10 Most Expensive U.S. Metro Areas for Homebuyers in 2025
Homeownership remains elusive for many Americans as soaring prices, limited inventory, and high mortgage rates create unprecedented barriers. The West and Northeast dominate the list of least affordable markets, with California accounting for half of the top 10.
Washington D.C.'s metro area anchors the bottom of the ranking at $612,500 median listing price—a figure requiring $245,000 annual income for sustainable ownership. Coastal concentration persists with no Southern or Midwestern markets cracking the upper echelon of housing unaffordability.