2026 Mortgage Affordability Index
The income you need to buy a median-priced home in every US state and Canadian province — and the gap between what you need and what the median household actually earns.
Key Findings
- Only 2 US states are affordable at the median household income: Iowa and West Virginia.
- Hawaii is the least affordable US state. Buying a median home ($832,967) requires $213,016 in annual income — 2.11× the state's median of $100,745.
- Every Canadian province is unaffordable at median income. The national gap ranges from 1.51× in Saskatchewan to 3.48× in British Columbia.
- In British Columbia, buying the average home (C$932,243) requires C$256,998 in annual income after Canada's OSFI B-20 stress test — more than 3× the provincial median of C$73,900.
- The gap between required and actual income is largest in Hawaii ($112,271) for the US and British Columbia (C$183,098) for Canada.
The 2026 affordability picture
Housing affordability in North America has never been tighter for the middle-income household. Using Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey rate of 6.30% (week of April 16, 2026) for the US and the Bank of Canada's 5.24% average 5-year fixed for Canada (stress-tested at 7.24% under OSFI B-20), a median household in most North American markets no longer earns enough to qualify for a median-priced home.
In the United States, only 2 of 51 states and DC pass the 28% PITI rule at the state median income. In Canada, the 32% Gross Debt Service ratio — combined with the federal stress test — pushes every single province above the qualifying threshold at median income. In British Columbia, the required qualifying income is 3.5× the provincial median.
The index below ranks every state and province by the income-to-affordability ratio — the multiple of the median household income required to qualify for a median-priced home using 10% down, 30-year fixed financing (US) or 25-year amortization with the B-20 stress test (Canada).
How it's changed since 2000
The state-by-state index above is a snapshot. This is the trend: the same 10%-down, 30-year-fixed, 28%-DTI math applied to the national average home price at seven points between 2000 and 2026, compared against that year's actual median household income. In 2000, the required income was 104% of the median — roughly in line with what a typical household earned. By 2015, low rates had pushed that down to 0.86×, the most affordable point in this series. Today it's 1.36× — the required income to buy the average home is $113,911 against a median household income of $83,730.
| Year | Avg. Home Price | 30-Yr Rate | Median Income | Required Income | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | $127,984 | 8.05% | $42,148 | $43,845 | 1.04× |
| 2010 | $188,369 | 4.69% | $49,445 | $48,604 | 0.98× |
| 2015 | $203,759 | 3.85% | $56,516 | $48,706 | 0.86× |
| 2020 | $264,299 | 3.11% | $67,521 | $58,972 | 0.87× |
| 2022 | $334,251 | 5.34% | $74,580 | $91,371 | 1.23× |
| 2024 | $366,640 | 6.72% | $83,730 | $112,785 | 1.35× |
| 2026 | $383,591 | 6.30% | $83,730 | $113,911 | 1.36× |
National average home price is a simple average of Zillow ZHVI across the 50 states + DC (not Zillow's own household-weighted national index). Mortgage rates are Freddie Mac PMMS 30-year fixed annual averages. Median household income is the Census Bureau's nominal (current-dollar) figure for that year. 2026's income is held at the latest published Census figure (2024) since 2025/2026 data isn't out yet. Property tax and insurance are held at this site's current 50-state average rates for every year — see methodology.
The full 2026 index (sortable)
Click any column header to sort. Toggle between the US and Canada datasets.
| State | Home price | Median income | Monthly PITI | Income needed | Gap | Ratio ▼ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $832,967 | $100,745 | $4,970 | $213,016 | +$112,271 | 2.11× |
| California | $774,582 | $100,149 | $4,904 | $210,154 | +$110,005 | 2.10× |
| Massachusetts | $656,690 | $104,828 | $4,334 | $185,722 | +$80,894 | 1.77× |
| New York | $507,794 | $85,820 | $3,517 | $150,728 | +$64,908 | 1.76× |
| Rhode Island | $499,272 | $83,504 | $3,414 | $146,304 | +$62,800 | 1.75× |
| Montana | $466,917 | $75,340 | $3,068 | $131,484 | +$56,144 | 1.75× |
| New Jersey | $569,411 | $104,294 | $4,113 | $176,276 | +$71,982 | 1.69× |
| Washington | $601,016 | $99,389 | $3,852 | $165,086 | +$65,697 | 1.66× |
| Oregon | $499,004 | $85,220 | $3,195 | $136,933 | +$51,713 | 1.61× |
| Colorado | $541,842 | $97,113 | $3,529 | $151,225 | +$54,112 | 1.56× |
| Idaho | $473,335 | $81,166 | $2,944 | $126,154 | +$44,988 | 1.55× |
| Florida | $375,662 | $77,735 | $2,811 | $120,466 | +$42,731 | 1.55× |
| Maine | $407,566 | $76,442 | $2,691 | $115,341 | +$38,899 | 1.51× |
| New Hampshire | $507,347 | $99,782 | $3,509 | $150,387 | +$50,605 | 1.51× |
| Utah | $537,810 | $96,658 | $3,314 | $142,010 | +$45,352 | 1.47× |
| Nevada | $446,865 | $81,134 | $2,761 | $118,343 | +$37,209 | 1.46× |
| District of Columbia | $583,084 | $109,707 | $3,672 | $157,359 | +$47,652 | 1.43× |
| Arizona | $423,330 | $81,486 | $2,708 | $116,046 | +$34,560 | 1.42× |
| Vermont | $394,038 | $82,730 | $2,730 | $117,012 | +$34,282 | 1.41× |
| Connecticut | $436,407 | $96,049 | $3,111 | $133,329 | +$37,280 | 1.39× |
| Nebraska | $276,500 | $76,376 | $2,419 | $103,660 | +$27,284 | 1.36× |
| New Mexico | $316,750 | $67,816 | $2,107 | $90,306 | +$22,490 | 1.33× |
| North Carolina | $336,408 | $73,958 | $2,294 | $98,305 | +$24,347 | 1.33× |
| Tennessee | $333,651 | $71,997 | $2,218 | $95,040 | +$23,043 | 1.32× |
| Wyoming | $363,227 | $75,532 | $2,299 | $98,518 | +$22,986 | 1.30× |
| South Dakota | $317,148 | $76,881 | $2,291 | $98,189 | +$21,308 | 1.28× |
| Wisconsin | $330,171 | $77,488 | $2,292 | $98,221 | +$20,733 | 1.27× |
| Louisiana | $211,635 | $60,986 | $1,799 | $77,091 | +$16,105 | 1.26× |
| Texas | $300,957 | $79,721 | $2,343 | $100,396 | +$20,675 | 1.26× |
| Virginia | $412,467 | $92,090 | $2,705 | $115,911 | +$23,821 | 1.26× |
| Delaware | $402,891 | $87,534 | $2,493 | $106,833 | +$19,299 | 1.22× |
| Minnesota | $346,668 | $87,117 | $2,455 | $105,209 | +$18,092 | 1.21× |
| South Carolina | $304,083 | $72,350 | $2,031 | $87,028 | +$14,678 | 1.20× |
| Georgia | $332,063 | $79,991 | $2,233 | $95,700 | +$15,709 | 1.20× |
| Maryland | $429,705 | $102,905 | $2,862 | $122,656 | +$19,751 | 1.19× |
| Kentucky | $231,894 | $64,526 | $1,728 | $74,053 | +$9,527 | 1.15× |
| Oklahoma | $220,468 | $66,148 | $1,761 | $75,467 | +$9,319 | 1.14× |
| Illinois | $285,736 | $83,211 | $2,213 | $94,840 | +$11,629 | 1.14× |
| Alaska | $387,636 | $95,665 | $2,540 | $108,841 | +$13,176 | 1.14× |
| Kansas | $244,761 | $75,514 | $1,977 | $84,710 | +$9,196 | 1.12× |
| Michigan | $259,857 | $72,389 | $1,894 | $81,170 | +$8,781 | 1.12× |
| North Dakota | $284,076 | $77,871 | $2,036 | $87,273 | +$9,402 | 1.12× |
| Arkansas | $222,050 | $62,106 | $1,609 | $68,956 | +$6,850 | 1.11× |
| Missouri | $263,040 | $71,589 | $1,841 | $78,892 | +$7,303 | 1.10× |
| Pennsylvania | $282,736 | $77,545 | $1,962 | $84,083 | +$6,538 | 1.08× |
| Alabama | $236,453 | $66,659 | $1,648 | $70,614 | +$3,955 | 1.06× |
| Mississippi | $192,906 | $59,127 | $1,447 | $62,027 | +$2,900 | 1.05× |
| Ohio | $242,141 | $72,212 | $1,727 | $74,011 | +$1,799 | 1.02× |
| Indiana | $254,122 | $71,959 | $1,718 | $73,609 | +$1,650 | 1.02× |
| Iowa | $231,585 | $75,501 | $1,731 | $74,199 | $-1,302 | 0.98× |
| West Virginia | $174,412 | $60,798 | $1,129 | $48,369 | $-12,429 | 0.80× |
Ratio = required income ÷ median household income. A ratio of 1.0× means the median household exactly qualifies; 2.0× means you need double the median income. Click column headers to sort.
Want the full monthly cost breakdown for one region? See mortgage affordability by state & province for a dedicated 2026 analysis of each of the 64 regions.
US: least and most affordable states
Top 5 least affordable US states
- Hawaii — requires $213,016 to afford a $832,967 home (2.11× median income)
- California — requires $210,154 to afford a $774,582 home (2.10× median income)
- Massachusetts — requires $185,722 to afford a $656,690 home (1.77× median income)
- New York — requires $150,728 to afford a $507,794 home (1.76× median income)
- Rhode Island — requires $146,304 to afford a $499,272 home (1.75× median income)
Top 5 most affordable US states
- West Virginia — requires $48,369 to afford a $174,412 home (0.80× median income)
- Iowa — requires $74,199 to afford a $231,585 home (0.98× median income)
- Indiana — requires $73,609 to afford a $254,122 home (1.02× median income)
- Ohio — requires $74,011 to afford a $242,141 home (1.02× median income)
- Mississippi — requires $62,027 to afford a $192,906 home (1.05× median income)
Canada: least and most affordable provinces
Top 5 least affordable provinces / territories
- British Columbia — requires C$256,998 to afford a C$932,243 home (3.48× median income)
- Ontario — requires C$245,518 to afford a C$802,601 home (3.12× median income)
- Quebec — requires C$164,989 to afford a C$552,983 home (2.47× median income)
- Nova Scotia — requires C$152,008 to afford a C$467,926 home (2.42× median income)
- Nunavut — requires C$205,727 to afford a C$710,000 home (2.27× median income)
Top 3 most affordable provinces / territories
- Saskatchewan — requires C$110,157 to afford a C$334,166 home (1.51× median income)
- Northwest Territories — requires C$159,652 to afford a C$538,081 home (1.56× median income)
- Newfoundland and Labrador — requires C$105,690 to afford a C$332,983 home (1.61× median income)
Methodology
United States
- Mortgage rate: 6.30% (30-year fixed, Freddie Mac PMMS, week of April 16, 2026)
- Down payment: 10%
- Loan term: 30 years
- Property tax: state-level effective rate from Tax Foundation
- Homeowners insurance: state average from Bankrate (2026)
- Front-end DTI ratio: 28% (standard PITI-to-income qualification)
- Required income = (monthly PITI × 12) ÷ 0.28
Monthly PITI = P&I + (Price × PropTaxRate / 12) + (AnnualInsurance / 12)
Required Income = (Monthly PITI × 12) / 0.28
National historical trend (2000-2026)
- Same formula as the US state index above (10% down, 30-year fixed, 28% DTI)
- Home price: simple average of Zillow ZHVI across the 50 states + DC at each milestone year
- Mortgage rate: Freddie Mac PMMS 30-year fixed annual average for that calendar year
- Household income: Census Bureau nominal (current-dollar) median for that year
- Property tax rate and insurance: held at this site's current 50-state average rates for every year (a simplification — see the note below the chart)
Canada
- Contract rate: 5.24% (5-year fixed conventional, April 2026)
- Stress test qualifying rate: contract + 200 bps = 7.24% (OSFI B-20)
- Down payment: minimum per federal rules (CMHC schedule for LTV > 80%)
- Amortization: 25 years
- Property tax: provincial effective rate (nesto.ca Canada Property Tax Guide)
- Monthly heat allowance: C$150 (standard GDS assumption)
- GDS ratio: 32% (Canadian qualifying standard)
- Required income = (monthly PITI × 12) ÷ 0.32
Data sources
All data used in this study:
- Zillow ZHVI State All Homes — US median home prices (March 2026)
- US Census ACS 1-Year Estimates, Table S1903 — US state median household income (2024)
- Tax Foundation — US state property tax rates
- Bankrate — US state average home insurance rates (2026)
- Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (historical data) — US mortgage rates (week of April 16, 2026)
- WOWA.ca / CREA — Canadian provincial average home prices (February 2026)
- Statistics Canada, Canadian Income Survey 2023 — Canadian provincial median household income
- nesto.ca Canada Property Tax Guide 2026
- Bank of Canada — 5-year fixed mortgage rates
- OSFI Guideline B-20 — Canadian stress test rules
- Freddie Mac PMMS via FRED (MORTGAGE30US) — 30-year fixed mortgage rate annual averages, 2000-2024
- US Census Bureau, Income in the United States (annual reports, 2000-2024) — nominal median household income for the national historical trend
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