Homeowner Anxiety Hits All-Time High With Gen Z and Millennials Reporting the Most Stress

Owning a home may be the American dream, but for some that dream can bring unexpected stress.

According to Hippo Insurance's 2026 Homeowner Anxiety Report, 25% of homeowners say that homeownership-related anxieties have a high or extremely negative impact on their quality of life, with almost 1 in 5 saying that homeownership is their No. 1 stressor (on par with those who listed their careers or relationships in the top spot).

Within those numbers, it seems that Gen Z and millennials are feeling it the most with 76% reporting homeowner anxiety negatively affecting their well-being compared with only 51% of baby boomers and Gen X reporting similar feelings. Still, no matter the generation, that's a whopping number of homeowners currently reporting home-related stress.

"I think anxiety is high right now in general because of everything going on in the world and in the United States," says Hank Orenstein, MSW, a real estate broker with The Corcoran Group in New York City who also has a social work/mental health provider background. "There’s a lot of uncertainty in the economy and many companies have been downsizing to save costs plus there is the additional impact of AI."

Financial and global instability may translate into a fear of losing one's home, especially in light of rising costs for repairs, utilities, and insurance. But financial stresses aren't the only factor causing homeowners to lose sleep in the modern era.

Why younger generations may be feeling more homeownership anxiety

While all homeowners are experiencing higher degrees of homeownership anxiety with today's volatile economy, it seems that Gen Z and millennial buyers are bearing the brunt.

"Younger homeowners are coming into a very different market than their older counterparts—a starter home or apartment used to be a much more affordable prospect," says Anna Hargraves Hall, MSW, a real estate agent with The Halls NYC Team at Compass who also has a master's degree in social work from Columbia University. "Incomes have not risen at the same rate that real estate prices have, so the entry point and the pressures associated with that are so much higher."

However, not only are Gen Z and millennials entering a housing market rife with hyper-inflated home prices and consistently elevated mortgage rates, they're also looking at it all through a different lens than older demographics.

With the National Association of Realtors® citing 40 years old as the current median age of first-time homebuyers, it's likely that younger buyers have spent more time renting before purchasing. As such, they may sustain a spike in their homeownership stress levels when they suddenly feel "house poor."

"This younger generation values experiences over stuff, so sinking a lot of money into an asset limits their ability to have those experiences," says Hall. This is especially true as the cost of living continues to skyrocket.

Social media may be another potent driver of homeowner anxiety as it promotes unattainable visual markers that many buyers may not be able to meet.

"This is the Instagram generation and they’ve been bombarded with all this imagery of perfectly done interiors and super high-end finishes, which creates unrealistic expectations and a lot of FOMO," says Hall. "The idea of 'luxury for everyone' puts a lot of pressure on young people." 

Whatever the source of their anxiety, it does seem that younger homeowners are increasingly manifesting their "maison" worries physically. The Hippo report found that more Gen Z and millennial respondents felt the repercussions of homeownership stress that include negatively affected sleep (28%), restlessness (32%), constant distraction (27%), and an overall decline in health, both mental (22%) and physical (15%). 

Delaying home repairs may be hurting older generations of homeowners

Another major precipitator of homeowner anxiety has to do with the fact that housing costs are on the rise. In fact, a new study from Lombardo Homes found that 81% of respondents say their housing costs have increased in the last three years.

Compounding that issue, a recent piece in The Wall Street Journal revealed that the average U.S. home is now 44 years old and in need of major repairs. The article reported structural home repair costs increased by around 14.1% from 2022 to 2024, while plumbing repairs jumped 23.6%, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. The increase seems to be a combo of not only the large size of the repairs needed, but also the increase in labor and parts, which have been further affected by recent tariffs. 

As such, many people are putting off home repairs, especially older homeowners who are on tight fixed budgets but may live in older homes. They simply cannot afford the repairs along with the rising costs of homeownership including home insurance, HOA dues, and property taxes.

However, unfinished maintenance tasks are weighing heavily on the mental health of homeowners, according to the Hippo anxiety report. While 69% of homeowners admit to having at least one major home maintenance task they're putting off, more than 1 in 3 (38%) of those same homeowners cite the state of their home's maintenance and repair needs as either their single biggest or an overall significant source of stress.

This root cause of homeowner anxiety is very real since budgets are already stretched thin, but major repairs can cost tens of thousands of dollars. The Hippo report found that 45% of respondents figured their current backlog of repairs would average $5,000 or more to fully fix, with 15% saying it would cost them at least $20,000. But many homeowners cannot find extra funds to make the needed updates. At the same time, repairs left undone can negatively affect a home's price when it comes time to sell.

"Older homeowners are faced with much more deferred maintenance on their houses, but this has a substantial impact on the resale value," says Hall. "Prospective homeowners really do value things in good/mint condition and because of the time and cost associated with renovations they’re not willing to pay as much to buy something that needs work."

Most people still think homeownership is worth the stress

Fortunately, it's not all bad news. While homeowner anxiety is at an all-time high, 97% of the Hippo survey respondents still found homeownership was worth it.

One of the main reasons was they felt it provided stability for their family (32%), while the pride of ownership (28%) and the chance to build equity/wealth (24%) also helped balance out their worries.

"Home is everyone’s foundation and with so much uncertainty out there, most people much prefer the security of owning despite the additional responsibilities that go along with homeownership," says Orenstein, who adds this is especially true in places like New York City where rents are going through the roof.

"Homeownership gives you a sense of stability and place, which you just don’t get the same way when you’re renting," says Hall. "Plus, once you own a home, you can make it your own and spend some money to improve and decorate it in a way that really reflects who you are—there’s real satisfaction in that."

Ideally, you’ll also own it for a long time such that it will accrue value and become an appreciating asset. But in the meantime, how can you manage your homeowner anxiety?

"From a social work and mental health perspective, talking through your anxiety and feelings are important with supportive people among family and friends," suggests Orenstein. "Emotional distress can affect physical health as well, so meeting with a therapist could help along with getting exercise and/or doing yoga or meditation to help stay calm."

On a fiscal level, financial advisers usually suggest trying to factor in at least 1% of a home's value for annual upkeep if possible (though currently, that number may need to be nudged up to 2% to 3% if finances allow). Or there is always the DIY option for smaller fixes.

"Where possible, make improvements in your home that don’t involve spending money—or that are affordable," says Orenstein. "There’s nothing like progress to help mitigate stress and anxiety."