Here’s How Much More House You Can Afford in 30 Major Cities This Year

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Recently, a Zillow study discovered that a median-income American can household can now afford to purchase a new home for $331,483. Not only is that in and of itself good news, it also highlights another positive — that the median-income households have had a $30,302 increase in buying power since this time last year. That’s because, in early 2025, the same households could only afford a new home for $301,181.

While the American housing market has been rocky throughout the 2020s, this increase in median-income buying power hints that the second half of the decade might be far more stable. Now that median-income homes can comfortably pay a 20% down payment on a $331,483 home, coupled with the fact that mortgage rates are dropping, the market appears to finally be stabilizing.

To give a sense of the housing market’s increased affordability, GOBankingRates has culled 30 major cities from Zillow’s study. From New York City to Las Vegas, here’s how much more median-income households can afford.

Los Angeles

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $421,030
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $379,754
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.9%

Phoenix

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $403,247
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $363,929
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.8%

San Diego

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $477,571
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $431,066
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.8%

Las Vegas

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $354,612
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $319,946
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.8

San Francisco

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $581,564
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $525,449
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.7%

Seattle

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $474,197
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $428,713
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.6%

Charlotte, North Carolina

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $368,639
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $333,655
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.5%

Boston

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $488,388
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $441,998
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.5%

Cincinnati

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $337,330
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $305,421
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.5%

Washington, D.C.

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $519,441
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $470,560
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.4%

Riverside, California

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $383,591
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $347,348
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.4%

Portland, Oregon

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $409,554
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $371,095
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.4%

Sacramento, California

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $414,910
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: 375,909
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.4%

Denver

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $456,008
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $413,858
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.2%

Baltimore

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $397,748
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $360,892
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.2%

New York

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $381,237
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $346,450
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.0%

St. Louis

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $323,200
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $293,885
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.0%

Detroit

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $295,016
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $268,220
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 10.0%

Philadelphia

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $346,797
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $315,469
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 9.9%

Miami

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $300,704
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $276,987
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 9.9%

Minneapolis

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $376,963
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $343,188
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 9.8%

Atlanta

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $362,571
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $330,769
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 9.6%

Pittsburgh

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $290,949
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $265,388
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 9.6%

Austin, Texas

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $400,113
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $365,254
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 9.5%

San Antonio

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $306,965
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $280,783
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 9.3%

Orlando, Florida

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $317,511
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $290,729
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 9.2%

Chicago

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $299,770
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $274,738
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 9.1%

Dallas

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $347,681
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $319,291
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 8.9%

Houston

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $298,282
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $274,173
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 8.8%

Tampa, Florida

• Affordable home price for median income in 2026: $300,751
• Affordable home price for median income in 2025: $276,525
• Increase (%) in number of affordable homes: 8.8%

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