Sky-high home prices are pushing many young New Yorkers to rent or move back home, according to Spectrum News 1. But 20-year-old Khristoper Constable bucked the trend and bought his first house after skipping college and saving from his job with the state Board of Elections.
Realtors say fewer young adults can follow that path. More than 40% of baby boomers owned homes by 27, compared with about 32% of Gen Z. Median home prices in upstate New York topped $330,000 in 2024, nearly $100,000 higher than before the pandemic.
While tuition and housing costs have surged, wages haven’t kept pace. Still, Census data shows a slight uptick in young adult homeownership from 2024 to 2025.
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