Home prices vary enormously across America — by 5x or more between the cheapest and most expensive markets. Here’s every major metro.
Quick answer: National median: $420,000. Cheapest: Detroit ($210K), Memphis ($215K). Most expensive: San Jose ($1.55M), San Francisco ($1.35M).
National Overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Median existing home price | $420,000 |
| Median new construction price | $450,000 |
| Median household income | $75,149 |
| National price-to-income ratio | 5.6x |
| Year-over-year price change | +3.5% |
| Months of inventory | 3.5 months |
| Homeownership rate | 65.6% |
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Most Expensive Metro Areas
| Rank | Metro Area | Median Home Price | YoY Change | Price-to-Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $1,550,000 | +5.2% | 10.1x |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $1,350,000 | +3.8% | 9.8x |
| 3 | Honolulu, HI | $1,050,000 | +2.5% | 12.4x |
| 4 | San Diego, CA | $950,000 | +6.1% | 10.5x |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | $920,000 | +4.5% | 11.3x |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $820,000 | +4.2% | 8.1x |
| 7 | Orange County, CA | $1,100,000 | +5.0% | 10.8x |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $750,000 | +4.8% | 7.8x |
| 9 | New York, NY | $680,000 | +2.1% | 7.9x |
| 10 | Denver, CO | $620,000 | +1.5% | 6.8x |
| 11 | Washington, DC | $610,000 | +3.2% | 5.5x |
| 12 | Portland, OR | $580,000 | +1.2% | 7.2x |
| 13 | Miami, FL | $575,000 | +5.5% | 9.2x |
| 14 | Sacramento, CA | $560,000 | +4.8% | 7.1x |
| 15 | Salt Lake City, UT | $540,000 | +2.0% | 6.3x |
See also:Average Cost of a House in 2026 (By State)·Average Home Price by State in 2026·Average Mortgage Payment in the USA 2025: $1,869/month
Mid-Range Markets
| Rank | Metro Area | Median Home Price | YoY Change | Price-to-Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Austin, TX | $480,000 | -1.5% | 5.8x |
| 17 | Nashville, TN | $470,000 | +3.2% | 6.5x |
| 18 | Phoenix, AZ | $445,000 | +1.8% | 6.2x |
| 19 | Tampa, FL | $395,000 | +2.5% | 6.0x |
| 20 | Minneapolis, MN | $380,000 | +2.0% | 4.5x |
| 21 | Charlotte, NC | $375,000 | +4.5% | 5.2x |
| 22 | Raleigh, NC | $420,000 | +3.8% | 5.0x |
| 23 | Dallas, TX | $400,000 | +0.5% | 5.3x |
| 24 | Atlanta, GA | $385,000 | +3.0% | 5.1x |
| 25 | Chicago, IL | $350,000 | +4.0% | 4.5x |
| 26 | Houston, TX | $340,000 | +1.0% | 4.6x |
| 27 | Orlando, FL | $390,000 | +2.8% | 6.3x |
| 28 | Las Vegas, NV | $420,000 | +3.5% | 6.8x |
| 29 | Richmond, VA | $380,000 | +3.5% | 5.0x |
| 30 | Jacksonville, FL | $360,000 | +2.0% | 5.2x |
Most Affordable Metro Areas
| Rank | Metro Area | Median Home Price | YoY Change | Price-to-Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland, OH | $205,000 | +5.5% | 3.8x |
| 2 | Detroit, MI | $210,000 | +6.2% | 3.9x |
| 3 | Memphis, TN | $215,000 | +4.0% | 3.7x |
| 4 | Pittsburgh, PA | $220,000 | +3.5% | 3.6x |
| 5 | Birmingham, AL | $225,000 | +4.2% | 3.8x |
| 6 | St. Louis, MO | $238,000 | +3.0% | 3.5x |
| 7 | Buffalo, NY | $235,000 | +7.0% | 3.9x |
| 8 | Louisville, KY | $252,000 | +3.8% | 3.8x |
| 9 | Oklahoma City, OK | $240,000 | +2.5% | 3.5x |
| 10 | Kansas City, MO | $285,000 | +3.2% | 3.7x |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $280,000 | +4.5% | 3.8x |
| 12 | San Antonio, TX | $295,000 | +1.5% | 4.5x |
| 13 | Cincinnati, OH | $270,000 | +5.0% | 3.8x |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $310,000 | +4.5% | 4.2x |
| 15 | Milwaukee, WI | $295,000 | +5.5% | 4.5x |
Income Required to Afford a Home (by Metro)
Based on 28% front-end ratio, 20% down payment, 6.5% mortgage rate:
| Metro | Median Price | Down Payment (20%) | Monthly Payment | Income Required | Median HH Income | Affordable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose | $1,550,000 | $310,000 | $7,841 | $336,043 | $154,000 | ❌ |
| San Francisco | $1,350,000 | $270,000 | $6,828 | $292,629 | $137,000 | ❌ |
| Los Angeles | $920,000 | $184,000 | $4,654 | $199,457 | $81,000 | ❌ |
| Seattle | $820,000 | $164,000 | $4,149 | $177,829 | $110,000 | ❌ |
| Boston | $750,000 | $150,000 | $3,795 | $162,643 | $96,000 | ❌ |
| Denver | $620,000 | $124,000 | $3,137 | $134,443 | $93,000 | ❌ |
| Miami | $575,000 | $115,000 | $2,909 | $124,671 | $62,000 | ❌ |
| Nashville | $470,000 | $94,000 | $2,378 | $101,914 | $72,000 | ❌ |
| Dallas | $400,000 | $80,000 | $2,024 | $86,743 | $75,000 | ❌ (borderline) |
| Atlanta | $385,000 | $77,000 | $1,948 | $83,486 | $78,000 | ❌ (borderline) |
| National | $420,000 | $84,000 | $2,125 | $91,071 | $75,149 | ❌ |
| Houston | $340,000 | $68,000 | $1,720 | $73,714 | $74,000 | ✅ (barely) |
| Indianapolis | $280,000 | $56,000 | $1,417 | $60,729 | $74,000 | ✅ |
| Pittsburgh | $220,000 | $44,000 | $1,113 | $47,700 | $62,000 | ✅ |
| Cleveland | $205,000 | $41,000 | $1,037 | $44,443 | $54,000 | ✅ |
Price Growth by Metro (2019 vs. 2026)
| Metro | 2019 Price | 2026 Price | $ Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa, FL | $235,000 | $395,000 | +$160,000 | +68% |
| Phoenix, AZ | $275,000 | $445,000 | +$170,000 | +62% |
| Miami, FL | $350,000 | $575,000 | +$225,000 | +64% |
| Austin, TX | $310,000 | $480,000 | +$170,000 | +55% |
| Boise, ID | $285,000 | $470,000 | +$185,000 | +65% |
| Nashville, TN | $290,000 | $470,000 | +$180,000 | +62% |
| Charlotte, NC | $240,000 | $375,000 | +$135,000 | +56% |
| Dallas, TX | $260,000 | $400,000 | +$140,000 | +54% |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $340,000 | $540,000 | +$200,000 | +59% |
| San Francisco, CA | $1,100,000 | $1,350,000 | +$250,000 | +23% |
Sunbelt and Mountain West metros saw the biggest post-pandemic gains.
Hottest and Coolest Markets (2026)
Hottest (Fastest Appreciation)
| Metro | YoY Price Change | Months of Inventory | Days on Market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo, NY | +7.0% | 1.8 | 22 |
| Hartford, CT | +6.8% | 2.0 | 25 |
| Detroit, MI | +6.2% | 2.2 | 28 |
| San Diego, CA | +6.1% | 2.5 | 30 |
| Cleveland, OH | +5.5% | 2.0 | 24 |
Coolest (Price Decline or Stagnation)
| Metro | YoY Price Change | Months of Inventory | Days on Market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin, TX | -1.5% | 5.5 | 62 |
| San Antonio, TX | +1.5% | 5.0 | 55 |
| Portland, OR | +1.2% | 4.2 | 48 |
| Denver, CO | +1.5% | 4.0 | 45 |
| Houston, TX | +1.0% | 4.5 | 50 |