Discover which US cities are affordable for homebuyers and where housing costs outpace local incomes.
Table of Contents
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
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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