Couples With Kids vs. DINKS: How Long It Takes To Save for a Home in 25 Major Cities

The average cost of raising a child from birth through age 17 is roughly $234,000, or about $14,000 annually, according to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture data. If you’re saving for a down payment, having to shell out that money annually can make it more difficult to reach your savings goal, especially if you live in a major city.

To determine how long it takes for a couple with children versus a dual-income-no-kids couple to save for a down payment in cities across the U.S., Zoocasa analyzed median home prices and median household incomes for families with and without children, and assumed a 4.4% annual savings rate. For couples with children, $13,742 in annual child care costs were deducted from their income to estimate savings.

Here’s a look at how much longer it takes a couple with kids versus a DINK couple to save for a down payment in 25 major cities, assuming they are starting from scratch.

• Median home price: $1,900,000
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 27.7
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 41.4

• Median home price: $1,309,000
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 19.1
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 28.4

• Median home price: $1,010,000
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 14.7
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 30.5

• Median home price: $947,500
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 13.8
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 42.7

• Median home price: $802,300
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 11.7
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 15.8

• Median home price: $758,700
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 11
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 24.9

• Median home price: $713,000
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 10.4
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 31.7

• Median home price: $654,600
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 9.5
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 18.2

• Median home price: $642,500
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 9.4
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 12.4

• Median home price: $630,000
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 9.2
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 38.2

• Median home price: $609,000
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 8.9
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 18.6

• Median home price: $590,000
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 8.6
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 30.3

• Median home price: $581,800
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 8.5
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 27.6

• Median home price: $560,000
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 8.2
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 21.7

• Median home price: $525,900
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 7.7
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 38.3

• Median home price: $483,200
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 7
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 20.7

• Median home price: $481,800
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 7
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 12.8

• Median home price: $472,300
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 6.9
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 15

Explore More: 5 Cities Where Homes Will Be a Total Steal in 2 Years

• Median home price: $469,500
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 6.8
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 20.5

• Median home price: $442,500
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 6.4
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 20.8

• Median home price: $430,000
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 6.3
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 23.1

• Median home price: $426,600
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 6.2
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 17.1

• Median home price: $425,800
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 6.2
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 12.6

• Median home price: $421,800
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 6.1
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 16.4

• Median home price: $421,500
• Years for couples with no children to save for a 20% down payment: 6.1
• Years for couples with children to save for a 20% down payment: 17.2

Editor’s note: Data was sourced from Zoocasa and is accurate as of Jan. 9, 2025.