Home Affordability Index
45 U.S. cities ranked by price-to-income ratio — median home value divided by median household income. A lower ratio means homes are more affordable relative to local incomes. Home values are from Zillow; incomes are from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Most affordable
Columbus, OH
3.3× price-to-income
Least affordable
Irvine, CA
13.2× price-to-income
| # | City | Median home value | Median income | Price-to-income | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus, OH | $248,686 | $76,578 | 3.3× | Affordable |
| 2 | Buffalo, NY | $249,040 | $73,040 | 3.4× | Affordable |
| 3 | San Antonio, TX | $249,689 | $72,578 | 3.4× | Affordable |
| 4 | Fort Worth, TX | $298,353 | $85,208 | 3.5× | Affordable |
| 5 | Houston, TX | $263,563 | $74,682 | 3.5× | Affordable |
| 6 | Round Rock, TX | $405,249 | $113,487 | 3.6× | Affordable |
| 7 | Arlington, TX | $312,255 | $85,208 | 3.7× | Affordable |
| 8 | McKinney, TX | $480,265 | $124,920 | 3.8× | Affordable |
| 9 | Atlanta, GA | $387,226 | $100,751 | 3.8× | Affordable |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $234,630 | $60,500 | 3.9× | Affordable |
| 11 | Sugar Land, TX | $449,277 | $115,538 | 3.9× | Affordable |
| 12 | Jacksonville, FL | $286,646 | $73,638 | 3.9× | Affordable |
| 13 | Dallas, TX | $309,590 | $78,910 | 3.9× | Affordable |
| 14 | El Paso, TX | $237,796 | $59,883 | 4.0× | Affordable |
| 15 | Plano, TX | $499,723 | $124,920 | 4.0× | Affordable |
| 16 | Raleigh, NC | $435,237 | $107,083 | 4.1× | Moderate |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $337,993 | $82,729 | 4.1× | Moderate |
| 18 | Charlotte, NC | $397,231 | $90,698 | 4.4× | Moderate |
| 19 | Aurora, CO | $458,582 | $103,442 | 4.4× | Moderate |
| 20 | Tampa, FL | $380,300 | $84,691 | 4.5× | Moderate |
| 21 | Phoenix, AZ | $408,770 | $90,919 | 4.5× | Moderate |
| 22 | Tucson, AZ | $323,949 | $71,993 | 4.5× | Moderate |
| 23 | Katy, TX | $337,000 | $74,682 | 4.5× | Moderate |
| 24 | Orlando, FL | $374,196 | $81,645 | 4.6× | Moderate |
| 25 | Mesa, AZ | $433,754 | $90,919 | 4.8× | Moderate |
| 26 | Colorado Springs, CO | $448,511 | $90,778 | 4.9× | Moderate |
| 27 | Sacramento, CA | $480,488 | $93,331 | 5.2× | Expensive |
| 28 | Austin, TX | $504,148 | $97,487 | 5.2× | Expensive |
| 29 | Frisco, TX | $649,173 | $124,920 | 5.2× | Expensive |
| 30 | Fresno, CA | $390,993 | $74,244 | 5.3× | Expensive |
| 31 | Las Vegas, NV | $424,778 | $80,047 | 5.3× | Expensive |
| 32 | Nashville, TN | $434,068 | $80,803 | 5.4× | Expensive |
| 33 | Oakland, CA | $717,798 | $128,031 | 5.6× | Expensive |
| 34 | Denver, CO | $533,060 | $92,395 | 5.8× | Expensive |
| 35 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $513,820 | $81,337 | 6.3× | Very expensive |
| 36 | Seattle, WA | $851,471 | $121,984 | 7.0× | Very expensive |
| 37 | Miami, FL | $583,609 | $75,779 | 7.7× | Very expensive |
| 38 | New York City, NY | $832,934 | $105,713 | 7.9× | Very expensive |
| 39 | Boston, MA | $787,763 | $95,174 | 8.3× | Very expensive |
| 40 | San Jose, CA | $1,391,204 | $166,984 | 8.3× | Very expensive |
| 41 | San Diego, CA | $994,682 | $108,754 | 9.2× | Very expensive |
| 42 | Scottsdale, AZ | $854,394 | $90,919 | 9.4× | Very expensive |
| 43 | San Francisco, CA | $1,416,278 | $137,184 | 10.3× | Very expensive |
| 44 | Los Angeles, CA | $946,268 | $90,757 | 10.4× | Very expensive |
| 45 | Irvine, CA | $1,517,431 | $114,858 | 13.2× | Very expensive |
At a Glance
- Columbus, OH is the most affordable city in the index at 3.3× price-to-income.
- Irvine, CA is the least affordable at 13.2×.
- A price-to-income ratio at or below 3× is generally considered affordable; above 5× is stretched.
Current
Latest published annual update:
Annual demographic and affordability datasets refresh on a slower release cycle than live rates.
Primary sources behind this page
- U.S. Census BureauAccessed for source verification
- Zillow ResearchAccessed for source verification
Arjun Lalwani
NMLS #2753950Former Google product leader with expertise in marketplace systems. Recognized by the U.S. government for extraordinary ability in building and scaling marketplaces. Licensed mortgage professional bringing rigorous product execution to home financing.