Discover which US cities are affordable for homebuyers and where housing costs outpace local incomes.
Housing Affordability Index: Major US Cities
Index of 100 = Median income family can exactly afford median home Higher = More affordable | Lower = Less affordable
| Rank | City | Median Home | Median Income | Affordability Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pittsburgh, PA | $210,000 | $72,000 | 172 |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | $185,000 | $62,000 | 168 |
| 3 | Detroit, MI | $95,000 | $42,000 | 165 |
| 4 | St. Louis, MO | $235,000 | $72,000 | 153 |
| 5 | Indianapolis, IN | $250,000 | $72,000 | 144 |
| 6 | Oklahoma City, OK | $225,000 | $65,000 | 144 |
| 7 | Memphis, TN | $195,000 | $56,000 | 143 |
| 8 | Cincinnati, OH | $260,000 | $72,000 | 139 |
| 9 | Kansas City, MO | $275,000 | $75,000 | 137 |
| 10 | Birmingham, AL | $230,000 | $62,000 | 135 |
| 11 | Louisville, KY | $255,000 | $68,000 | 133 |
| 12 | Columbus, OH | $290,000 | $75,000 | 129 |
| 13 | San Antonio, TX | $285,000 | $70,000 | 123 |
| 14 | Jacksonville, FL | $320,000 | $75,000 | 117 |
| 15 | Houston, TX | $325,000 | $75,000 | 115 |
| 16 | Dallas, TX | $365,000 | $82,000 | 112 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $380,000 | $85,000 | 112 |
| 18 | Phoenix, AZ | $425,000 | $85,000 | 100 |
| 19 | Charlotte, NC | $400,000 | $80,000 | 100 |
| — | Index of 100 | — | — | 100 |
| 20 | Tampa, FL | $380,000 | $72,000 | 95 |
| 21 | Las Vegas, NV | $420,000 | $72,000 | 86 |
| 22 | Nashville, TN | $460,000 | $78,000 | 85 |
| 23 | Portland, OR | $525,000 | $85,000 | 81 |
| 24 | Raleigh, NC | $450,000 | $72,000 | 80 |
| 25 | Denver, CO | $575,000 | $90,000 | 78 |
| 26 | Austin, TX | $510,000 | $78,000 | 77 |
| 27 | Minneapolis, MN | $375,000 | $55,000 | 73 |
| 28 | Seattle, WA | $825,000 | $115,000 | 70 |
| 29 | Washington, DC | $650,000 | $90,000 | 69 |
| 30 | Boston, MA | $750,000 | $95,000 | 63 |
| 31 | Miami, FL | $550,000 | $62,000 | 56 |
| 32 | San Diego, CA | $900,000 | $95,000 | 53 |
| 33 | Los Angeles, CA | $950,000 | $85,000 | 45 |
| 34 | New York, NY | $750,000 | $68,000 | 45 |
| 35 | San Francisco, CA | $1,400,000 | $145,000 | 38 |
| 36 | San Jose, CA | $1,500,000 | $155,000 | 37 |
Income Required for Median Home
Assuming 20% down, 7% rate, 28% DTI front-end ratio
| City | Median Home | Down Payment | Income Needed | Median Income | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $210,000 | $42,000 | $52,000 | $72,000 | +$20,000 |
| Indianapolis | $250,000 | $50,000 | $62,000 | $72,000 | +$10,000 |
| Houston | $325,000 | $65,000 | $81,000 | $75,000 | -$6,000 |
| Dallas | $365,000 | $73,000 | $91,000 | $82,000 | -$9,000 |
| Phoenix | $425,000 | $85,000 | $106,000 | $85,000 | -$21,000 |
| Denver | $575,000 | $115,000 | $143,000 | $90,000 | -$53,000 |
| Seattle | $825,000 | $165,000 | $206,000 | $115,000 | -$91,000 |
| San Diego | $900,000 | $180,000 | $225,000 | $95,000 | -$130,000 |
| Los Angeles | $950,000 | $190,000 | $237,000 | $85,000 | -$152,000 |
| San Francisco | $1,400,000 | $280,000 | $350,000 | $145,000 | -$205,000 |
Most Affordable Large Metros (Population 500K+)
| Rank | Metro | Price-to-Income Ratio | Median Home | Required Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pittsburgh, PA | 2.9x | $210,000 | $52,000 |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | 3.0x | $185,000 | $46,000 |
| 3 | St. Louis, MO | 3.3x | $235,000 | $59,000 |
| 4 | Detroit, MI | 2.3x | $95,000 | $24,000 |
| 5 | Indianapolis, IN | 3.5x | $250,000 | $62,000 |
| 6 | Oklahoma City, OK | 3.5x | $225,000 | $56,000 |
| 7 | Cincinnati, OH | 3.6x | $260,000 | $65,000 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | 3.9x | $290,000 | $72,000 |
| 9 | San Antonio, TX | 4.1x | $285,000 | $71,000 |
| 10 | Memphis, TN | 3.5x | $195,000 | $49,000 |
Least Affordable Large Metros
| Rank | Metro | Price-to-Income Ratio | Median Home | Required Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | 9.7x | $1,500,000 | $375,000 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | 9.7x | $1,400,000 | $350,000 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | 11.2x | $950,000 | $237,000 |
| 4 | San Diego, CA | 9.5x | $900,000 | $225,000 |
| 5 | New York, NY | 11.0x | $750,000 | $188,000 |
| 6 | Miami, FL | 8.9x | $550,000 | $137,000 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | 7.9x | $750,000 | $187,000 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | 7.2x | $825,000 | $206,000 |
| 9 | Denver, CO | 6.4x | $575,000 | $143,000 |
| 10 | Washington, DC | 7.2x | $650,000 | $162,000 |
What Your Income Can Buy
$75,000 Household Income
| City | Max Home (28% DTI) | Median Home | Affordable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $285,000 | $210,000 | ✓ Yes |
| Indianapolis | $285,000 | $250,000 | ✓ Yes |
| Houston | $285,000 | $325,000 | ⚠️ Stretch |
| Dallas | $285,000 | $365,000 | ✗ No |
| Denver | $285,000 | $575,000 | ✗ No |
| Seattle | $285,000 | $825,000 | ✗ No |
$100,000 Household Income
| City | Max Home (28% DTI) | Median Home | Affordable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $380,000 | $210,000 | ✓ Yes |
| Indianapolis | $380,000 | $250,000 | ✓ Yes |
| Houston | $380,000 | $325,000 | ✓ Yes |
| Dallas | $380,000 | $365,000 | ✓ Yes |
| Phoenix | $380,000 | $425,000 | ⚠️ Stretch |
| Denver | $380,000 | $575,000 | ✗ No |
$150,000 Household Income
| City | Max Home (28% DTI) | Median Home | Affordable? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | $570,000 | $325,000 | ✓ Yes |
| Dallas | $570,000 | $365,000 | ✓ Yes |
| Phoenix | $570,000 | $425,000 | ✓ Yes |
| Denver | $570,000 | $575,000 | ⚠️ Close |
| Seattle | $570,000 | $825,000 | ✗ No |
| San Diego | $570,000 | $900,000 | ✗ No |
Affordability Trend (5-Year Change)
| City | 2021 Index | 2026 Index | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | 125 | 77 | -48 (worse) |
| Phoenix, AZ | 135 | 100 | -35 (worse) |
| Nashville, TN | 115 | 85 | -30 (worse) |
| Tampa, FL | 120 | 95 | -25 (worse) |
| Denver, CO | 95 | 78 | -17 (worse) |
| Dallas, TX | 125 | 112 | -13 (worse) |
| Houston, TX | 130 | 115 | -15 (worse) |
| Seattle, WA | 72 | 70 | -2 (stable) |
| San Francisco | 40 | 38 | -2 (stable) |
| Pittsburgh | 170 | 172 | +2 (slightly better) |
Rent vs. Buy Analysis by City
Comparing monthly rent to monthly ownership cost:
| City | 1BR Rent | Own Median* | Ratio | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $3,200 | $8,750 | 2.7x | Rent |
| New York | $3,400 | $4,700 | 1.4x | Rent (marginally) |
| Miami | $2,400 | $3,450 | 1.4x | Rent (marginally) |
| Denver | $1,800 | $3,600 | 2.0x | Rent |
| Seattle | $2,200 | $5,160 | 2.3x | Rent |
| Austin | $1,700 | $3,190 | 1.9x | Rent |
| Dallas | $1,500 | $2,285 | 1.5x | Consider buying |
| Houston | $1,400 | $2,035 | 1.5x | Consider buying |
| Indianapolis | $1,200 | $1,565 | 1.3x | Buy |
| Pittsburgh | $1,350 | $1,315 | 1.0x | Buy |
Based on median home, 20% down, 7% rate, includes taxes/insurance
Best Cities for First-Time Buyers
Criteria: Affordable, growing economy, good quality of life
| Rank | City | Affordability | Job Growth | Quality of Life |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indianapolis, IN | Excellent | Good | Good |
| 2 | Columbus, OH | Very Good | Excellent | Good |
| 3 | Kansas City, MO | Very Good | Good | Good |
| 4 | San Antonio, TX | Very Good | Excellent | Good |
| 5 | Pittsburgh, PA | Excellent | Moderate | Good |
| 6 | Raleigh, NC | Moderate | Excellent | Excellent |
| 7 | Tampa, FL | Moderate | Good | Good |
| 8 | Houston, TX | Good | Excellent | Good |
Related: How Much House Can I Afford? | Salary Needed to Live in Austin | Cost of Living Calculator by City
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