How Long It’ll Take You to Save for a Home, Mapped By Each State

The most expensive thing you’ll probably ever purchase in your lifetime is a home, and saving up to find the best place can be a daunting task.

How long it will take you to get that 10% down payment can depend on several factors such as your salary, how much you have to pay in taxes, and the cost of living in the area you want to live. And of course, some housing markets cost more than others.

According to a study by Visual Capitalist, American homebuyers will spend an average of 14.4 years to save up a down payment for a home, but that timeline can fluctuate drastically on a state-by-state basis. Check out how many years it takes to save for a down payment by state and see how your housing market fares.

Midwest States Are a Good Place to Start

Years to Save for a Home Map | Photo by Visual Capitalist/Voronoi

Midwest states are more affordable than other states when it comes to buying a house, making it easier to save for a 10% down payment for a place.

Iowa leads the pack with buyers only needing 8.7 years to save up enough for a 10% down payment. One factor may be the cost of homes in the state with a median home price coming in at $247,000 in 2025, making it the second-lowest median price in the country.

And Iowa isn’t the only Midwest state with affordable housing. In fact, six of the top 10 states in this study are in the middle of the country. Ohio came in second, with homebuyers needing just under 10 years to save for a down payment. North Dakota, Kansas, Illinois, and Indiana also made the top 10 in rankings.

However, in third place behind Iowa and Ohio is a very not Midwest place but rather the Lone Star State. Texans who want to buy a house in a state need 10.3 years to save up for the 10% down payment.

West Isn’t the Best

On the other hand, you might get stuck saving for a long time before you’re able to afford a place in some states, especially in the West.

California tops of the list of states where it’s the hardest to save for a home. Buying a house in the state means you’ll need to save for 25.1 years for a down payment of 10%. Montana is second on the list with 24.4 years to save for a home in the state. And in fifth place on the most expensive list is Wyoming, at 20.3 years.

Two states on very opposite sides of the country also made the top five list for most expensive states. On the East Coast, you’ll need to save for 23.1 years to purchase a home in New York while way out west in Hawaii, it will take 21 years to save for the 10% down payment.

Rank	State	Number of Years to Save for 10% Down Payment on Home
1	Iowa	8.7
2	Ohio	9.9
3	Texas	10.3
4	Maryland	10.3
5	North Dakota	10.6
6	Kansas	10.6
7	Oklahoma	10.7
8	Illinois	10.7
9	Alaska	10.9
10	Indiana	11
11	South Dakota	11.1
12	Pennsylvania	11.5
13	Alabama	11.9
14	Minnesota	11.9
15	Missouri	12
16	Michigan	12
17	Nebraska	12
18	Delaware	12.3
19	Wisconsin	12.7
20	Arkansas	12.8
21	Mississippi	12.8
22	Georgia	12.9
23	Kentucky	12.9
24	Virginia	13.1
25	New Hampshire	13.5
26	Louisiana	13.7
27	Tennessee	13.9
28	West Virginia	14.1
29	New Jersey	14.1
30	Nevada	14.2
31	Utah	14.2
32	Connecticut	14.5
33	Arizona	14.8
34	North Carolina	14.8
35	Washington	15.3
36	South Carolina	15.4
37	Idaho	16
38	Vermont	16.3
39	Florida	16.5
40	New Mexico	17.1
41	Colorado	17.8
42	Maine	18.3
43	Oregon	18.6
44	Massachussets	18.7
45	Rhode Island	18.7
46	Wyoming	20.3
47	Hawaii	21
48	New York	23.1
49	Montana	24.4
50	California	25.1

What to Do Next

It can be daunting to save money for a deposit, especially if you live in a more expensive state. But it can be manageable depending on how you take on the challenge of saving for a new home. Consider developing a budget that gives you more room to save money, pay off any debts, and try to avoid other major expenses before you buy a house.