Finance

Millennials are waiting longer than ever to buy homes — here’s how many years it takes to save for a down payment in 25 major US cities


Among the many things millennials are doing differently than their parents is waiting longer to buy homes. In fact, millennial homeownership in the US is at an all-time record low— and it’s easy to see why.

A new report by SmartAsset reveals that, in some cities, the average home outweighs the average income by so much that it can take nearly a decade to save for a 20% down payment.

Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s One-Year American Community Survey, SmartAsset calculated how long it takes to afford a 20% down payment on the median home in 50 of America’s largest cities if workers earning the median income saved 20% of their salary a year. They then divided the estimated down payment by the annual estimated savings to get the estimated years of saving needed to afford a down payment.

Turns out, California buyers face a long road to home — six of the top ten cities where Americans need to save the longest for a house are in The Golden State.

Texas homebuyers, however, need less planning time. Fort Worth, San Antonio, Arlington, and El Paso residents need to save for fewer than three years to afford the average down payment.

Scroll below to see just how long you have to save for the average down payment in 25 of America’s largest cities.

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