Only 14% of Occupation-Metro Pairings Can Afford a Typical Home, NHC Says

Workers in good jobs are increasingly priced out of homeownership, according to new research from the National Housing Conference (NHC). Its report, Priced Out: When a Good Job Isn’t Enough, found that in 2025 only 14% of occupations across the metro areas analyzed could afford a typically priced home with a 10% down payment. The annual study covers nearly 300 occupations in 390 metropolitan areas.

The number of occupation-and-metro pairings, such as “registered nurse in Phoenix”, where buying was affordable fell from 32,794 in 2020 to 12,189 in 2025, a loss of 20,605. In 188 of 372 metro areas with five-year data, workers now need at least twice the income they needed in 2020. The number of metros requiring a salary above $100,000 rose to 193 in 2025, up from 30 in 2019.

• Renters: 45,833 occupation-metro combinations could afford a two-bedroom apartment without being cost-burdened in 2025, which is 5,989 fewer than in 2020. Thirty-eight metros required a salary above $75,000.
• Regions: The East North Central region saw the steepest five-year decline in the share of occupations able to buy, at 36.81 percentage points.
• States: Ohio recorded the largest statewide loss, 40.97 percentage points. In Georgia, the income needed to buy rose 113% to $90,644, while average salaries rose 27.3%.
• Metros: Syracuse, N.Y. had the largest five-year loss, at 53.00 percentage points.

Colorado showed early gains from 2024 to 2025, with affordability up 1.98 points for ownership and 1.56 points for two-bedroom rentals. NHC President and CEO David M. Dworkin called for building and preserving more homes near jobs and removing unnecessary costs and delays. The analysis combines Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, Zillow home values and HUD Fair Market Rents.

Why it matters

The data shows how far wages have fallen behind housing costs for many occupations, which affects buyers and renters weighing a move. Agents and investors can use the metro-level figures to gauge local demand and affordability.

Source: NHC, October 7, 2026. Read the original release