Has the Millennial Housing Boom Only Just Begun?

The largest, most diverse generation in U.S. history has experienced setbacks, but many are now moving past student debt and the effects of the Great Recession into their prime buying years.

1 minute read

November 8, 2021, 7:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Millennials

Gustavo Frazao / Shutterstock

"We've only seen the beginning of millennial housing demand," writes Hillary Hoffower to amplify the points made in a recent "commentary" written by Dana M. Peterson for Barron's [paywall]. Unless you have a subscription to Barron's, Hoffower's aggregation will have to stand in for the analysis provided by Peterson, who is the chief economist at non-profit The Conference Board.

Many Millennials are just now entering into peak home-buying years, according to Peterson's argument. Many have struggled for years to build up the necessary cash to buy a home thanks to the Great Recession and a "mountain of student debt" incurred by the record high cost of college.

"The sheer size of the millennial population, and the fact that they are just entering peak years for starting families and earning money, means that demand for housing has room to run," writes Peterson for Barron's.

The implication, of course, is that a new glut of Millennial homebuyers is adding additional demand to a housing market already sodden with low-interest rates and competition from institutional buyers, work from home, and a lack of existing supply.

Sunday, October 31, 2021 in Barron's

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Front of Walmart store with sign.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network

The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

May 7, 2025 - Inc.

Aerial view of Albuquerque, New Mexico at sunset.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico

An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

May 16 - Source NM

Close-up on white bike helmet lying on pavement with blurred red bike on its side in background abd black car visible behind it.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes

Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

May 16 - Wood TV 8

Muni bus on red painted bus-only lane in downtown San Francisco, California.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels

Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.

May 16 - Mass Transit