Data: Realtor.com; Note: Calculated using personal savings rate, median household income and median down payment amount; Chart: Axios Visuals
The average time it takes to save for a home down payment in Denver is nearly 15 years, according to a Realtor.com analysis.
Why it matters: A down payment is one of the biggest barriers to homeownership, and Denver's timeline is more than double the national average.
The big picture: The share of first-time buyers in the U.S. has fallen to a record low as inventory and affordability issues persist, according to the National Association of Realtors.
It took the typical U.S. household nearly seven years to save for a median home down payment in 2025.
The bottom line: Although the average U.S. timeline has shortened from 12 years in 2022, it remains roughly double the pre-pandemic norm, per the analysis.