New data from the National Association of Realtors shows single Gen Z women are leading their peers in homebuying. Among Gen Z buyers (ages 18–26), single women made up 35% of purchases, compared with 18% for single men—making Gen Z the generation with the largest share of single-woman buyers. Across all generations, single women accounted for 25% of homebuyers in the July 2024–June 2025 survey period, while single men made up just 11%.
This trend isn’t new: single women have outpaced single men in homeownership since at least the early 1980s, peaking at 22% in 2006 (single men peaked at 12% in 2010). Experts point to several factors: higher college attendance and earnings among women, a strong cultural desire for independent homeownership, and decades of legal and financial gains that made solo mortgages easier for women.
Despite their relative success, Gen Z buyers remain a small slice of the market—only 4% of all buyers during the survey period—and face affordability headwinds. Many are early in their careers, unmarried, and often carrying student debt; their median annual income among buyers was $76,000 in 2024, the lowest of any generation. Home prices, while slowing in growth, remain high (median U.S. sales price $417,700), and first-time buyers are at a record low share since 1981.
Gen Z buyers are using creative tactics to bridge gaps: family assistance, community grants, tapping retirement accounts for down payments, and strict saving. Profiles in the survey include Bri LaFluer, who bought a $175,000 home at 24 after working two jobs and saving half her pay, and Mariah Berry, who bought a $218,000 duplex unit at 23 after years of frugal living. For many young single women, homeownership is both a financial milestone and a statement of independence—achieved through persistence, sacrifices, and a mix of personal and familial support.
