How much income you need to buy a home, by state
The short version
At the median U.S. listing price of $415,000, a household needs about $115,805 a year to buy comfortably at today's 7.18% 30-year rate — keeping the payment within the 28% rule. The bar ranges from roughly $69,952 in West Virginia to $196,556 in Massachusetts. The median household falls short of that bar in every state.
Income needed to buy a home, by state
| Rank | State | Median price | Monthly payment | Income needed | Median income | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $699,900 | $4,586 | $196,556 | $104,569 | +$91,987 |
| 2 | California | $719,000 | $4,472 | $191,649 | $100,130 | +$91,519 |
| 3 | New York | $614,900 | $4,217 | $180,745 | $85,768 | +$94,977 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $718,000 | $4,137 | $177,304 | $101,581 | +$75,723 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $550,000 | $3,978 | $170,468 | $104,202 | +$66,266 |
| 6 | Washington | $629,950 | $3,952 | $169,352 | $99,309 | +$70,043 |
| 7 | Montana | $620,000 | $3,920 | $167,984 | $75,520 | +$92,464 |
| 8 | New Hampshire | $569,900 | $3,882 | $166,357 | $100,364 | +$65,993 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $569,900 | $3,801 | $162,897 | $83,250 | +$79,647 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $510,000 | $3,622 | $155,247 | $95,670 | +$59,577 |
| 11 | Idaho | $589,999 | $3,533 | $151,427 | $80,852 | +$70,575 |
| 12 | Oregon | $549,900 | $3,451 | $147,911 | $84,897 | +$63,014 |
| 13 | Utah | $575,000 | $3,448 | $147,783 | $96,398 | +$51,385 |
| 14 | Vermont | $498,375 | $3,424 | $146,725 | $82,836 | +$63,889 |
| 15 | Colorado | $550,000 | $3,402 | $145,816 | $96,871 | +$48,945 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $485,000 | $3,063 | $131,268 | $76,975 | +$54,293 |
| 17 | Delaware | $479,900 | $2,928 | $125,466 | $87,510 | +$37,956 |
| 18 | Maine | $449,000 | $2,896 | $124,122 | $76,372 | +$47,750 |
| 19 | Nevada | $479,000 | $2,876 | $123,263 | $81,129 | +$42,134 |
| 20 | Alaska | $435,000 | $2,843 | $121,852 | $96,336 | +$25,516 |
| 21 | Virginia | $450,000 | $2,828 | $121,185 | $92,116 | +$29,069 |
| 22 | Arizona | $459,900 | $2,756 | $118,102 | $81,404 | +$36,698 |
| 23 | Maryland | $424,894 | $2,750 | $117,868 | $102,835 | +$15,033 |
| 24 | Florida | $409,900 | $2,695 | $115,480 | $77,687 | +$37,793 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $425,000 | $2,601 | $111,462 | $72,007 | +$39,455 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $385,000 | $2,598 | $111,353 | $77,557 | +$33,796 |
| 27 | Texas | $350,000 | $2,532 | $108,530 | $79,723 | +$28,807 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $399,000 | $2,531 | $108,476 | $67,838 | +$40,638 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $375,000 | $2,519 | $107,965 | $87,120 | +$20,845 |
| 30 | Georgia | $386,990 | $2,504 | $107,312 | $79,912 | +$27,400 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $399,900 | $2,502 | $107,250 | $74,055 | +$33,195 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $368,550 | $2,486 | $106,542 | $77,494 | +$29,048 |
| 33 | Illinois | $319,900 | $2,439 | $104,520 | $83,327 | +$21,193 |
| 34 | North Dakota | $365,000 | $2,431 | $104,173 | $80,132 | +$24,041 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $330,000 | $2,429 | $104,108 | $76,578 | +$27,530 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $359,000 | $2,222 | $95,242 | $72,507 | +$22,735 |
| 37 | Kansas | $295,000 | $2,110 | $90,443 | $75,402 | +$15,041 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $304,900 | $2,049 | $87,815 | $77,532 | +$10,283 |
| 39 | Alabama | $324,900 | $2,037 | $87,321 | $66,704 | +$20,617 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $295,000 | $2,032 | $87,092 | $66,124 | +$20,968 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $315,000 | $2,023 | $86,685 | $62,146 | +$24,539 |
| 42 | Michigan | $299,900 | $2,019 | $86,525 | $72,336 | +$14,189 |
| 43 | Missouri | $299,900 | $1,993 | $85,433 | $71,583 | +$13,850 |
| 44 | Iowa | $282,500 | $1,993 | $85,420 | $75,623 | +$9,797 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $300,000 | $1,961 | $84,036 | $64,481 | +$19,555 |
| 46 | Ohio | $282,500 | $1,931 | $82,766 | $72,259 | +$10,507 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $290,000 | $1,931 | $82,747 | $59,301 | +$23,446 |
| 48 | Indiana | $294,900 | $1,914 | $82,007 | $71,958 | +$10,049 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $269,000 | $1,812 | $77,658 | $61,038 | +$16,620 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $259,999 | $1,632 | $69,952 | $60,662 | +$9,290 |
Median listing price: Realtor.com via FRED (November 6, 2026). Property tax and insurance: Census ACS 2024 medians for homeowners with a mortgage. Payment includes principal, interest, property tax and insurance at 20% down. Income = payment ÷ 0.28. Median household income: Census SAIPE 2024. Gap = income needed − median income (positive = the median household falls short).
Where the median household can — and can't — buy
Set against what households actually earn, the median-listed home is out of reach of the median household in every one of the 50 states we price. The widest shortfall is in New York: $180,745 needed against a median income of $85,768, a gap of $94,977; West Virginia comes closest, $9,290 short. Nationally, the median household ($81,604 in 2024) falls $34,201 short of the $115,805 needed on the same basis — 20% down, with property tax and insurance.
Prices and taxes both drive the number
A high income bar comes from one of two things — or both. Some states are expensive because homes simply cost more; others because property taxes pile onto the payment. Massachusetts tops the list at $196,556, while West Virginia sits lowest at $69,952. That's why two states with similar home prices can require very different incomes.
These are benchmarks, not quotes. Your real number depends on your down payment, credit, other debts and the exact home. Put in your own figures with the affordability calculator, find the salary a specific payment requires with the required-income calculator, or see local rates and assistance on any state rates page.
Frequently asked
How much income do you need to buy a home in the U.S.?
At the median U.S. listing price of $415,000 with 20% down at today's 7.18% 30-year rate, a household needs roughly $115,805 a year to keep the payment within the standard 28% rule — about $2,702 a month including taxes and insurance. The figure ranges from about $69,952 in West Virginia to $196,556 in Massachusetts.
In which states can a median-income household afford a median-priced home?
None, on our numbers: comparing the median household income (Census SAIPE, 2024) with the income needed to buy the median-listed home with 20% down at 7.18%, including tax and insurance.
The biggest shortfall is in New York, where the median household earns $85,768 against $180,745 needed; West Virginia comes closest, $9,290 short. A smaller down payment or a cheaper-than-median home changes the picture.
What is the 28% rule?
A common affordability guideline: your total monthly housing payment — principal, interest, property taxes and insurance — should stay at or below 28% of your gross monthly income.
Lenders also look at your total debts (the 36–43% back-end ratio), but the 28% front-end rule is the quickest way to compare markets.
Do these numbers assume a down payment?
Yes — 20% down, which avoids private mortgage insurance. A smaller down payment lowers the income you need up front but raises the monthly payment (and usually adds PMI), so the income required can actually rise. Model your own down payment in our calculators.
Why is the income needed so different by state?
Two things drive the gap: home prices and property-tax rates. A state can be expensive because homes cost more (Hawaii, California) or because property taxes are high (New Jersey, Illinois).
This table combines both, using each state's median listing price and effective property-tax rate.