Buying a home is happening later in life for many people in Ireland. Rising property prices, high rents and the challenge of saving a deposit are making it harder for renters in their 30s to move into homeownership.
For generations, buying a home was a major milestone people expected to reach in their 20s or early 30s. In Ireland, that transition is now taking longer.
Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures show that the age at which more than half of householders owned their homes had risen to 36 by Census 2022. It was 35 in 2016 and 26 in 1991. The census also recorded more than 20% fewer households with a mortgage where the householder was aged between 30 and 39, compared with 2016.
The figures point to a growing difficulty for people trying to move from renting to owning. They do not mean every renter in their 30s wants to buy, or that age alone explains whether someone can afford a home. But they raise a pressing question: why is the move into homeownership taking longer?
House prices are moving beyond what many buyers can afford
The cost of buying a home is one of the main barriers facing prospective buyers.
The CSO’s Residential Property Price Index showed that the median price of a home purchased in the 12 months to July 2026 was almost €400,000. Prices were higher in Dublin, where the median in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown was more than €684,000. citeturn825730search6
A buyer’s ability to purchase depends on more than the asking price. They need to have enough savings for a deposit and qualify for a mortgage large enough to cover the remaining cost.
For renters on ordinary salaries, the price of a suitable home may be difficult to reach, particularly in areas close to employment, public transport and family support.
The Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland’s 2026 affordability assessment found that even a benchmark first-time-buyer couple with a combined gross income of €107,000 faced shortfalls when trying to fund a three-bedroom semi-detached home in the counties examined. The report found that two-bedroom terraced homes were generally more financially accessible.
That can leave buyers weighing up whether to purchase a smaller property, look farther from their preferred area or continue renting.
Rent can make saving for a deposit difficult
Rent is not simply a housing expense for people hoping to buy. It can also reduce the amount they are able to save.
A renter who pays a substantial share of their income towards accommodation has less money available for a deposit, legal costs, moving expenses and other costs associated with buying.
This can create a difficult cycle: a buyer needs savings to enter the market, but the cost of renting makes it harder to build those savings.
The pressure is especially significant for people trying to buy alone. A couple may be able to combine incomes and savings, while a single applicant has to meet housing costs and mortgage requirements on one income.
Mortgage approval does not guarantee a suitable home is within reach
Even when a buyer has saved a deposit and received mortgage approval, the amount they can borrow may not be enough to buy a home that meets their needs.
Lenders assess income, existing financial commitments and the applicant’s ability to repay. The Central Bank’s mortgage measures are designed to limit borrowing relative to income and property value, while allowing certain exemptions.
That means a prospective buyer may be financially responsible and in steady employment but still fall short of the price of a suitable property.
The problem is not simply whether someone can obtain a mortgage. It is whether the mortgage, deposit and available homes line up.
The supply of homes matters
The number and type of homes available also shape buyers’ choices.
If there are too few homes in locations where people want or need to live, buyers may face competition and higher prices. A shortage of suitable starter homes can be particularly difficult for people trying to buy for the first time.
The SCSI’s 2026 market review reported continued supply constraints and found that most surveyed agents considered property prices expensive or very expensive. Its affordability analysis also identified challenges for first-time buyers seeking family-sized homes.
For renters in their 30s, the issue may be finding a home they can afford that is also suitable for their household—whether they need space for children, access to work or a location near schools and services.
Homeownership is arriving later
The CSO’s figures show that homeownership has become a later-life milestone than it was for previous generations.
In Census 2022, two-thirds of householders owned their homes by age 44. In 2016, that proportion had been reached by age 41. The census also showed that private renting was more common among younger households.
The age of people buying homes is also reflected in purchase data. The CSO reported that the median age of residential property purchasers was 40 in 2024. Almost one-third of people who bought a home that year were aged 35 or younger.
These figures do not suggest that people in their 30s are shut out of the market altogether. They show that many buyers are reaching homeownership later, and that the path is not the same for everyone.
What the trend means for renters
For people who remain renting into their 30s, the consequences can reach beyond the question of buying a property.
Some may delay starting a family or moving to a home with more space. Others may have to stay in an area where rents are high because moving closer to work or family would cost more. Renters may also have less certainty about how long they can remain in their home.
Homeownership is not the right choice for everyone, and renting can suit people’s needs and circumstances. But for those who want to buy, the combination of housing costs, deposit savings, mortgage limits and limited choice can make the transition increasingly difficult.
Ireland’s homeownership figures show that the move from renting to owning is happening later than it did for previous generations. The challenge is not simply encouraging renters to save more. It is ensuring that homes are available at prices and in locations that people on ordinary incomes can realistically afford.
