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The Raise Needed To Afford a Home in California’s Most Popular Metros
Written by
GOBankingRates Staff
Edited by
Chris Cluff

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If you are in the market for a home in California and you are making the median income, you are going to need to find some more money. A recent Zillow study revealed how much of a raise you would need to afford mortgage payments in 50 of the nation’s most popular metropolitan areas. Among those 50 cities were six California cities — and the housing markets are so hot in some of those that you would need to make at least $100,000 more than the median salary.
Here is the raise needed over the median for you to afford a home in six of California’s most popular metros.Â
San Jose
- Raise needed to afford a typical mortgage payment (20% down):Â $251,597
- Typical home value:Â $1,649,985
- Typical mortgage payment:Â $8,619
- Median income:Â $162,837
San Francisco
- Raise needed to afford a typical mortgage payment (20% down):Â $165,566
- Typical home value:Â $1,165,757
- Typical mortgage payment:Â $6,090
- Median income:Â $135,311
Los Angeles
- Raise needed to afford a typical mortgage payment (20% down):Â $149,375
- Typical home value:Â $973,190
- Typical mortgage payment:Â $5,084
- Median income:Â $98,204
San Diego
- Raise needed to afford a typical mortgage payment (20% down):Â $128,954
- Typical home value:Â $945,140
- Typical mortgage payment:Â $4,937
- Median income:Â $111,160
Riverside
- Raise needed to afford a typical mortgage payment (20% down):Â $60,685
- Typical home value:Â $591,424
- Typical mortgage payment:Â $3,090
- Median income:Â $94,263
Sacramento
- Raise needed to afford a typical mortgage payment (20% down):Â $53,660
- Typical home value:Â $590,697
- Typical mortgage payment:Â $3,086
- Median income:Â $101,854
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