Mapped: Where Young Americans Are Buying Homes
Key Takeaways
- North Dakota has the highest share of mortgage applicants under age 35, at 28%, followed by West Virginia at 27%.
- Younger applicants tend to make up a larger share of the mortgage market in more affordable states, while expensive markets like California and Hawaii rank near the bottom.
- Utah stands out as an exception, ranking in the top 10 despite a typical home value above $540,000.
Buying a home remains challenging for younger Americans as home prices and borrowing costs stay elevated.
This map ranks all 50 states by the share of mortgage applicants who were under age 35 in 2025. The data for this visualization comes from SmartAsset, based on an analysis of 2025 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data. Home values come from Zillow’s Home Value Index as of April 2026.
Young Buyers Lead in More Affordable States
Many of the states near the top of the ranking have relatively affordable housing markets.
| Rank | State | Mortgage applicants under 35 (2025) | Typical home value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 28% | $286,406 |
| 2 | West Virginia | 27% | $174,876 |
| 3 | Nebraska | 26% | $279,080 |
| 4 | Iowa | 26% | $234,891 |
| 5 | South Dakota | 25% | $319,255 |
| 6 | Kentucky | 25% | $232,231 |
| 7 | Minnesota | 24% | $350,891 |
| 8 | Alaska | 24% | $390,107 |
| 9 | New Mexico | 24% | $317,474 |
| 10 | Utah | 24% | $540,993 |
| 11 | Oklahoma | 24% | $221,765 |
| 12 | Kansas | 23% | $246,369 |
| 13 | Indiana | 23% | $256,584 |
| 14 | Louisiana | 23% | $214,727 |
| 15 | Missouri | 23% | $265,398 |
| 16 | Wyoming | 23% | $363,685 |
| 17 | Mississippi | 23% | $194,242 |
| 18 | Texas | 23% | $302,187 |
| 19 | Michigan | 23% | $263,590 |
| 20 | Arkansas | 22% | $222,300 |
| 21 | Ohio | 22% | $244,844 |
| 22 | Alabama | 22% | $236,705 |
| 23 | Illinois | 22% | $290,210 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | 22% | $333,909 |
| 25 | Tennessee | 21% | $334,075 |
| 26 | Colorado | 20% | $543,271 |
| 27 | South Carolina | 20% | $305,174 |
| 28 | Idaho | 20% | $477,506 |
| 29 | Montana | 20% | $467,919 |
| 30 | Washington | 20% | $604,087 |
| 31 | North Carolina | 20% | $337,273 |
| 32 | Vermont | 19% | $394,227 |
| 33 | Maine | 19% | $412,608 |
| 34 | New York | 19% | $510,449 |
| 35 | Virginia | 19% | $414,320 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | 19% | $286,387 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | 19% | $510,709 |
| 38 | Connecticut | 18% | $441,466 |
| 39 | Georgia | 18% | $333,559 |
| 40 | Rhode Island | 18% | $504,793 |
| 41 | Massachusetts | 17% | $661,755 |
| 42 | Arizona | 17% | $423,746 |
| 43 | Nevada | 17% | $447,225 |
| 44 | Maryland | 17% | $431,934 |
| 45 | Oregon | 17% | $501,661 |
| 46 | New Jersey | 16% | $571,373 |
| 47 | Florida | 15% | $376,504 |
| 48 | California | 15% | $776,233 |
| 49 | Hawaii | 14% | $830,219 |
| 50 | Delaware | 13% | $405,836 |
West Virginia, for example, has a typical home value of roughly $175,000 and the second-highest share of mortgage applicants under 35.
Iowa, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Nebraska also combine above-average shares of younger applicants with typical home values below $300,000. Lower purchase prices can reduce the down payment and mortgage needed to enter the housing market.
Expensive Coastal Markets Rank Near the Bottom
Several of America’s most expensive housing markets have much smaller shares of mortgage applicants under 35.
In California, where a typical home is valued at about $776,000, applicants under 35 account for just 15% of the total.
Hawaii has the country’s highest typical home value in the dataset at roughly $830,000, while only 14% of its mortgage applicants are under 35.
New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Oregon also rank in the bottom 10 while having typical home values above $500,000.
Affordability Isn’t the Only Factor
Home prices do not explain the entire ranking.
Utah has 24% of mortgage applicants under 35 despite a typical home value of about $541,000, putting it in the top 10. The state has a relatively young population, which may contribute to the larger share of younger mortgage applicants.
Meanwhile, Delaware ranks last at 13%, even though its typical home value of roughly $406,000 is well below those of California and Hawaii. That contrast points to other state-level differences shaping where younger adults enter the mortgage market.
Demographics, incomes, migration patterns, housing supply, and local labor markets can all play a role. States with younger populations or stronger inflows of young adults, for example, may see a higher share of mortgage demand coming from people under 35 even when homes are relatively expensive.
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To learn more about this topic, check out this graphic showing where wealth is moving in America.
