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Homebuyers are expected to earn enough to cover monthly housing expenses, which can be a heavy financial burden in pricey markets.
However, the nation’s most affordable metros demand far lower incomes, giving working families some breathing room.
Among the 50 largest U.S. metros, the 10 least expensive cities stand out for having the lowest income requirements, with necessary household salaries below $85,000 to purchase a home, according to a new housing data analysis from Realtor.com®.
“Many of the most affordable metros are located in the Midwest and parts of the South, regions that tend to have more abundant land, more new construction, and a lower cost of living,” says Realtor.com senior economic research analyst Hannah Jones. “These factors have kept home prices from escalating as sharply as they have in coastal and Sun Belt boom markets.”
Pittsburgh, the most affordable housing market in the country, with a median listing price of $245,000, according to the November 2025 housing market trends report from Realtor.com, calls for an annual minimum income of just $65,000.
A household earning that amount could comfortably cover a $1,630 monthly housing payment, which includes a mortgage assuming a 6.19% interest rate, as well as property taxes and insurance.
For comparison, to afford a home priced at the November national median list price of $415,000, a buyer would need to earn more than $110,000 annually—about 70% more than in Pittsburgh.
Cleveland ranks as the second most budget-friendly metro by minimum income requirements, where the typical buyer can snap up a $250,000 home while earning $66,538 per year.
Detroit ranks third, requiring an annual income of roughly $68,000 to afford a single-family home with a $255,000 price tag, the metro’s median price in November.
“In markets like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Detroit, the minimum annual income needed to afford a median-priced home ranges from roughly $65,000 to $70,000, well below the national benchmark and far more attainable for middle-income households,” points out Jones.
Other standout metros where families of modest means can still gain entry to the housing market without stretching themselves too thin include Buffalo, NY; St. Louis; Birmingham, AL; Louisville, KY; Indianapolis; Oklahoma City, OK; and Memphis, TN. The median asking prices in these areas range from just below $260,000 to $319,000, with minimum income requirements topping out at $85,000.
Across the 10 most affordable cities, total monthly payments generally remain near or below $2,100, despite today’s elevated mortgage rates exceeding 6%.
Focus on Cleveland
The typical home in Cleveland costs $165,000 less than the current national median, with monthly payments totaling approximately $1,660.
A household earning $5,545 per month, or roughly $66,500 annually, can manage these expenses with relative ease.
Mike Valerino, CEO of Akron Cleveland Association of Realtors, tells Realtor.com that Cleveland’s affordability mostly comes down to steady, balanced market fundamentals.
“Home prices here have risen consistently, but at a more measured pace than in many higher-cost metros, and incomes in the region remain more closely aligned with housing costs,” he says.
Another key factor, according to Valerino, is the composition of the Ohio metro’s housing stock, which includes a wide range of for-sale properties at different price points, from established neighborhoods with long-term homeowners to newer and up-and-coming locations. This variety offers buyers options and helps prevent sharp price increases seen in markets with tight supply.
“Even as prices continue to rise modestly, affordability remains stronger here than in most large U.S. metros,” points out Valerino. “Many buyers find they can purchase a home that meets their long-term needs without making the trade-offs required in more expensive markets.”
Besides affordable home prices, Cleveland offers access to a diverse labor market, robust health care and education institutions, and a lower overall cost of living, according to the CEO.
Geography of affordability
Location plays a crucial role in shaping the affordability gap between metros with high and low income requirements.
Jones explains that high-cost metros, such as coastal San Jose, CA, and Boston, are constrained by limited housing supply, stricter zoning and land-use regulations, and sustained demand from affluent households.
“These pressures push prices higher and erode affordability, even for relatively well-paid buyers,” she says. “The result is a wide divergence in what a given income can buy depending on location.”
For example, a household earning $75,000 may be entirely priced out of New York City or Los Angeles but comfortably able to purchase in Pittsburgh or Detroit.
“This geographic divide does appear to influence migration patterns,” says Jones. “Lower-cost metros increasingly serve as ‘refuge’ markets for buyers seeking relief from affordability pressures elsewhere, including remote workers, retirees, and households relocating from high-priced regions.”
Affordable Midwestern markets like Grand Rapids, MI, St. Louis, and Cleveland posted the year’s strongest price gains, partly due to an inflow of homebuyers from more expensive markets.
Valerino confirms that Cleveland has been seeing growing interest from out-of-state home shoppers seeking refuge from higher-priced areas, but he stresses that most homebuyers in the metro are still local.
“That kind of incremental in-migration supports the market without fundamentally reshaping it,” he says.
The challenge now is to expand Cleveland’s housing supply to satisfy the growing demand without the market overheating, keeping affordability accessible to future buyers, he adds.
Jones agrees, saying that increased interest can drive up prices over time, particularly if housing supply does not keep pace with demand.
“Overall, the least expensive metros continue to offer a critical affordability outlet in today’s housing market,” she concludes.
The 10 metros with the most affordable minimum income
1. Pittsburgh, PA
Median listing price: $245,000
Monthly payment: $1,630
Annual minimum income: $65,208
2. Cleveland, OH
Median listing price: $250,000
Monthly payment: $1,663
Annual minimum income: $66,538
3. Detroit, MI
Median listing price: $255,000
Monthly payment: $1,697
Annual minimum income: $67,869
4. Buffalo, NY
Median listing price: $259,900
Monthly payment: $1,729
Annual minimum income: $69,173
5. St. Louis, MO
Median listing price: $291,900
Monthly payment: $1,942
Annual minimum income: $77,690
6. Birmingham, AL
Median listing price: $298,500
Monthly payment: $1,986
Annual minimum income: $79,447
7. Louisville, KY
Median listing price: $309,900
Monthly payment: $2,062
Annual minimum income: $82,481
8. Indianapolis, IN
Median listing price: $315,000
Monthly payment: $2,096
Annual minimum income: $83,838
9. Oklahoma City, OK
Median listing price: $315,995
Monthly payment: $2,103
Annual minimum income: $84,103
10. Memphis, TN
Median listing price: $319,000
Monthly payment: $2,123
Annual minimum income: $84,903
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