US States · Price-to-income ratio

Home Price-to-Income Ratio by State (Housing Affordability) (2024)

Data: 2024 ACS 1-year estimates Updated: Source: U.S. Census Bureau CSV

The price-to-income ratio is the simplest yardstick of housing affordability: how many years of a typical household's gross income it would take to equal the value of a typical home. Housing economists generally regard a ratio of about 3 as affordable and anything above 5 as severely unaffordable.

In 2024, Hawaii was the least affordable state with a median home worth 8.7 times the median household income, while West Virginia was the most affordable at 2.8. For the United States as a whole the ratio was 4.4. Half of all states are above 4.2.

Key facts

Highest

  1. 1Hawaii8.7
  2. 2California7.6
  3. 3District of Columbia6.7

Lowest

  1. 51West Virginia2.8
  2. 50Iowa3.0
  3. 49Mississippi3.2
United States
4.4
Median of 51 states
4.2
states ranked
51

Price-to-income ratio by state

Shaded by quintile; darker = higher. Hover a state for its value and rank.

Alabama: 3.5 (rank 40 of 51)Alaska: 3.9 (rank 31 of 51)Arizona: 5.2 (rank 14 of 51)Colorado: 5.9 (rank 5 of 51)Florida: 5.1 (rank 15 of 51)Georgia: 4.3 (rank 23 of 51)Indiana: 3.4 (rank 44 of 51)Kansas: 3.2 (rank 48 of 51)Maine: 4.5 (rank 21 of 51)Massachusetts: 5.8 (rank 7 of 51)Minnesota: 4.0 (rank 30 of 51)New Jersey: 4.8 (rank 16 of 51)North Carolina: 4.5 (rank 19 of 51)North Dakota: 3.4 (rank 43 of 51)Oklahoma: 3.4 (rank 46 of 51)Pennsylvania: 3.6 (rank 36 of 51)South Dakota: 3.8 (rank 34 of 51)Texas: 3.9 (rank 32 of 51)Wyoming: 4.5 (rank 20 of 51)Connecticut: 4.1 (rank 28 of 51)Missouri: 3.6 (rank 37 of 51)West Virginia: 2.8 (rank 51 of 51)Illinois: 3.4 (rank 45 of 51)New Mexico: 4.1 (rank 29 of 51)Arkansas: 3.5 (rank 41 of 51)California: 7.6 (rank 2 of 51)Delaware: 4.2 (rank 25 of 51)Hawaii: 8.7 (rank 1 of 51)Iowa: 3.0 (rank 50 of 51)Kentucky: 3.5 (rank 39 of 51)Maryland: 4.2 (rank 26 of 51)Michigan: 3.5 (rank 38 of 51)Mississippi: 3.2 (rank 49 of 51)Montana: 5.6 (rank 8 of 51)New Hampshire: 4.6 (rank 18 of 51)New York: 5.2 (rank 13 of 51)Ohio: 3.3 (rank 47 of 51)Oregon: 5.8 (rank 6 of 51)Tennessee: 4.6 (rank 17 of 51)Utah: 5.6 (rank 9 of 51)Virginia: 4.4 (rank 22 of 51)Washington: 6.1 (rank 4 of 51)Wisconsin: 3.8 (rank 33 of 51)Nebraska: 3.4 (rank 42 of 51)South Carolina: 4.1 (rank 27 of 51)Idaho: 5.5 (rank 11 of 51)Nevada: 5.6 (rank 10 of 51)Vermont: 4.3 (rank 24 of 51)Louisiana: 3.7 (rank 35 of 51)Rhode Island: 5.5 (rank 12 of 51) District of Columbia: 6.7 (rank 3 of 51)
  • 2.8–3.5
  • 3.5–3.9
  • 4.0–4.5
  • 4.5–5.5
  • 5.6–8.7
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 1-year estimates. Map: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundaries (via us-atlas), Albers USA projection; Alaska and Hawaii repositioned.

Highest and lowest states

Price-to-income ratio; dashed line marks the US figure.

Highest 10

  1. 1. Hawaii 8.7
  2. 2. California 7.6
  3. 3. District of Columbia 6.7
  4. 4. Washington 6.1
  5. 5. Colorado 5.9
  6. 6. Oregon 5.8
  7. 7. Massachusetts 5.8
  8. 8. Montana 5.6
  9. 9. Utah 5.6
  10. 10. Nevada 5.6

Lowest 10

  1. 42. Nebraska 3.4
  2. 43. North Dakota 3.4
  3. 44. Indiana 3.4
  4. 45. Illinois 3.4
  5. 46. Oklahoma 3.4
  6. 47. Ohio 3.3
  7. 48. Kansas 3.2
  8. 49. Mississippi 3.2
  9. 50. Iowa 3.0
  10. 51. West Virginia 2.8

United States: 4.4

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 1-year estimates.

Full ranking

Download CSV 51 rows
Select a column header to sort (press again to reverse).
1 Hawaii 8.7 $875,900$100,745 West 1,446,146
2 California 7.6 $759,500$100,149 West 39,431,263
3 District of Columbia 6.7 $733,400$109,707 South 702,250
4 Washington 6.1 $602,200$99,389 West 7,958,180
5 Colorado 5.9 $574,600$97,113 West 5,957,494
6 Oregon 5.8 $497,500$85,220 West 4,272,371
7 Massachusetts 5.8 $607,400$104,828 Northeast 7,136,171
8 Montana 5.6 $425,400$75,340 West 1,137,233
9 Utah 5.6 $545,200$96,658 West 3,503,613
10 Nevada 5.6 $455,500$81,134 West 3,267,467
11 Idaho 5.5 $446,400$81,166 West 2,001,619
12 Rhode Island 5.5 $455,700$83,504 Northeast 1,112,308
13 New York 5.2 $449,800$85,820 Northeast 19,867,248
14 Arizona 5.2 $426,000$81,486 West 7,582,384
15 Florida 5.1 $396,900$77,735 South 23,372,215
16 New Jersey 4.8 $496,000$104,294 Northeast 9,500,851
17 Tennessee 4.6 $332,600$71,997 South 7,227,750
18 New Hampshire 4.6 $458,800$99,782 Northeast 1,409,032
19 North Carolina 4.5 $333,000$73,958 South 11,046,024
20 Wyoming 4.5 $339,500$75,532 West 587,618
21 Maine 4.5 $341,900$76,442 Northeast 1,405,012
22 Virginia 4.4 $403,500$92,090 South 8,811,195
23 Georgia 4.3 $343,300$79,991 South 11,180,878
24 Vermont 4.3 $352,800$82,730 Northeast 648,493
25 Delaware 4.2 $371,600$87,534 South 1,051,917
26 Maryland 4.2 $436,300$102,905 South 6,263,220
27 South Carolina 4.1 $299,500$72,350 South 5,478,831
28 Connecticut 4.1 $396,900$96,049 Northeast 3,675,069
29 New Mexico 4.1 $279,900$67,816 West 2,130,256
30 Minnesota 4.0 $344,600$87,117 Midwest 5,793,151
31 Alaska 3.9 $376,500$95,665 West 740,133
32 Texas 3.9 $313,200$79,721 South 31,290,831
33 Wisconsin 3.8 $294,700$77,488 Midwest 5,960,975
34 South Dakota 3.8 $289,600$76,881 Midwest 924,669
35 Louisiana 3.7 $223,200$60,986 South 4,597,740
36 Pennsylvania 3.6 $277,600$77,545 Northeast 13,078,751
37 Missouri 3.6 $254,400$71,589 Midwest 6,245,466
38 Michigan 3.5 $254,200$72,389 Midwest 10,140,459
39 Kentucky 3.5 $226,000$64,526 South 4,588,372
40 Alabama 3.5 $233,300$66,659 South 5,157,699
41 Arkansas 3.5 $215,600$62,106 South 3,088,354
42 Nebraska 3.4 $263,100$76,376 Midwest 2,005,466
43 North Dakota 3.4 $266,100$77,871 Midwest 796,568
44 Indiana 3.4 $243,500$71,959 Midwest 6,924,275
45 Illinois 3.4 $280,700$83,211 Midwest 12,710,158
46 Oklahoma 3.4 $222,100$66,148 South 4,095,393
47 Ohio 3.3 $239,800$72,212 Midwest 11,883,304
48 Kansas 3.2 $238,700$75,514 Midwest 2,970,606
49 Mississippi 3.2 $186,500$59,127 South 2,943,045
50 Iowa 3.0 $227,300$75,501 Midwest 3,241,488
51 West Virginia 2.8 $170,800$60,798 South 1,769,979

Methodology

Calculated by us from two Census Bureau American Community Survey 1-year tables for the same year: median value of owner-occupied housing units (B25077) divided by median household income (B19013). Both are medians, so the ratio compares a typical home with a typical household; it does not account for mortgage rates, down payments, property taxes or insurance, and the home value is the owner's estimate rather than a sale price. The income median covers all households, renters and owners alike, which makes it a measure of how hard it is for a typical household to buy in.

Puerto Rico and other US territories are not included. Rankings use competition ranking: tied values share a rank.

Frequently asked questions

Which state has the least affordable housing?

By price-to-income ratio, Hawaii: the median home is worth 8.7 times the median household income (2024).

Which state has the most affordable housing?

West Virginia, with a ratio of 2.8.

What is a good price-to-income ratio?

A common rule of thumb is that a ratio of 3 or less is affordable, 3 to 4 moderately unaffordable, 4 to 5 seriously unaffordable and above 5 severely unaffordable. Lenders look at monthly payments relative to income instead, which also depends on interest rates.

How do I calculate my own ratio?

Divide the price of the home you want by your household's annual pre-tax income. A $400,000 home on an $80,000 income is a ratio of 5.0.

Sources

Data retrieved October 29, 2026. Values are shown as published, rounded for display; derived percentages are computed by us from published counts as described above. Download the CSV. Spotted an error? Tell us.

Cite this page: SortedLists, “Home Price-to-Income Ratio by State (Housing Affordability)”, https://sortedlists.com/states-by-price-to-income-ratio/ (accessed October 29, 2026). Data: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, tables B25077, B19013.