Gen Z Veterans and service members are on the verge of transforming the housing market. Here's a closer look at where they're starting to make homebuying waves.
The nation’s youngest Veterans are breathing life into housing markets across the country.
VA purchase loans for Generation Z Veterans and service members increased 22% in Fiscal Year 2024 over the prior year, according to an analysis of Department of Veterans Affairs data by Veterans United Home Loans.
For the second year in a row, Gen Z Veterans were the only age demographic to see a year-over-year increase in VA homebuying.
In all, Gen Z accounted for an all-time high 12% of overall VA purchase loans, triple their market share from three years ago.
Despite a challenging inventory and affordability environment, Gen Z Veterans made their emerging presence felt in communities nationwide:
- VA purchase loans to this demographic nearly doubled from three years ago
- Gen Z Veterans comprised 9.2% of all VA loans, up from 7.3% the year prior
- Total VA loans to Gen Z Veterans were up 32% year over year
“Generation Z Veterans are ready to step into the spotlight and start making waves in the housing market, signaling a transformative impact in the years ahead,” said Chris Birk, vice president of mortgage insight at Veterans United. “Their significant uptick in VA loan utilization not only highlights their resilience but also underscores the enduring value of the VA loan benefit in helping younger Veterans achieve the American dream of homeownership.”
Celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, the VA loan program has made homebuying easier for generations of Veterans and service members. VA loans help buyers purchase without a down payment or the need for great credit, which are two major hurdles for many younger prospective buyers.
Much of the growth in Gen Z buying has been in military-dense communities, which are traditional VA loan strongholds. But larger metro areas and other markets are also seeing more and more Gen Z Veterans buy homes and begin to plant roots.
Here's a look at the 15 markets that experienced the biggest year-over-year growth in Gen Z VA homebuying.
15 Hottest Homebuying Cities for Gen Z Veterans
| Rank | Market | Fiscal Year 2024 | Fiscal Year 2023 | % Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 595 | 386 | 54% |
| 2 | San Antonio, TX | 1,006 | 662 | 52% |
| 3 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 555 | 426 | 30% |
| 4 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 424 | 328 | 29% |
| 5 | Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 522 | 410 | 27% |
| 6 | El Paso, TX | 439 | 360 | 22% |
| 7 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 424 | 349 | 21% |
| 8 | Jacksonville, FL | 653 | 558 | 17% |
| 9 | Fayetteville, NC | 843 | 723 | 16% |
| 10 | Hinesville-Fort Stewart, GA | 386 | 336 | 15% |
| 11 | Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 437 | 385 | 13% |
| 12 | Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX | 611 | 573 | 6.6% |
| 13 | Clarksville, TN-KY | 681 | 639 | 6.5% |
| 14 | Colorado Springs, CO | 610 | 579 | 5% |
| 15 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 348 | 333 | 4.5% |
Source: Department of Veterans Affairs lending statistics
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