Average age of the first time buyer in the UK is 34 years old!

A new study by Money.co.uk has revealed the average age of the first time buyer across 25 countries.

Over the past decade, the age of the first time buyer has slowly been on the rise, making Brits on average 34 years old by the time they’ve brought their first property. However, some countries are jumping onto the property ladder a lot sooner.

Brits are 34 years old when buying their first house

The average age for a first time buyer in the UK is 34 years old. With the average salary being £36,024.00 a year, the UK has positioned itself comfortably in the middle of the first time buyers index. On average, the budget for a first time property is £162,108.00 in the UK. However, the price for a 2 bedroom flat costs on average £254,000.00 leaving first time buyers across the UK in a deficit of -£91,892.00 when trying to buy their first house.

Iceland and Belgium have the youngest demographic of first time buyers

The youngest demographic of first time buyers can be found in Iceland and Belgium who have an average age of 27 years old.

Icelanders earn the highest annual salary out of the 25 countries, earning £52,433.65 a year whilst Belgium follows closely in 5th place earning £42,860.72.

This income allows both countries to be well within budget to buy their first house, as 2 bedroom property only costs on average £210,000.00 in Iceland and £152,000.00 in Belgium, leaving them with some extra money to splash the cash.

Switzerland has the oldest demographic of first time buyers

The oldest demographic of first time buyers can be found in Switzerland, where the average age to buy their first house is 48 years old!

Despite earning the highest annual salary out of all 25 countries (earning £50,777.00), the average property price for a 2 bedroom flat costs £501,000.00.

With a limited budget of £228,496.50, the average Swiss buyer would end up in a large deficit of -£272,503.50 when trying to buy their first house.

RANKED: Age of the first time buyer across 25 countries

Country – Age Average – Annual Salary – Average FTB Budget – Average Property Price – Difference between the budget and property price

Iceland 27 £52,433.65 £235,951.43 £210,000.00 £25,951.43
Belgium 27 £42,860.72 £192,873.24 £152,000.00 £40,873.24
Finland 28.8 £35,233.84 £158,552.28 £241,000.00 -£82,447.72
China 29.5 £9,421.00 £42,394.50 £309,000.00 -£266,605.50
India 30 £3,970.00 £17,865.00 £59,000.00 -£41,135.00
Austria 31 £41,117.00 £185,026.50 £234,000.00 -£48,973.50
France 31 £35,455.00 £159,547.50 £319,000.00 -£159,452.50
Italy 33 £50,220.00 £225,990.00 £119,000.00 £119,000.00
USA 33 £29,893.00 £134,518.50 £167,000.00 -£32,481.50
Germany 34 £40,915.00 £184,117.50 £247,000.00 -£62,882.50
United Kingdom 34 £36,024.00 £162,108.00 £254,000.00 -£91,892.00
Ireland 34 £38,928.55 £175,178.48 £188,000.00 -£12,821.53
Mexico 35 £13,420 £60,390.00 £63,000 -£2,610.00
Kenya 35 £12,405.00 £55,822.50 £179,000.00 -£123,177.50
New Zealand 35 £33,587.00 £151,141.50 £218,000.00 -£66,858.50
South Africa 35 £12,691.00 £57,109.50 £46,000.00 £11,109.50
Denmark 35.3 £43,594.00 £196,173.00 £233,000.00 -£36,827.00
Romania 36 £23,094.86 £103,926.87 £69,000.00 £34,926.87
Canada 36 £40,579.00 £208,000.00 -£25,394.50 -£2,539.45
Australia 36 £41,497.00 £186,736.50 £237,000.00 -£50,263.50
Nigeria 40 £680.00 £3,060.00 £41,000.00 -£37,940.00
Spain 41 £29,564.00 £133,038.00 £142,000.00 -£8,962.00
Japan 41 £29,457.00 £132,556.50 £391,000.00 -£258,443.50
Czech Republic 41.5 £22,385.00 £100,732.50 £182,000.00 -£81,267.50
Switzerland 48 £50,777.00 £228,496.50 £501,000.00 -£272,503.50

EAN Breaking News

Breaking News from the team at Estate Agent Networking. Have a new story to share with us? Then please get in contact today! When and where we can we will refer to third party websites with a 'live link back' where news was released first.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Housing Ombudsman’s report demonstrates necessity of vibrant and growing private rental sector

Following a recent report from the Housing Ombudsman titled ‘Spotlight Report: Repairing Trust’, which revealed that 2024/25 witnessed a 474 per cent surge in complaints about poor living conditions compared to 2019/20, Propertymark has stated that this demonstrates the necessity for a vibrant and growing private rental sector. Referencing the UK Government’s ambition to construct…
Read More
Breaking News

Inheritance Tax Receipts raise £1.5 billion in two months

Inheritance tax receipts hit £1.5 billion in the first two months of the current tax year, according to data released by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) this morning. This is £98 million higher than the previous tax year, and continues an upward trend over the last two decades. Nicholas Hyett, Investment Manager at Wealth Club…
Read More
Breaking News

Propertymark Responds to Boiler Scheme Consultation

Responding to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Certification requirements for clean heat schemes consultation (England, Wales and Scotland), Propertymark has stressed the concerns of property agents that landlords are struggling to afford energy efficiency improving measures and warn that the scheme must evolve to protect the availability of…
Read More
bank of england interest rate
Breaking News

Industry Reaction to Bank of England’s decision to hold interest rates at 4.25%

Following a previous cut in May, the rate has today been held at 4.25%. This comes as a result of inflation easing slightly to 3.4% (May 2025), but remaining higher than the Bank of England target rate of 2.0%. The decision to hold the base rate by the Monetary Policy Committee was the result of…
Read More
Breaking News

Rents Climb as High as 17.4%

The latest market analysis by London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has found that rents across Britain have surged by as much as 17.4% in some areas since the Labour Government adopted the proposed Renters’ Rights Bill which is likely to become law later this Summer after the Bill enters the House of Lords…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 19/06/25

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Cloud-based practice management platform launches at Taylor Rose Taylor Rose parent AIIC Group rolls out cloud-based practice management platform AIIC Group (“AIIC”), the legal group behind law firms Taylor Rose, FDR Law and Kingsley Wood, is rolling out a new fully cloud-based practice management…
Read More