Buying The Median US Home Now Takes A $112,700 Salary... And $492,000 In San Jose

Buying The Median US Home Now Takes A $112,700 Salary... And $492,000 In San Jose Buying the national median-priced home ($434,900, per HSH.com 's second-quarter 2026 data) takes an income of $112,695 a year with 20% down ($347,920 borrowed) at a 6.41% mortgage rate.

That is $9,213 more than in the first quarter, and HSH says affordability worsened in all 50 of the large metros it tracks over the quarter . It is still $1,273 below the second-quarter 2025 figure. San Jose tops the ranking at $492,364 a year, nearly seven times Pittsburgh's $71,567.

San Francisco ($367,973), San Diego ($256,735) and Los Angeles ($215,136) follow, and New York City, Boston and Seattle also need more than $200,000. A six-figure income is required in 32 of the 50 metros. The strain is already visible in transactions.

Pending home sales fell to record lows in September, and existing home sales are hovering near record lows as the affordability gap widens. Click for full size As Visual Capitalist explains fur