American homes are at their least affordable level in more than 10 years. ATTOM Data Solutions, a real estate and property data provider, reported that the median sale price of a house in 2018’s fourth quarter rose 9% from Q3 as wages grew by just 3% in the same time.
Despite home prices rising far faster than wages nationwide, the American dream of home ownership is still very attainable in some parts of the country. In many places, the area’s typical income is more than twice as much as the income needed to buy a typical area home.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from ATTOM Data Solutions on income needed to buy a home and average annual wages in each U.S. county to determine America’s 25 most affordable housing markets. The income needed to buy a house is calculated by assuming a 3% down payment and a 28% maximum “front-end” debt-to-income ratio.
Unlike the least affordable housing markets in the country, the most affordable places to buy a home are spread across the country. There are counties from 12 different states on the list, mainly in the South and Midwest.
Ohio is home to five of the most affordable housing markets in the nation, the most of any state. Georgia has the second most affordable markets with four, followed by Alabama and Michigan, tied with three apiece.
Methodology
To determine the 25 most affordable housing markets in the United States, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed county-level data from ATTOM Data Solutions. Counties were ranked based on the affordability ratio — median income needed to buy a house in the area relative to average annual wages. Home sale price data and the total number of housing units also came from ATTOM. The income needed to buy a house is calculated by assuming a 3% down payment and a 28% maximum “front-end” debt-to-income ratio.
Click here to see America’s 25 most affordable housing markets.
25. Oklahoma County, Oklahoma
> Income needed to buy a house: $40,459
> Average annual wages: $52,104
> Q4 median sales price: $140,000
> Housing units: 330,235
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24. Richmond County, Virginia
> Income needed to buy a house: $47,020
> Average annual wages: $61,308
> Q4 median sales price: $173,000
> Housing units: 99,883
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23. Kenton County, Kentucky
> Income needed to buy a house: $42,373
> Average annual wages: $55,276
> Q4 median sales price: $145,000
> Housing units: 69,520
22. Clark County, Ohio
> Income needed to buy a house: $30,770
> Average annual wages: $40,456
> Q4 median sales price: $99,250
> Housing units: 61,143
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21. Jackson County, Michigan
> Income needed to buy a house: $35,767
> Average annual wages: $47,879
> Q4 median sales price: $120,000
> Housing units: 69,047
20. Muscogee County, Georgia
> Income needed to buy a house: $32,935
> Average annual wages: $45,201
> Q4 median sales price: $115,000
> Housing units: 83,921
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19. Madison County, Alabama
> Income needed to buy a house: $42,386
> Average annual wages: $58,422
> Q4 median sales price: $154,480
> Housing units: 154,710
18. Sullivan County, Tennessee
> Income needed to buy a house: $34,495
> Average annual wages: $47,892
> Q4 median sales price: $125,000
> Housing units: 74,154
17. Shelby County, Tennessee
> Income needed to buy a house: $39,405
> Average annual wages: $55,289
> Q4 median sales price: $140,000
> Housing units: 403,101
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16. Cuyahoga County, Ohio
> Income needed to buy a house: $39,525
> Average annual wages: $56,719
> Q4 median sales price: $124,000
> Housing units: 618,673
15. Jefferson County, Alabama
> Income needed to buy a house: $37,888
> Average annual wages: $55,133
> Q4 median sales price: $135,450
> Housing units: 305,262
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14. Allen County, Ohio
> Income needed to buy a house: $29,936
> Average annual wages: $44,473
> Q4 median sales price: $98,000
> Housing units: 44,850
13. Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
> Income needed to buy a house: $43,637
> Average annual wages: $65,273
> Q4 median sales price: $150,000
> Housing units: 671,125
12. Lucas County, Ohio
> Income needed to buy a house: $31,348
> Average annual wages: $47,658
> Q4 median sales price: $97,000
> Housing units: 202,307
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11. Trumbull County, Ohio
> Income needed to buy a house: $26,366
> Average annual wages: $40,170
> Q4 median sales price: $84,500
> Housing units: 95,466
10. Montgomery County, Alabama
> Income needed to buy a house: $28,856
> Average annual wages: $45,422
> Q4 median sales price: $105,550
> Housing units: 103,577
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9. Saginaw County, Michigan
> Income needed to buy a house: $27,129
> Average annual wages: $44,863
> Q4 median sales price: $86,500
> Housing units: 86,792
8. Richmond County, Georgia
> Income needed to buy a house: $27,130
> Average annual wages: $45,175
> Q4 median sales price: $93,000
> Housing units: 87,290
7. Rock Island County, Illinois
> Income needed to buy a house: $33,370
> Average annual wages: $56,433
> Q4 median sales price: $104,950
> Housing units: 65,800
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6. St. Lawrence County, New York
> Income needed to buy a house: $26,108
> Average annual wages: $44,980
> Q4 median sales price: $75,000
> Housing units: 52,272
5. Wayne County, Michigan
> Income needed to buy a house: $34,658
> Average annual wages: $61,061
> Q4 median sales price: $110,000
> Housing units: 816,398
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4. Peoria County, Illinois
> Income needed to buy a house: $34,024
> Average annual wages: $60,567
> Q4 median sales price: $102,500
> Housing units: 83,487
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3. Clayton County, Georgia
> Income needed to buy a house: $31,262
> Average annual wages: $56,641
> Q4 median sales price: $110,000
> Housing units: 104,699
2. Bibb County, Georgia
> Income needed to buy a house: $20,685
> Average annual wages: $42,900
> Q4 median sales price: $75,050
> Housing units: 70,178
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1. Baltimore City County, Maryland
> Income needed to buy a house: $30,701
> Average annual wages: $65,819
> Q4 median sales price: $100,500
> Housing units: 296,923
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