025, half of repeat buyers are 62+, driven by downsizing (34% buy smaller homes) or relocating for lifestyle (e.g., 19% closer to family). This peaks “right about now,” with boomers holding ~50% of U.S. home equity but low inventory keeping younger cohorts sidelined. Up to 40% of those who retire will choose to move within a few years. (One report estimated 38% of those age 62+ will move within a few years. 11% of adults have retired by age 59, and surprisingly, about 50% have retired by age 62. Women tend to retire by age 63 and men by age 65.)
- Overall buyer median age (all types) rose from ~38 in 1990 to 59 in 2025, but repeat buyers pull it up most since they dominate (79% of 2025 market vs. ~60% in 1990).
