The median age of owner-occupied homes across the U.S. is 39 years, according to the latest data from the 2019 American Community Survey. This figure varies widely at the state level; New York has the oldest owner-occupied homes at a median age of 60 years, while Nevada has the newest at a median age of 23 years.
The newest homes are mostly concentrated in the Sun Belt states; 14 out of 15 of these states, with the exception of California, have a median owner-occupied housing stock age below the national median of 39 years. On the opposite end, more than half of the owner-occupied houses in the District of Columbia are more than 79 years old, but D.C. is not considered a representative market as it is a smaller urban area.
The age of the housing stock is an important remodeling market indicator. Older houses are less energy-efficient than new construction and ultimately will require remodeling and renovation in the future. Moreover, as people use their homes for more purposes and require additional space, older housing represents an investment opportunity for home owners.
