Salary Needed To Afford America’s Priciest ZIP Codes

Want to live in one of the 50 most expensive ZIP codes across America? Key findings from new original research from GOBankingRates indicate the minimum income needed to comfortably pay for a home and mortgage starts at $684,000, and can reach nearly $2 million.

GOBankingRates found America’s priciest ZIP codes by first isolating the 50 ZIP codes with the highest average 2025 home values via December 2025 data available on Zillow. Each ZIP code’s average monthly mortgage was determined assuming a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage with a 20% down payment and a rate of 6.09% and excluding any P&I, HOA fees or property taxes. From there, we found the minimum salary required to comfortably afford the home by assuming housing costs did not exceed 28% of gross income.

• Palm Beach, Florida’s 33480 ZIP code raced to first place as America’s most expensive. To comfortably afford a home, which has an average 2025 value of $9,336,055, residents need to earn at least $1,937,682 annually.
• The top five most expensive ZIP codes require a minimum income of $1,277,896. These ZIP codes are based in Palm Beach (33480), Aspen, Colorado (81611), Atherton, California (94027), Newport Beach, California (92657) and Sagaponack, New York (11962).
• California ZIP codes dominated the top 50 ranking. A total of 26 ZIP codes were mentioned with an even split of 13 in Southern and 13 in Northern California.
• Five of the nation’s priciest ZIP codes are in New York, New York — the most out of any U.S. city. They include 10014 (No. 6), 10065 (No. 10), 10012 (No. 18), 10011 (No. 26) and 10021 (No. 32).
• Colorado showed up strong. Four ZIP codes ranked in the top 50 including Aspen (No. 2, 81611), Snowmass Village (No. 8, 81615), Woody Creek (No. 9, 81656) and Telluride (No. 31, 81435).
• Only four Florida ZIP codes cracked the top 50. The Sunshine State displayed a modest turnout with Palm Beach (No. 1), Naples (No. 17), Key Biscayne (No. 39) and Boca Grande (No. 46).

Keep reading to see how much you’d need to earn to afford America’s 50 most expensive ZIP codes. Plus, find out which 10 ZIP codes are among America’s most expensive right now.

• 2025 average home value: $9,336,055
• Monthly mortgage payment: $45,213
• Annual mortgage payment: $542,551
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,937,682

• 2025 average home value: $9,110,969
• Monthly mortgage payment: $44,123
• Annual mortgage payment: $529,470
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,890,965

• 2025 average home value: $7,476,663
• Monthly mortgage payment: $36,208
• Annual mortgage payment: $434,495
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,551,768

• 2025 average home value: $6,217,283
• Monthly mortgage payment: $30,109
• Annual mortgage payment: $361,308
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,290,386

• 2025 average home value: $6,157,104
• Monthly mortgage payment: $29,818
• Annual mortgage payment: $357,811
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,277,896

• 2025 average home value: $5,953,316
• Monthly mortgage payment: $28,831
• Annual mortgage payment: $345,968
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,235,600

• 2025 average home value: $5,622,626
• Monthly mortgage payment: $27,229
• Annual mortgage payment: $326,751
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,166,966

• 2025 average home value: $5,601,661
• Monthly mortgage payment: $27,128
• Annual mortgage payment: $325,532
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,162,615

• 2025 average home value: $5,434,741
• Monthly mortgage payment: $26,319
• Annual mortgage payment: $315,832
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,127,971

• 2025 average home value: $5,322,787
• Monthly mortgage payment: $25,777
• Annual mortgage payment: $309,326
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,104,735

• 2025 average home value: $5,297,534
• Monthly mortgage payment: $25,655
• Annual mortgage payment: $307,858
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,099,494

• 2025 average home value: $4,979,262
• Monthly mortgage payment: $24,114
• Annual mortgage payment: $289,362
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,033,437

• 2025 average home value: $4,861,713
• Monthly mortgage payment: $23,544
• Annual mortgage payment: $282,531
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,009,040

• 2025 average home value: $4,837,720
• Monthly mortgage payment: $23,428
• Annual mortgage payment: $281,137
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,004,060

• 2025 average home value: $4,718,997
• Monthly mortgage payment: $22,853
• Annual mortgage payment: $274,237
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $979,419

• 2025 average home value: $4,679,640
• Monthly mortgage payment: $22,663
• Annual mortgage payment: $271,950
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $971,251

• 2025 average home value: $4,645,249
• Monthly mortgage payment: $22,496
• Annual mortgage payment: $269,952
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $964,113

• 2025 average home value: $4,543,390
• Monthly mortgage payment: $22,003
• Annual mortgage payment: $264,032
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $942,973

• 2025 average home value: $4,485,216
• Monthly mortgage payment: $21,721
• Annual mortgage payment: $260,652
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $930,899

• 2025 average home value: $4,446,012
• Monthly mortgage payment: $21,531
• Annual mortgage payment: $258,373
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $922,762

• 2025 average home value: $4,399,378
• Monthly mortgage payment: $21,305
• Annual mortgage payment: $255,663
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $913,083

• 2025 average home value: $4,393,874
• Monthly mortgage payment: $21,279
• Annual mortgage payment: $255,343
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $911,941

• 2025 average home value: $4,362,848
• Monthly mortgage payment: $21,128
• Annual mortgage payment: $253,540
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $905,501

• 2025 average home value: $4,312,009
• Monthly mortgage payment: $20,882
• Annual mortgage payment: $250,586
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $894,950

• 2025 average home value: $4,256,723
• Monthly mortgage payment: $20,614
• Annual mortgage payment: $247,373
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $883,475

• 2025 average home value: $4,211,712
• Monthly mortgage payment: $20,396
• Annual mortgage payment: $244,757
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $874,133

• 2025 average home value: $4,200,780
• Monthly mortgage payment: $20,344
• Annual mortgage payment: $244,122
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $871,864

• 2025 average home value: $4,094,402
• Monthly mortgage payment: $19,828
• Annual mortgage payment: $237,940
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $849,786

• 2025 average home value: $4,074,259
• Monthly mortgage payment: $19,731
• Annual mortgage payment: $236,769
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $845,605

• 2025 average home value: $4,058,549
• Monthly mortgage payment: $19,655
• Annual mortgage payment: $235,857
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $842,345

• 2025 average home value: $3,921,407
• Monthly mortgage payment: $18,991
• Annual mortgage payment: $227,887
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $813,881

• 2025 average home value: $3,896,220
• Monthly mortgage payment: $18,869
• Annual mortgage payment: $226,423
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $808,654

• 2025 average home value: $3,865,894
• Monthly mortgage payment: $18,722
• Annual mortgage payment: $224,661
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $802,359

• 2025 average home value: $3,841,672
• Monthly mortgage payment: $18,604
• Annual mortgage payment: $223,253
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $797,332

• 2025 average home value: $3,751,498
• Monthly mortgage payment: $18,168
• Annual mortgage payment: $218,013
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $778,617

• 2025 average home value: $3,731,692
• Monthly mortgage payment: $18,072
• Annual mortgage payment: $216,862
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $774,506

• 2025 average home value: $3,689,408
• Monthly mortgage payment: $17,867
• Annual mortgage payment: $214,404
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $765,730

• 2025 average home value: $3,653,198
• Monthly mortgage payment: $17,692
• Annual mortgage payment: $212,300
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $758,215

• 2025 average home value: $3,652,834
• Monthly mortgage payment: $17,690
• Annual mortgage payment: $212,279
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $758,139

• 2025 average home value: $3,643,597
• Monthly mortgage payment: $17,645
• Annual mortgage payment: $211,742
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $756,222

• 2025 average home value: $3,546,712
• Monthly mortgage payment: $17,176
• Annual mortgage payment: $206,112
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $736,114

• 2025 average home value: $3,487,671
• Monthly mortgage payment: $16,890
• Annual mortgage payment: $202,681
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $723,860

• 2025 average home value: $3,479,665
• Monthly mortgage payment: $16,851
• Annual mortgage payment: $202,216
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $722,198

• 2025 average home value: $3,407,695
• Monthly mortgage payment: $16,503
• Annual mortgage payment: $198,033
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $707,261

• 2025 average home value: $3,367,605
• Monthly mortgage payment: $16,309
• Annual mortgage payment: $195,703
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $698,940

• 2025 average home value: $3,365,792
• Monthly mortgage payment: $16,300
• Annual mortgage payment: $195,598
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $698,564

• 2025 average home value: $3,341,355
• Monthly mortgage payment: $16,181
• Annual mortgage payment: $194,178
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $693,492

• 2025 average home value: $3,326,064
• Monthly mortgage payment: $16,107
• Annual mortgage payment: $193,289
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $690,319

• 2025 average home value: $3,315,046
• Monthly mortgage payment: $16,054
• Annual mortgage payment: $192,649
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $688,032

• 2025 average home value: $3,297,423
• Monthly mortgage payment: $15,969
• Annual mortgage payment: $191,625
• Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $684,374

Find more original studies and surveys in the GOBankingRates original research center.

Photo disclaimer: Photos are for illustrative purposes only. In many cases, the closest major city outside of the city/county mentioned in the article was used.

_{Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates first found the average 2025 for every ZIP code available on Zillow’s December 2025 data. We then isolated the 50 ZIP codes with the highest average 2025 home values. From there, we found the average monthly mortgage by using the following assumptions: a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 20% down payment with a rate of 6.09% as sourced from Freddie Mac for January 22, 2026, and with no P&I, HOA fees or property tax included. With the monthly mortgage rate found, GOBankingRates was able to find the minimum salary needed to comfortably afford the home by assuming housing costs could not exceed 28% of gross income. All data was collected and is up to date as of January 27, 2026.}