Before browsing properties, talking with a real estate agent, or researching market trends, the first step to homeownership is to save for a down payment. But this is also one of the more challenging and time-consuming aspects of buying a home. According to the National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 38% of first-time homebuyers said saving for a down payment was the most difficult step in the home buying process. This is understandable given that the majority of buyers (54%) rely on personal savings to fund their down payment. So if you’re a prospective buyer hoping to get into the market soon, how long does it actually take to save for a down payment?
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To find out how long it would take for a median-income household to save for a down payment, Zoocasa analyzed single-family median home prices in 50 cities across the US and calculated what the 15% down payment would be in each. We then analyzed the median household income in each city, according to the most recent US Census Bureau data, and calculated how many years it would take to save for the 15% down payment, assuming they are saving 10% of their annual income. According to the National Association of Realtors®, in 2023 the median percent down payment for all home buyers was 15%.
The 5 Cities Where You Can Save for a Down Payment in Less than 6 Years
You can realize your homeownership dreams the fastest in Buffalo, where it takes 4.9 years to save for a 15% down payment of $33,000. Despite having a moderate median household income of $68,014, Buffalo’s affordable single-family home price - around $170,000 below the national median price of $393,500 - helps to push the city to the top of the list. Pittsburgh and Wichita follow, both requiring 5.2 years to save for a 15% down payment of $31,530 and $31,590 respectively.
Of the top 5 cities requiring the least amount of time to save for a down payment, those in Virginia Beach have the highest median household income at $87,544. This means Virginia Beach buyers require just 5.7 years to save for a 15% down payment of $50,250. Oklahoma City rounds out the top 5, where a 15% down payment of $37,500 and a median household income of $64,251 mean that it will take 5.8 years to save for a down payment.
For the majority of cities, however, it will take prospective buyers more than 8 years to save for a down payment. Even in relatively affordable cities like Albuquerque and Houston, where the median single-family home price is below the national median, buyers will need to save for 8.2 years and 8.6 years respectively. This is largely because, with median household incomes hovering around $60,000 in both Albuquerque and Houston, homebuyers need more time to save compared to those in higher-earning cities like Atlanta or Austin.
Over 10 Years of Saving Required in America’s Biggest Cities
With that being said, higher incomes don’t always translate to shorter savings times if the home prices are also exceedingly high. For instance, in San Francisco, the median household income is $136,689 but the median home price is $1,386,500 - nearly 10x the annual income of a household. That means homebuyers in San Francisco will need to save for 15.2 years to be able to come up with a 15% down payment of $207,975. Homebuyers in Boston, Miami, and Los Angeles will require similarly long savings timelines of 15.1 years, 14.7 years, and 14.4 years respectively.
But not all big cities require a long time to save for a down payment. Thanks to its high median household income of $116,068, those in Seattle only need to save for 8.2 years for a 15% down payment of $95,058. Similarly, in Chicago, it would take a median-income buyer 7.1 years to save for a 15% down payment, and in Philadelphia, it would take just 6.5 years.
Want to discuss your options in one of these cities? Give us a call today to learn what properties are available in your budget.
