Meet Generation Renter — young Americans who don’t expect to ever own a home
Philip van DoornFri, August 28, 2026 at 10:01 PM GMT+3 7 min read
Traditionally, young adults have been likely to expect to rent during their early working years while they save up for a down payment to buy a home. But a combination of economic factors has caused their thinking to change. Many people in their 30s and 40s now expect to remain renters all of their lives.
Among people ages 18 to 34 who are not homeowners, 29% expect to buy a house within five years, down from 57% in 2015, according to Gallup's polling data.
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