2026 Housing
Affordability Index
Ranking 713 US cities by housing affordability using median home prices, income data, and rent burden metrics from official federal sources.
Key Findings
Methodology
The Price-to-Income Ratio (PTI) is the primary metric used in this report. It represents the ratio of median home price to median household income for each city. A PTI of 3.0x means the median home costs 3 times the median annual household income.
The Rent Burden metric measures annual rent as a percentage of median income. HUD defines rent-burdened as paying >30% of income on housing. All data: US Census ACS 5-Year, Zillow ZHVI & ZORI. Cities with population >50,000 included. Full methodology →
Most Affordable Cities to Buy a Home
Ranked by lowest Price-to-Income Ratio (cities with pop >50K, income >$30K)
| # | City | Home Price | Income | PTI Ratio | 1BR Rent | COL Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flint MI • Pop: 79,654 | $56,500 | $33,141 | 1.7x | $854 | 89.80 |
| 2 | Midland TX • Pop: 138,362 | $215,000 | $90,699 | 2.4x | $1,372 | 94.80 |
| 3 | Odessa TX • Pop: 121,604 | $180,000 | $74,562 | 2.4x | $1,127 | 92.10 |
| 4 | Jackson MS • Pop: 143,633 | $108,000 | $42,336 | 2.6x | $997 | 90.70 |
| 5 | Akron OH • Pop: 188,692 | $130,000 | $50,025 | 2.6x | $816 | 92.80 |
| 6 | Detroit MI • Pop: 633,221 | $99,500 | $38,080 | 2.6x | $1,019 | 98.00 |
| 7 | Enid OK • Pop: 50,821 | $170,000 | $63,472 | 2.7x | $760 | 86.10 |
| 8 | Peoria IL • Pop: 113,442 | $145,500 | $52,796 | 2.8x | $756 | 88.60 |
| 9 | Lansing MI • Pop: 111,269 | $155,000 | $55,197 | 2.8x | $887 | 92.80 |
| 10 | Toledo OH • Pop: 265,306 | $130,900 | $46,302 | 2.8x | $753 | 90.40 |
| 11 | South Bend IN • Pop: 100,715 | $158,000 | $55,767 | 2.8x | $862 | 91.40 |
| 12 | Lawton OK • Pop: 90,226 | $147,250 | $51,571 | 2.9x | $717 | 87.60 |
| 13 | Davenport IA • Pop: 100,361 | $199,750 | $69,595 | 2.9x | $773 | 89.30 |
| 14 | Evansville IN • Pop: 113,291 | $150,750 | $52,318 | 2.9x | $850 | 89.80 |
| 15 | Cedar Rapids IA • Pop: 135,960 | $192,250 | $66,720 | 2.9x | $716 | 90.00 |
| 16 | Moore OK • Pop: 63,045 | $221,750 | $76,941 | 2.9x | $773 | 91.00 |
| 17 | St. Joseph MO • Pop: 70,702 | $170,000 | $57,205 | 3.0x | $734 | 92.20 |
| 18 | Pharr TX • Pop: 80,409 | $170,000 | $57,171 | 3.0x | $1,070 | 85.60 |
| 19 | Harrisburg PA • Pop: 50,092 | $143,000 | $47,783 | 3.0x | $1,021 | 96.50 |
| 20 | Sugar Land TX • Pop: 108,511 | $400,000 | $133,144 | 3.0x | $1,135 | 100.20 |
Least Affordable Cities to Buy a Home
Ranked by highest Price-to-Income Ratio
| # | City | Home Price | Income | PTI Ratio | 1BR Rent | COL Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newport Beach CA • Pop: 82,627 | $3,360,000 | $156,434 | 21.5x | $2,252 | 115.50 |
| 2 | Santa Barbara CA • Pop: 86,495 | $1,917,992 | $100,041 | 19.2x | $2,651 | 113.50 |
| 3 | Santa Monica CA • Pop: 89,939 | $1,802,000 | $109,503 | 16.5x | $2,252 | 115.50 |
| 4 | Costa Mesa CA • Pop: 108,367 | $1,597,000 | $101,433 | 15.7x | $2,252 | 115.50 |
| 5 | Glendale CA • Pop: 187,032 | $1,267,500 | $81,365 | 15.6x | $2,006 | 115.50 |
| 6 | Rochester NY • Pop: 207,264 | $731,000 | $48,618 | 15.0x | $1,050 | 97.70 |
| 7 | Hawthorne CA • Pop: 83,386 | $900,000 | $65,166 | 13.8x | $2,252 | 115.50 |
| 8 | Westminster CA • Pop: 88,737 | $1,100,000 | $81,443 | 13.5x | $2,252 | 115.50 |
| 9 | Boulder CO • Pop: 105,893 | $992,500 | $75,923 | 13.1x | $1,823 | 99.90 |
| 10 | Berkeley CA • Pop: 118,962 | $1,265,000 | $98,086 | 12.9x | $2,304 | 118.20 |
| 11 | Redwood City CA • Pop: 80,992 | $1,950,000 | $151,234 | 12.9x | $2,304 | 118.20 |
| 12 | Los Angeles CA • Pop: 3,820,963 | $1,002,500 | $79,701 | 12.6x | $2,006 | 115.50 |
| 13 | Carlsbad CA • Pop: 113,491 | $1,650,000 | $131,257 | 12.6x | $2,248 | 111.50 |
| 14 | Irvine CA • Pop: 314,615 | $1,580,699 | $127,989 | 12.4x | $2,344 | 115.50 |
| 15 | Burbank CA • Pop: 102,768 | $1,120,000 | $91,926 | 12.2x | $2,252 | 115.50 |
| 16 | Pasadena CA • Pop: 133,573 | $1,250,000 | $103,282 | 12.1x | $2,252 | 115.50 |
| 17 | Bellingham WA • Pop: 94,712 | $631,780 | $54,867 | 11.5x | $1,306 | 104.10 |
| 18 | New York NY • Pop: 8,258,035 | $875,000 | $76,577 | 11.4x | $2,451 | 112.50 |
| 19 | Torrance CA • Pop: 139,232 | $1,232,000 | $109,019 | 11.3x | $2,252 | 115.50 |
| 20 | Anaheim CA • Pop: 340,505 | $955,000 | $84,872 | 11.3x | $2,344 | 115.50 |
Rent Burden Analysis
Lowest Rent Burden
% of median income spent on rent (annual)
Highest Rent Burden
% of median income spent on rent (annual)
State-Level Affordability Rankings
Average Price-to-Income ratio by state (states with 3+ tracked cities)
| # | State | Cities Tracked | Avg Home Price | Avg Income | Avg PTI | COL Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OH | 10 | $177,694 | $50,017 | 3.5x | 93 |
| 2 | IA | 10 | $237,940 | $67,429 | 3.6x | 91 |
| 3 | WV | 10 | $182,905 | $50,195 | 3.7x | 89 |
| 4 | IL | 14 | $293,286 | $79,807 | 3.7x | 98 |
| 5 | MI | 15 | $274,027 | $70,163 | 3.8x | 97 |
| 6 | NE | 10 | $274,046 | $72,623 | 3.8x | 91 |
| 7 | ND | 10 | $272,860 | $72,488 | 3.8x | 91 |
| 8 | MS | 10 | $245,040 | $62,276 | 3.9x | 89 |
| 9 | MN | 10 | $373,615 | $97,466 | 3.9x | 102 |
| 10 | OK | 10 | $250,146 | $66,088 | 3.9x | 90 |
| 11 | AK | 10 | $344,275 | $88,728 | 4.0x | 105 |
| 12 | IN | 9 | $292,689 | $77,518 | 4.0x | 94 |
| 13 | PA | 10 | $231,383 | $57,703 | 4.1x | 97 |
| 14 | MO | 10 | $289,160 | $71,717 | 4.1x | 93 |
| 15 | WI | 10 | $279,863 | $67,157 | 4.2x | 94 |
| 16 | TX | 55 | $336,638 | $80,155 | 4.3x | 96 |
| 17 | DE | 10 | $346,600 | $86,463 | 4.3x | 101 |
| 18 | KS | 10 | $333,920 | $76,156 | 4.3x | 92 |
| 19 | AR | 10 | $285,238 | $63,902 | 4.4x | 89 |
| 20 | NM | 10 | $291,484 | $64,532 | 4.5x | 92 |
| 21 | LA | 10 | $237,585 | $53,503 | 4.5x | 88 |
| 22 | KY | 8 | $266,306 | $59,096 | 4.6x | 93 |
| 23 | SD | 10 | $293,980 | $64,022 | 4.6x | 90 |
| 24 | MD | 10 | $528,589 | $108,690 | 4.7x | 106 |
| 25 | AL | 10 | $299,530 | $66,909 | 4.7x | 91 |
| 26 | VA | 11 | $355,125 | $73,481 | 4.8x | 99 |
| 27 | GA | 11 | $395,886 | $82,349 | 4.8x | 98 |
| 28 | NC | 13 | $360,462 | $73,042 | 4.9x | 95 |
| 29 | VT | 10 | $366,333 | $70,070 | 5.2x | 105 |
| 30 | SC | 10 | $418,685 | $75,399 | 5.4x | 96 |
| 31 | NH | 10 | $479,528 | $86,588 | 5.5x | 109 |
| 32 | AZ | 17 | $501,589 | $90,597 | 5.6x | 103 |
| 33 | ME | 10 | $406,590 | $70,848 | 5.7x | 101 |
| 34 | TN | 9 | $398,733 | $68,285 | 5.7x | 94 |
| 35 | CT | 10 | $408,815 | $75,145 | 5.8x | 118 |
| 36 | FL | 39 | $423,341 | $71,221 | 5.9x | 107 |
| 37 | UT | 11 | $532,363 | $91,968 | 6.0x | 97 |
| 38 | NV | 10 | $445,337 | $75,085 | 6.0x | 97 |
| 39 | CO | 16 | $544,774 | $91,783 | 6.1x | 102 |
| 40 | WY | 10 | $512,885 | $75,229 | 6.1x | 96 |
| 41 | MT | 9 | $426,249 | $68,258 | 6.2x | 100 |
| 42 | ID | 10 | $432,714 | $69,541 | 6.3x | 93 |
| 43 | OR | 10 | $497,025 | $78,957 | 6.4x | 105 |
| 44 | NY | 10 | $470,700 | $68,307 | 6.8x | 103 |
| 45 | RI | 10 | $509,960 | $75,144 | 7.0x | 101 |
| 46 | WA | 18 | $685,281 | $94,069 | 7.1x | 108 |
| 47 | NJ | 10 | $514,260 | $69,132 | 7.4x | 111 |
| 48 | MA | 13 | $678,077 | $87,915 | 7.7x | 108 |
| 49 | HI | 9 | $849,211 | $111,989 | 7.7x | 119 |
| 50 | CA | 115 | $883,204 | $101,169 | 8.6x | 113 |
Analysis
The Affordability Crisis by the Numbers
The national average Price-to-Income ratio of 5.7x masks enormous regional variation. While Midwest and Southern cities maintain ratios under 3.0x — historically considered "affordable" — coastal metros increasingly exceed 7x or even 10x, creating a two-tier housing market.
Key Patterns in 2026
The Midwest Advantage: Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan dominate the affordability rankings, with typical PTI ratios between 2.0x-3.0x. These markets offer the most purchasing power for median-income households.
Coastal Premium: California, Hawaii, and the Northeast corridor show PTI ratios 2-3x the national average. However, these markets also offer correspondingly higher wages in many sectors, partially offsetting the premium.
The Rent Burden Gap: HUD defines "rent-burdened" as spending >30% of income on housing. Our data reveals significant divergence — some cities have rent burdens under 15%, while others exceed 40%, representing a potential financial strain on residents.
Implications for Policy
Cities with PTI ratios above 5.0x face structural affordability challenges that market forces alone are unlikely to resolve. Zoning reform, housing production incentives, and workforce housing programs are among the policy levers that municipalities are deploying to address this gap.
For individuals considering relocation, the arbitrage between high-cost and low-cost metros can be substantial. A household earning the median income in a 7x PTI city could potentially gain 2-3x more housing purchasing power by relocating to a 3x PTI market — a factor increasingly driving domestic migration patterns.
📚 Citation
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