American Dream? Depends... Home Price-to-Income Ratio By State
With steadily increasing home prices and stagnating wages among lower-wage workers, home ownership for many Americans has become increasingly unaffordable.
The home price-to-income ratio measures the relationship between the median home price and the median household income. This metric is often used to gauge housing affordability, accounting for variations in the cost of living.
This map, via Visual Capitalist's Kayla Zhu, shows home price-to-income ratio of each U.S. state, using data from a Construction Coverage analysis of Zillow and U.S. Census Bureau data as of June 2024.
Hawaii and West Coast Have the Most Unaffordable Homes
The table below shows the home price-to-income ratio for each U.S. state, where Hawaii (9.1) and California (8.4) at the top—both well over the national average of 4.7.
| Rank | State | Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | 9.1 |
| 2 | California | 8.4 |
| 3 | Montana | 6.6 |
| 4 | Oregon | 6.4 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6.3 |
| 6 | Washington | 6.3 |
| 7 | Idaho | 6.1 |
| 8 | Washington | 6 |
| 9 | Colorado | 6 |
| 10 | Nevada | 5.9 |
| 11 | Utah | 5.7 |
| 12 | New York | 5.7 |
| 13 | Arizona | 5.7 |
| 14 | Florida | 5.7 |
| 15 | Maine | 5.5 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | 5.4 |
| 17 | New Jersey | 5.2 |
| 18 | New Hampshire | 5.1 |
| 19 | Vermont | 5 |
| 20 | New Mexico | 4.9 |
| 21 | Wyoming | 4.8 |
| 22 | North Carolina | 4.8 |
| 23 | Tennessee | 4.8 |
| 24 | Delaware | 4.6 |
| 25 | South Carolina | 4.5 |
| 26 | Virginia | 4.4 |
| 27 | Georgia | 4.4 |
| 28 | Maryland | 4.3 |
| 29 | Connecticut | 4.3 |
| 30 | South Dakota | 4.2 |
| 31 | Texas | 4.1 |
| 32 | Alaska | 4 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | 4 |
| 34 | Minnesota | 3.9 |
| 35 | Missouri | 3.7 |
| 36 | Alabama | 3.7 |
| 37 | Pennsylvania | 3.6 |
| 38 | Nebraska | 3.6 |
| 39 | Arkansas | 3.6 |
| 40 | Michigan | 3.5 |
| 41 | Indiana | 3.5 |
| 42 | Louisiana | 3.5 |
| 43 | North Dakota | 3.4 |
| 44 | Illinois | 3.3 |
| 45 | Ohio | 3.3 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | 3.3 |
| 47 | Kentucky | 3.3 |
| 48 | Mississippi | 3.3 |
| 49 | Kansas | 3.2 |
| 50 | Iowa | 3 |
| 51 | West Virginia | 2.9 |
Despite Hawaii and California ranking in the top five for median income (adjusted for cost of living), both states also consistently rank first and second respectively when it comes to median home prices.
Hawaii and California also rank second and third, respectively, when ranking states by the highest salary needed to live comfortably for a single working adult.
According to ATTOM, Hawaii has the highest median house prices in the U.S., at around $852,000.
The Aloha State’s limited land availability, strict housing regulations, and high demand for housing in a desirable climate, are some contributing factors to its high home prices.
Californian cities Los Angeles, San Jose, Long Beach, and San Diego are the top four large U.S. cities with the highest home price-to-income ratios.
Home prices in California have reached unprecedented highs due to a persistent imbalance between high demand and limited supply, which is exacerbated by strict zoning laws, geographic constraints, and a robust economy attracting high-income residents.
To learn more about housing affordability, check out this graphic that shows the top 10 global markets by median price-to-income ratio.