Why Only 3 U.S. Cities Still Let You Afford a Home on a Normal Income
Detroit, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis emerge as the last frontiers for middle-class homebuyers as prices soar nationwide
Nationwide, owning a home has become a distant dream. With median listing prices hitting around $440,000, the typical household now allocates nearly 45% of its income to homeownership—far above the traditional 30% benchmark. Housing scarcity, high mortgage rates near 7%, and stagnant wage growth compound the issue. Yet amid this crisis, only three of the largest 50 metro areas still offer median-income buyers a shot at homeownership: Detroit (MI), Pittsburgh (PA), and St. Louis (MO).
Detroit: Where $72,000 a year still buys you a house
Detroit’s median home price hovers near $72,500—shockingly low for a U.S. metro. With median household income around $72,574, local earners can still buy a home without exceeding the 30% income limit, making Detroit the most affordable among major metros. Even better, mortgage estimators show payments are well below affordability thresholds for many earners.
Pittsburgh: Pennsylvania’s sleeper city offers homeownership within reach
Pittsburgh tops the easiest affordability charts among large metros. With a median home price of $249,900 and household income just over $72,500, buyers comfortably stay under the 30% rule. Additional data shows qualifying-income requirements match median earnings, allowing many locals to snap up homes without overstretching financially.
St. Louis: Midwest resilience keeps prices under control
Staying below the $300,000 median home price keeps St. Louis firmly in affordability territory for median wage earners. While several nearby cities like Cleveland and Indianapolis are borderline, St. Louis remains one of the few metros where homes cost less than 30% of typical household income.
What makes these cities buck the national housing crisis
While average home prices in major metros like Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York eat up as much as 70–100% of a median income, the Midwest markets benefit from weaker demand and a broader housing stock. Places like Cleveland, Detroit, and Pittsburgh post home-price-to-income ratios between 1.9 and 3.1—half or less compared to West Coast extremes.
These three standouts combine livable incomes with low house costs, creating rare affordability pockets. Cleveland and Indianapolis ride close to the threshold but still stretch typical budgets.
A middle-class comeback story in motion
The low cost of entry means first-time buyers can invest in neighborhoods, schools, and even property renovation without maxing out their income. Detroit, for example, allows homeowners to enter the market with a 0% down mortgage without overshooting affordability. Pittsburgh and St. Louis also allow room for non-housing expenses like health care, education, and retirement planning—benefits absent in pricey metros like San Jose, where median home prices exceed $1.4 million and require over $270,000 in annual income.
Will more cities follow this trend—or are these the last affordable holdouts?
While the national housing inventory remains low, markets such as Seattle, Dallas, and Denver have seen listings increase—yet prices remain stubbornly high. Rising supply alone won’t fix the problem; wage growth and more construction are needed to replicate affordability in other cities.
Detroit, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis stand alone—and that’s not good news
These three cities are currently the only large U.S. metros where buying at median home price remains realistic for median-income households. As a stark contrast to cities demanding six-figure salaries for modest homes, they shine as rare and powerful exceptions in America’s housing crisis. For middle-class families seeking true homeownership, this may be the last call.