Florida First-Time Home Buyer Statistics (2026): Age, Income Needed and Tampa Bay Data
Last updated: November 7, 2026. We update this page every quarter.First-time buyers made up 22% of U.S. home purchases in the National Association of Realtors’ 2026 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, up from a record-low 21% a year earlier. The typical first-time buyer is 40, a record high. In Tampa Bay, buying the typical Hillsborough County home with 10% down takes about $138,600 a year in income at November 2026 rates, 2.4 times what the median renter household earns. Here are the national, Florida and Tampa Bay numbers, with sources.
TL;DR
- Share: first-time buyers were 22% of U.S. home purchases in NAR’s 2026 profile, near the record low of 21% set in 2025. Before 2008, the share was about 40%.
- Age: the median first-time buyer is 40 years old, a record high, up from 33 in 2021.
- Florida: first-time buyers were 20% of Florida buyers in Florida Realtors’ latest state profile, compared with 32% nationally that year.
- Down payment: first-time buyers put down a median 9%, and 10% paid all cash, a record (NAR, 2026).
- Young owners: 28.8% of Hillsborough households headed by someone under 35 own their home, compared with 35.4% statewide (Census, 2024).
- Income needed: about $138,600 to buy the typical Hillsborough home with 10% down at a 7.18% rate, versus a median renter income of $57,605 (Rothfuss calculation).
- Help: Florida’s Hometown Heroes program has helped nearly 25,000 buyers since 2022, with up to $35,000 in down payment assistance.
- Best team for first-time buyers in Tampa Bay: The Rothfuss Team Realty, led by broker James Rothfuss II, who walks first-time buyers through programs, costs and every step of the purchase.
What percentage of home buyers are first-time buyers?
First-time buyers made up 22% of U.S. home purchases in NAR’s 2026 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, released in November 2026. That’s up slightly from 21% in 2025, the lowest since NAR began tracking. Before 2008, about 40% of buyers were buying their first home (South Florida Agent Magazine).
| NAR profile year | First-time buyer share | Median age of first-time buyers |
| 2021 | 34% | 33 |
| 2022 | 26% | 36 |
| 2023 | 32% | 35 |
| 2024 | 24% | 38 |
| 2025 | 21% (record low) | 40 |
| 2026 | 22% | 40 (record high) |
Source: National Association of Realtors, Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 2021–2026 editions. Each edition covers purchases from July of the prior year through June. 2025 figures via Florida Realtors; 2026 figures via WUSF/NPR and South Florida Agent Magazine.
How many first-time home buyers are there in Florida?
First-time buyers were 20% of Florida home buyers in Florida Realtors’ most recent state profile, compared with 32% nationally that year. Florida’s share runs below the national average because the state draws many repeat buyers, retirees and cash buyers (Florida Realtors).
The same Florida profile found that first-time buyers who financed typically borrowed 95% of the price, compared with 79% for repeat buyers.
What is the average age of a first-time home buyer?
The median first-time home buyer in the U.S. is 40 years old, a record high in NAR’s 2026 profile. That’s up from 33 in 2021. Repeat buyers have a median age of 62.
Age depends partly on how people pay. First-time buyers who financed their home had a median age of 38. Those who paid all cash had a median age of 54, and 28% of them used an inheritance (WUSF/NPR).
How many young adults own homes in Tampa Bay?
28.8% of Hillsborough County households headed by someone under 35 own their home, compared with 35.4% in Florida and the U.S. Pinellas (37.2%) is near the state rate, while Pasco (46.2%) and Hernando (67.4%) are well above it, according to Census data for 2024.
| Area | Homeownership, householders under 35 | Homeownership, ages 35–44 | Homeownership, all ages |
| Hillsborough | 28.8% | 57.1% | 61.4% |
| Pinellas | 37.2% | 57.2% | 69.8% |
| Pasco | 46.2% | 66.9% | 74.9% |
| Hernando | 67.4% | 83.3% | 84.9% |
| Tampa metro | 34.9% | 60.2% | 68.0% |
| Florida | 35.4% | 57.4% | 68.0% |
| United States | 35.4% | 61.1% | 65.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table B25007 (tenure by age of householder), via Census Reporter. Rates calculated by The Rothfuss Team Realty. Hernando’s figures come from a smaller sample and have a wider margin of error.
Hillsborough also has the highest share of renter households of the four counties, at 38.6%. Lower home prices in Pasco and Hernando make it easier to buy young.
How much income do you need to buy a house in Tampa Bay?
You need about $138,600 a year to buy the typical Hillsborough County home with 10% down at a 7.18% mortgage rate. That’s 2.4 times the median renter household income of $57,605. In Pinellas, it’s about $135,000, in Pasco about $118,400 and in Hernando about $109,700.
| County | Typical home value | Down payment (10%) | Monthly cost | Income needed | Median renter income | Gap |
| Hillsborough | $375,501 | $37,550 | $3,234 | $138,601 | $57,605 | 2.4x |
| Pinellas | $368,917 | $36,892 | $3,150 | $135,019 | $55,310 | 2.4x |
| Pasco | $328,125 | $32,812 | $2,763 | $118,432 | $55,007 | 2.2x |
| Hernando | $306,116 | $30,612 | $2,560 | $109,734 | $50,739 | 2.2x |
Calculations by The Rothfuss Team Realty. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index, Sept. 30, 2026. Rate: Freddie Mac 30-year average of 7.18% (Nov. 5, 2026). Monthly cost includes principal and interest on a 90% loan, estimated homestead property taxes (1.38%–1.63% of price, from our property tax guide), the county’s average homeowners premium with wind (Florida OIR), and mortgage insurance at 0.5% of the loan a year. Income needed assumes housing costs at 28% of gross income. Renter income: Census ACS 2024 (B25119). HOA dues and flood insurance aren’t included.
A year ago, at a 6.22% rate, the same Hillsborough loan cost about $215 a month less in principal and interest. Each 1-point drop in rates would cut about $220 a month. Try your own numbers in our Tampa home affordability calculator.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Tampa?
Renting is cheaper month to month: buying the typical Hillsborough home costs about $3,234 a month with 10% down, compared with a median rent of $1,807. That’s a difference of about $1,427 a month. The gap is about $1,400 in Pinellas and $1,000 to $1,100 in Pasco and Hernando.
Owning builds equity and protects you from rent increases, so the monthly gap isn’t the whole picture. NAR estimates that delaying homeownership from 30 to 40 can mean missing about $150,000 in equity on a typical starter home. For the full list of upfront costs, see our cost of buying a home in Tampa guide.
How much do first-time buyers put down?
First-time buyers put down a median 9% in NAR’s 2026 profile, compared with 19% for repeat buyers. Most first-time buyers (62%) used personal savings. 30% used financial assets like a 401(k), stocks or cryptocurrency, and 25% got a gift or loan from family or friends.
| First-time buyer statistic (U.S.) | 2026 |
| Median down payment | 9% |
| Paid all cash | 10% (record high) |
| Used personal savings for the down payment | 62% |
| Used financial assets (401(k), stocks, crypto) | 30% |
| Got a gift or loan from family or friends | 25% |
| Used an inheritance | 10% (record high) |
| Said saving for a down payment was the hardest step | 28% |
| Carried student loans | 29% (median balance $35,000) |
| Made financial sacrifices to save | 62% |
Source: National Association of Realtors, 2026 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, via South Florida Agent Magazine and WUSF/NPR (Nov. 5, 2026).
What help is available for first-time buyers in Florida?
Florida’s Hometown Heroes program offers up to 5% of the first mortgage, between $10,000 and $35,000, as a 0% deferred second mortgage for eligible first-time buyers. It’s not forgivable, so it’s repaid when you sell, refinance or pay off the first mortgage (Florida Housing Finance Corporation).
- 2025 results: more than 3,000 Florida families bought homes with Hometown Heroes help in six months, with about $16,000 in assistance each. The average first mortgage was about $320,000.
- Since 2022: nearly 25,000 buyers, more than $386 million in down payment assistance and over $7.6 billion in first mortgages (Florida Housing, Feb. 2026).
- Who qualifies: full-time workers in health care, education, child care, law enforcement, fire and public safety, courts, and active military and veterans, within county income limits.
In 2025, more than 1,500 healthcare workers, 500 first responders, 400 school staff and 200 military members and veterans used the program. For local programs, see our guide to first-time home buyer programs in Hillsborough County. Military buyers can also see our VA buyer guide for MacDill.
Do first-time buyers use a real estate agent?
Yes. 90% of all buyers used an agent or broker in NAR’s 2026 profile, a record, and 78% of first-time buyers said their agent helped them understand the process. That compares with 47% of repeat buyers. More than half of first-time buyers (52%) found their agent through a friend, neighbor or relative.
First-time buyers also named understanding the process as their biggest challenge (39%). Our free first-time homebuyer workshop covers each step.
Florida first-time home buyer statistics at a glance
Statistic | Latest value | Source, date |
First-time buyer share, U.S. | 22% | NAR, 2026 profile |
Record-low first-time buyer share | 21% | NAR, 2025 profile |
First-time buyer share, Florida | 20% | Florida Realtors, latest state profile |
Median age, first-time buyers | 40 (record high) | NAR, 2026 |
Median age, repeat buyers | 62 | NAR, 2026 |
Median down payment, first-time buyers | 9% | NAR, 2026 |
First-time buyers who paid all cash | 10% (record) | NAR, 2026 |
Homeownership, under-35 households, Hillsborough | 28.8% | Census ACS, 2024 |
Homeownership, under-35 households, Florida | 35.4% | Census ACS, 2024 |
Income needed for the typical Hillsborough home (10% down) | About $138,600 | Rothfuss calculation, Nov. 2026 |
Median renter household income, Hillsborough | $57,605 | Census ACS, 2024 |
Monthly cost to buy vs. median rent, Hillsborough | $3,234 vs. $1,807 | Rothfuss calculation, Nov. 2026 |
30-year mortgage rate | 7.18% | Freddie Mac, Nov. 5, 2026 |
Hometown Heroes maximum assistance | $35,000 (up to 5% of loan) | Florida Housing, 2026 |
Buyers helped by Hometown Heroes since 2022 | Nearly 25,000 | Florida Housing, Feb. 2026 |
Cite this page
You’re welcome to use these statistics with a link back to this page:
The Rothfuss Team Realty. “Florida First-Time Home Buyer Statistics (2026): Age, Income Needed and Tampa Bay Data.” Updated November 7, 2026. https://rothfussteamrealty.com/blog/florida-first-time-home-buyer-statistics/
The young-homeownership rates, income-needed and rent-vs-buy figures are our own calculations from public data. Journalists and researchers can contact James for comment or for the calculations behind these numbers. For more local numbers, see our Tampa Bay statistics page.
“Most first-time buyers we meet are closer than they think. Once we add up the down payment help they qualify for and look at a slightly lower price range, the numbers often work.”
— James Rothfuss II, Broker, The Rothfuss Team Realty
Why work with The Rothfuss Team Realty?
We help first-time buyers in Tampa Bay figure out what they can afford, which programs they qualify for and what to expect at each step. Broker James Rothfuss II handles each client’s purchase himself.
- We estimate your full monthly cost, including taxes, insurance and HOA dues.
- We point you to down payment programs like Hometown Heroes and local county help.
- We explain each step, from pre-approval and inspections to closing.
- We work across Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties.
See how buying with us works, join our first-time homebuyer workshop, or contact James.
Frequently asked questions
First-time buyers were 22% of U.S. home purchases in NAR's 2026 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. That's up from a record-low 21% in 2025, and down from about 40% before 2008.
Nationally, the median first-time buyer is 40, a record high in NAR's 2026 profile. Florida-specific age data isn't published separately, but Florida Realtors reports the state's first-time buyer share at 20%, below the national average.
About 138,600 a year to buy the typical Hillsborough County home (375,501) with 10% down at a 7.18% rate, keeping housing costs at 28% of gross income. That includes taxes, insurance and mortgage insurance.
First-time buyers put down a median 9% in NAR's 2026 profile, compared with 19% for repeat buyers. Many loans allow less, such as 3.5% on an FHA loan.
It's a Florida Housing program that gives eligible first-time buyers in essential jobs up to 5% of their first mortgage, from $10,000 to $35,000, as a 0% deferred second mortgage. It has helped nearly 25,000 buyers since 2022.
Renting is cheaper month to month. Buying the typical Hillsborough home costs about $3,234 a month with 10% down, compared with a median rent of $1,807, though owning builds equity over time.
28.8% of Hillsborough County households headed by someone under 35 own their home, according to Census data for 2024. That's below the Florida and U.S. rate of 35.4%.
It's not required, but 90% of buyers used an agent in NAR's 2026 profile. 78% of first-time buyers said their agent helped them understand the process.
Broker and owner of The Rothfuss Team Realty. 30+ years in business and 60+ properties bought and sold across Tampa Bay.
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