This table shows changes in prices for existing homes (single-family houses and condos) in 2020 for the 100 largest metro areas tracked by Clear Capital. Clear Capital tracks price changes based on a sample of existing homes and condos in each metro area that have been sold multiple times over various periods of time. That means the home values shown may differ from other measures that are based only on sales during a particular time period.
The table also shows the change in home prices since the peak of the national market in mid 2006. Prices in three-fourths of the cities in 2020 met or exceeded their previous peak. In addition, we show how far prices have risen since the bottom of the market in early 2012. Prices in one-fifth of the 100 cities have doubled since then.
The affordability index shows the relative affordability of cities (1 is the most affordable, 10 is the least affordable). It’s based on the percentage of annual income required to buy a median-priced home in each metro area in late 2020. The least affordable city is New York City, and the most affordable is Augusta, Ga.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
At the end of 2020, home prices rose faster than rents in 83% of the 915 counties analyzed by ATTOM Data Solutions, and prices have risen more than wages in nearly two-thirds of the nation. Yet owning a median-priced three-bedroom home is more affordable than renting a three-bedroom property in 63% of those markets. However, ATTOM’s analysis shows that renting is more affordable than buying a home in 18 of the nation’s 25 most populated counties. Cities with more than 1 million people where it’s more affordable to buy a home than rent include Phoenix and Las Vegas.
| Metro Area | Median Home Price | % Change1 Year | % ChangeSince Peak* | % ChangeSince Bottom† | Affordability Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akron, Ohio | $150,000 | 10.1% | 6.3% | 62.8% | 2 |
| Albany, N.Y. | 215,000 | 11.7 | 17.5 | 41.4 | 4 |
| Albuquerque, N.M. | 180,000 | 11.6 | 11.5 | 55.3 | 6 |
| Atlanta, Ga. | 250,000 | 9.5 | 21.3 | 115.0 | 4 |
| Augusta, Ga. | 169,000 | 7.5 | 13.8 | 37.2 | 1 |
| Austin, Texas | 340,000 | 9.9 | 95.2 | 97.0 | 9 |
| Bakersfield, Calif. | 245,000 | 12.4 | -11.6 | 89.8 | 7 |
| Baltimore, Md. | 287,500 | 7.4 | -12.8 | 34.3 | 4 |
| Baton Rouge, La. | 189,900 | 5.2 | 10.6 | 27.3 | 5 |
| Birmingham, Ala. | 186,000 | 8.7 | 6.8 | 42.8 | 1 |
| Boise City, Idaho | 290,450 | 8.8 | 40.0 | 147.3 | 9 |
| Boston, Mass. | 444,000 | 6.5 | 38.0 | 74.3 | 5 |
| Bridgeport, Conn. | 460,000 | 13.5 | -9.7 | 38.9 | 8 |
| Buffalo, N.Y. | 160,000 | 16.5 | 85.2 | 77.1 | 4 |
| Cape Coral, Fla. | 214,930 | -2.3 | -26.6 | 65.9 | 8 |
| Charleston, S.C. | 279,000 | 7.8 | 23.3 | 71.1 | 9 |
| Charlotte, N.C. | 255,000 | 9.7 | -12.4 | 77.3 | 4 |
| Chattanooga, Tenn. | 189,000 | 10.3 | 46.4 | 71.7 | 4 |
| Chicago, Ill. | 252,000 | 9.7 | -12.4 | 77.3 | 5 |
| Cincinnati, Ohio | 179,000 | 10.1 | 28.0 | 72.3 | 1 |
| Cleveland, Ohio | 146,000 | 12.7 | 2.5 | 78.4 | 1 |
| Colorado Springs, Colo. | 345,000 | 11.2 | 57.7 | 85.6 | 8 |
| Columbia, S.C. | 166,625 | 8.8 | 16.1 | 49.7 | 3 |
| Columbus, Ohio | 219,000 | 13.8 | 38.7 | 93.9 | 4 |
| Dallas, Texas | 225,550 | -7.9 | 53.3 | 80.4 | 5 |
| Dayton, Ohio | 135,500 | 8.4 | 8.8 | 62.7 | 1 |
| Deltona, Fla. | 219,000 | 6.4 | -4.9 | 109.6 | 7 |
| Denver, Colo. | 442,000 | 6.8 | 82.5 | 99.0 | 8 |
| Des Moines, Iowa | 207,000 | 2.7 | 26.1 | 43.0 | 4 |
| Detroit, Mich. | 181,815 | 12.1 | 7.0 | 136.9 | 4 |
| Durham, N.C. | 272,000 | 7.9 | 45.7 | 63.1 | 3 |
| El Paso, Texas | 152,192 | 5.3 | 13.6 | 23.9 | 6 |
| Fresno, Calif. | 299,000 | 12.7 | -5.8 | 91.8 | 9 |
| Grand Rapids, Mich. | 210,000 | 11.7 | 50.0 | 116.1 | 5 |
| Greensboro, N.C. | 160,000 | 14.2 | 26.5 | 53.1 | 3 |
| Greenville, S.C. | 205,000 | 5.1 | 43.8 | 64.2 | 5 |
| Harrisburg, Pa. | 175,000 | 12.7 | 16.0 | 37.9 | 2 |
| Hartford, Conn. | 237,500 | 15.2 | -0.7 | 33.1 | 4 |
| Honolulu, Hi. | 605,000 | 3.3 | 42.7 | 45.8 | 10 |
| Houston, Texas | 192,500 | -2.0 | 37.1 | 69.5 | 4 |
| Indianapolis, Ind. | 185,000 | 11.4 | 28.2 | 91.3 | 1 |
| Jacksonville, Fla. | 245,000 | 6.8 | -5.1 | 81.9 | 3 |
| Kansas City, Mo. | 169,700 | -0.7 | 5.4 | 82.7 | 2 |
| Knoxville, Tenn. | 196,000 | 10.7 | 35.4 | 68.2 | 3 |
| Lakeland, Fla. | 200,000 | 10.2 | -6.1 | 100.6 | 6 |
| Lancaster, Pa. | 219.000 | 8.5 | 34.9 | 46.5 | 6 |
| Lansing-East. Lansing, Mich. | 138,000 | 13.7 | 1.7 | 87.1 | 1 |
| Las Vegas, Nev. | 305,000 | 6.1 | -13.3 | 122.6 | 7 |
| Little Rock, Ark. | 155,000 | 4.1 | 11.0 | 16.8 | 1 |
| Los Angeles, Calif. | 710,000 | 8.1 | 13.1 | 92.2 | 10 |
| Louisville, Ky. | 180,000 | 9.1 | 28.2 | 52.8 | 2 |
| Madison, Wis. | 285,000 | 8.6 | 39.6 | 62.9 | 7 |
| McAllen, Texas | 84,250 | 3.3 | 33.2 | 32.4 | 6 |
| Memphis, Tenn. | 156,400 | 12.7 | 11.9 | 80.8 | 2 |
| Miami, Fla. | 302,000 | 9.3 | -12.9 | 101.6 | 8 |
| Milwaukee, Wis. | 228,417 | 12.4 | 0.5 | 68.9 | 2 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn. | 286,000 | 8.2 | 14.4 | 76.8 | 5 |
| Modesto, Calif. | 345,000 | 14.7 | -2.2 | 147.8 | 9 |
| Nashville, Tenn. | 298,000 | 10.2 | 69.3 | 94.4 | 5 |
| New Haven, Conn. | 235,150 | 17.1 | -13.9 | 52.6 | 7 |
| New Orleans, La. | 210,000 | 10.1 | 40.1 | 68.2 | 3 |
| New York, N.Y.-N.J. | 450,000 | 9.7 | 3.1 | 51.1 | 10 |
| North Port-Sarasota, Fla. | 284,900 | 7.1 | -3.6 | 86.3 | 8 |
| Ogden, Utah | 289,500 | 14.5 | 92.7 | 120.1 | 10 |
| Oklahoma City, Okla. | 170,000 | 6.6 | 34.9 | 35.6 | 2 |
| Omaha, Neb. | 200,000 | 9.2 | 39.7 | 52.2 | 6 |
| Orlando, Fla. | 262,000 | 8.2 | -13.5 | 102.0 | 7 |
| Oxnard, Calif. | 650,000 | 17.6 | 8.9 | 80.1 | 10 |
| Palm Bay, Fla. | 210,000 | 10.0 | 1.5 | 112.9 | 5 |
| Philadelphia, Pa. | 240,000 | 11.0 | 6.9 | 48.4 | 1 |
| Phoenix, Ariz. | 308,900 | 11.9 | 4.1 | 98.6 | 7 |
| Pittsburgh, Pa. | 158,000 | -0.6 | 24.3 | 38.2 | 2 |
| Portland, Me. | 290,000 | 7.3 | 34.8 | 73.5 | 9 |
| Portland, Ore. | 420,000 | 9.3 | 42.9 | 96.0 | 9 |
| Providence, R.I. | 290,000 | 8.2 | 2.0 | 79.8 | 7 |
| Provo, Utah | 385,000 | 6.3 | 55.2 | 101.6 | 9 |
| Raleigh, N.C. | 292,000 | 6.8 | 37.9 | 54.4 | 6 |
| Richmond, Va. | 257,000 | 10.7 | 16.0 | 59.6 | 7 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, Calif. | 393,000 | 13.4 | -3.1 | 111.1 | 10 |
| Rochester, N.Y. | 153,000 | 16.9 | 44.4 | 60.3 | 3 |
| Sacramento, Calif. | 446,000 | 7.6 | 12.6 | 115.0 | 8 |
| Salt Lake City, Utah | 335,000 | -17.9 | 27.1 | 58.3 | 8 |
| San Antonio, Texas | 175,000 | -1.7 | 44.3 | 55.6 | 7 |
| San Diego, Calif. | 620,000 | 11.5 | 22.3 | 91.2 | 10 |
| San Francisco, Calif. | 930,000 | 9.5 | 31.7 | 110.3 | 10 |
| San Jose, Calif. | 1,160,000 | 16.2 | 58.2 | 117.5 | 10 |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, Pa. | 113,050 | 6.3 | -2.2 | 43.1 | 2 |
| Seattle, Wash. | 525,000 | 12.8 | 47.5 | 117.2 | 9 |
| Spokane, Wash. | 280,000 | -3.8 | 41.0 | 65.7 | 8 |
| Springfield, Mass. | 217,500 | 10.8 | 18.1 | 67.9 | 6 |
| St. Louis, Mo. | 166,000 | 8.9 | -3.3 | 58.1 | 3 |
| Stockton, Calif. | 400,000 | 13.2 | -0.8 | 147.7 | 10 |
| Tampa, Fla. | 229,900 | 7.1 | -3.7 | 105.7 | 5 |
| Toledo, Ohio | 134,000 | 6.9 | 2.5 | 66.8 | 1 |
| Tucson, Ariz. | 229,000 | 11.5 | -1.0 | 74.6 | 6 |
| Tulsa, Okla. | 169,000 | 7.9 | 23.4 | 37.8 | 2 |
| Virginia Beach, Va. | 250,000 | 9.7 | -5.3 | 34.9 | 9 |
| Washington, D.C.-No. Va. | 435,000 | 8.7 | -1.2 | 45.5 | 8 |
| Winston-Salem, N.C. | 165,000 | 12.1 | 22.7 | 55.6 | 3 |
| Worcester, Mass. | 260,000 | 12.3 | 18.1 | 90.6 | 6 |
Home-price data as of December 31, 2020. Cities represent metropolitan statistical areas as defined by the U.S. Census.
*Since May 31, 2006, when the housing market peaked nationally.
†Since March 31, 2012, when the housing market hit bottom nationally.
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2024 and 2025Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up. Here's what you need to know.
-
How to Find Foreclosed Homes: Best Foreclosure Listings SitesMaking Your Money Last Find foreclosed homes for sale on these foreclosure listing websites. Search for properties on these free, paid or government sites.
-
Luxury Home Prices Rise as the Rich Dodge High Mortgage RatesLuxury home prices rose 9% to the highest third-quarter level on record, Redfin reports, growing nearly three times faster than non-luxury prices.
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnbreal estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute VacationTravel It is possible to pull off a cheap last-minute vacation. Here are some tips to make it happen.
-
How to Figure Out How Much Life Insurance You Needinsurance Instead of relying on rules of thumb, you’re better off taking a systematic approach to figuring your life insurance needs.
-
Amazon Big Deal Days Is Coming! We’ve Got All the DetailsAmazon Prime To kick off the holiday season with a bang, Amazon Big Deal Days runs Tuesday, October 8 and Wednesday, October 9.
-
How to Shop for Life Insurance in 3 Easy Stepsinsurance Shopping for life insurance? You may be able to estimate how much you need online, but that's just the start of your search.
