Buying a home in 2026 isn’t just competitive; in many US cities, it’s breathtakingly expensive. New data from HSH.com, using figures from the National Association of Realtors, reveals just how far budgets are being stretched. The salary listed for each metro is the income needed to afford a median-priced home, based on calculations that assume a 20% down payment and a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, including principal, interest, taxes, and insurance.
From California’s tech capitals to East Coast hubs, the income required to afford a median-priced home now routinely tops six figures. In some metros, buyers need salaries approaching half a million dollars. Click on for a closer look at the 30 most expensive US housing markets this year.
All amounts in USD.