Approximately 39% of 28-year-old Americans own their homes, a rate lower than previous generations at the same age. Mortgage affordability saw some improvement in 2026, as the income required to afford a median-priced home decreased.

For comparison, 44% of baby boomers and 43% of Gen Xers owned their homes when they were 28 years old. Despite these historical comparisons, 99% of homes for sale in Los Angeles are unaffordable for a family earning the local median household income. The situation is similar in New York, where 92% of homes are unaffordable, and in Boston, where 89% are unaffordable for families earning the local median income.

Consumer sentiment has reached record lows, and adults under 35 have experienced the largest percentage decline in sentiment among all age groups over the past decade, according to the University of Michigan Survey of Consumers. A 2025 Redfin survey indicated that fewer than 6 out of 10 recent Gen Z and Millennial homebuyers used their own earned money to fund their down payments.

Joseph Andrew, a Gen Zer pursuing a bachelor's in accounting at the University of Miami, noted improvements in technological opportunities. Andrew said, "The opportunities that technology has opened are much more expansive than what existed in the past." He also commented on observation of wealth creation online. Andrew stated, "Every time we open social media we see a new example of someone getting ridiculously rich with a niche business."

In 2010, the unemployment rate for individuals aged 20 to 24 reached 15.5%. By 2025, that rate had decreased to 8.3%. Andrew offered a perspective on generational focus, saying, "Gen-Z underappreciates how much better off they are, but because homeownership is the one thing they can't have yet, and they hyperfocus on it."

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