Special Report
Most Expensive Housing Market in Every State
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The U.S. economic recovery and continued growth have had many positive effects on the nation and the population. For at least one group, however, the improving economy has had a negative impact — for potential homebuyers.
Along with incomes and low unemployment, the housing market continues to grow. The median sale price of a U.S. home is now close to a third of a million dollars, or over $100,000 more than it was just a decade ago.
Of course, housing markets are different from one another. While some might still be relatively inexpensive, others are well out of range for most Americans.
To determine the county with the most expensive housing market in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed median home values of 3,119 counties and county equivalents as of the second quarter of 2017 from the National Association of Realtors. In the most expensive markets in states like New York, Massachusetts, California, and Virginia, the typical home is valued at well over $750,000. In California, the most expensive market has a median value in excess of $1 million. In other states, the most expensive market barely tops $200,000.
Click here to see the most expensive housing market in every state.
Click here to see our detailed findings and methodology.
1. Alabama
> Most expensive housing market: Shelby County
> Median home price: $213,550
> Median mortgage payment: $863
> Median household income: $72,310 (State: $46,257)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 0.8%
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2. Alaska
> Most expensive housing market: Sitka City and Borough
> Median home price: $375,056
> Median mortgage payment: $1,516
> Median household income: $70,160 (State: $76,440)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 0.2%
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3. Arizona
> Most expensive housing market: Maricopa County
> Median home price: $265,696
> Median mortgage payment: $1,074
> Median household income: $55,676 (State: $53,558)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 1.9%
4. Arkansas
> Most expensive housing market: Benton County
> Median home price: $187,490
> Median mortgage payment: $758
> Median household income: $59,016 (State: $44,334)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 0.7%
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5. California
> Most expensive housing market: San Francisco County
> Median home price: $1,087,599
> Median mortgage payment: $4,395
> Median household income: $87,701 (State: $67,739)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 35.9%
6. Colorado
> Most expensive housing market: Pitkin County
> Median home price: $748,919
> Median mortgage payment: $3,027
> Median household income: $69,789 (State: $65,685)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 33.7%
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7. Connecticut
> Most expensive housing market: Fairfield County
> Median home price: $429,548
> Median mortgage payment: $1,736
> Median household income: $86,670 (State: $73,433)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 14.2%
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8. Delaware
> Most expensive housing market: New Castle County
> Median home price: $276,771
> Median mortgage payment: $1,119
> Median household income: $66,283 (State: $61,757)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 1.0%
9. Florida
> Most expensive housing market: Monroe County
> Median home price: $454,051
> Median mortgage payment: $1,835
> Median household income: $60,303 (State: $50,860)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 10.5%
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10. Georgia
> Most expensive housing market: Forsyth County
> Median home price: $346,839
> Median mortgage payment: $1,402
> Median household income: $91,842 (State: $53,559)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 0.9%
11. Hawaii
> Most expensive housing market: Honolulu County
> Median home price: $705,856
> Median mortgage payment: $2,853
> Median household income: $77,161 (State: $74,511)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 12.0%
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12. Idaho
> Most expensive housing market: Blaine County
> Median home price: $456,220
> Median mortgage payment: $1,844
> Median household income: $58,086 (State: $51,807)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 16.6%
13. Illinois
> Most expensive housing market: DuPage County
> Median home price: $316,749
> Median mortgage payment: $1,280
> Median household income: $81,521 (State: $60,960)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 3.0%
14. Indiana
> Most expensive housing market: Hamilton County
> Median home price: $259,934
> Median mortgage payment: $1,051
> Median household income: $87,782 (State: $52,314)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 1.3%
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15. Iowa
> Most expensive housing market: Dallas County
> Median home price: $225,413
> Median mortgage payment: $911
> Median household income: $78,918 (State: $56,247)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 0.3%
16. Kansas
> Most expensive housing market: Johnson County
> Median home price: $260,490
> Median mortgage payment: $1,053
> Median household income: $78,186 (State: $54,935)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 1.5%
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17. Kentucky
> Most expensive housing market: Oldham County
> Median home price: $289,783
> Median mortgage payment: $1,171
> Median household income: $86,324 (State: $46,659)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 1.7%
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18. Louisiana
> Most expensive housing market: Orleans Parish
> Median home price: $234,627
> Median mortgage payment: $948
> Median household income: $37,488 (State: $45,146)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 2.6%
19. Maine
> Most expensive housing market: Cumberland County
> Median home price: $286,624
> Median mortgage payment: $1,158
> Median household income: $61,902 (State: $53,079)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 1.4%
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20. Maryland
> Most expensive housing market: Montgomery County
> Median home price: $516,442
> Median mortgage payment: $2,087
> Median household income: $100,352 (State: $78,945)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 9.0%
21. Massachusetts
> Most expensive housing market: Nantucket County
> Median home price: $977,237
> Median mortgage payment: $3,949
> Median household income: $89,428 (State: $75,297)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 47.1%
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22. Michigan
> Most expensive housing market: Leelanau County
> Median home price: $281,979
> Median mortgage payment: $1,140
> Median household income: $59,018 (State: $52,492)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 6.4%
23. Minnesota
> Most expensive housing market: Carver County
> Median home price: $329,383
> Median mortgage payment: $1,331
> Median household income: $88,638 (State: $65,599)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 1.7%
24. Mississippi
> Most expensive housing market: Madison County
> Median home price: $215,215
> Median mortgage payment: $870
> Median household income: $65,924 (State: $41,754)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 2.8%
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25. Missouri
> Most expensive housing market: Platte County
> Median home price: $222,358
> Median mortgage payment: $899
> Median household income: $70,879 (State: $51,746)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 0.7%
26. Montana
> Most expensive housing market: Gallatin County
> Median home price: $319,440
> Median mortgage payment: $1,291
> Median household income: $57,021 (State: $50,027)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 3.9%
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27. Nebraska
> Most expensive housing market: Washington County
> Median home price: $206,862
> Median mortgage payment: $836
> Median household income: $65,565 (State: $56,927)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 0.3%
28. Nevada
> Most expensive housing market: Douglas County
> Median home price: $369,794
> Median mortgage payment: $1,494
> Median household income: $59,769 (State: $55,180)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 4.4%
29. New Hampshire
> Most expensive housing market: Rockingham County
> Median home price: $329,449
> Median mortgage payment: $1,331
> Median household income: $82,398 (State: $70,936)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 1.6%
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30. New Jersey
> Most expensive housing market: Bergen County
> Median home price: $484,775
> Median mortgage payment: $1,959
> Median household income: $88,487 (State: $76,126)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 7.0%
31. New Mexico
> Most expensive housing market: Santa Fe County
> Median home price: $312,757
> Median mortgage payment: $1,264
> Median household income: $55,370 (State: $46,748)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 3.9%
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32. New York
> Most expensive housing market: New York County
> Median home price: $932,366
> Median mortgage payment: $3,768
> Median household income: $75,513 (State: $62,909)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 43.0%
33. North Carolina
> Most expensive housing market: Orange County
> Median home price: $312,333
> Median mortgage payment: $1,262
> Median household income: $61,130 (State: $50,584)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 2.8%
34. North Dakota
> Most expensive housing market: Burleigh County
> Median home price: $251,682
> Median mortgage payment: $1,017
> Median household income: $66,057 (State: $60,656)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 0.6%
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35. Ohio
> Most expensive housing market: Delaware County
> Median home price: $327,088
> Median mortgage payment: $1,322
> Median household income: $94,234 (State: $52,334)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 0.8%
36. Oklahoma
> Most expensive housing market: McClain County
> Median home price: $174,667
> Median mortgage payment: $706
> Median household income: $58,673 (State: $49,176)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 0.7%
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37. Oregon
> Most expensive housing market: Clackamas County
> Median home price: $413,249
> Median mortgage payment: $1,670
> Median household income: $68,915 (State: $57,532)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 2.7%
38. Pennsylvania
> Most expensive housing market: Chester County
> Median home price: $367,373
> Median mortgage payment: $1,485
> Median household income: $88,995 (State: $56,907)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 2.9%
39. Rhode Island
> Most expensive housing market: Newport County
> Median home price: $404,994
> Median mortgage payment: $1,637
> Median household income: $71,347 (State: $60,596)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 7.1%
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40. South Carolina
> Most expensive housing market: Charleston County
> Median home price: $330,409
> Median mortgage payment: $1,335
> Median household income: $54,931 (State: $49,501)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 5.5%
41. South Dakota
> Most expensive housing market: Custer County
> Median home price: $246,200
> Median mortgage payment: $995
> Median household income: $52,891 (State: $54,467)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 1.4%
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42. Tennessee
> Most expensive housing market: Williamson County
> Median home price: $453,433
> Median mortgage payment: $1,833
> Median household income: $100,140 (State: $48,547)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 4.0%
43. Texas
> Most expensive housing market: Kendall County
> Median home price: $356,824
> Median mortgage payment: $1,442
> Median household income: $76,350 (State: $56,565)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 6.0%
44. Utah
> Most expensive housing market: Summit County
> Median home price: $653,466
> Median mortgage payment: $2,641
> Median household income: $91,470 (State: $65,977)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 16.9%
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45. Vermont
> Most expensive housing market: Chittenden County
> Median home price: $297,508
> Median mortgage payment: $1,202
> Median household income: $66,414 (State: $57,677)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 1.2%
46. Virginia
> Most expensive housing market: Falls Church city
> Median home price: $850,801
> Median mortgage payment: $3,438
> Median household income: $115,244 (State: $68,114)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 15.4%
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47. Washington
> Most expensive housing market: San Juan County
> Median home price: $565,568
> Median mortgage payment: $2,286
> Median household income: $58,029 (State: $67,106)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 11.6%
48. West Virginia
> Most expensive housing market: Jefferson County
> Median home price: $245,334
> Median mortgage payment: $992
> Median household income: $69,753 (State: $43,385)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 0.8%
49. Wisconsin
> Most expensive housing market: Waukesha County
> Median home price: $285,462
> Median mortgage payment: $1,154
> Median household income: $78,268 (State: $56,811)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 1.2%
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50. Wyoming
> Most expensive housing market: Teton County
> Median home price: $747,676
> Median mortgage payment: $3,022
> Median household income: $75,594 (State: $59,882)
> Pct. homes valued $1,000,000+: 28.3%
The counties with the most expensive housing markets are frequently within large metropolitan areas. In fact, 38 of the counties on this list are near urban centers. Large cities are often home to specialized jobs in some of the nation’s highest paying industries. The nation’s three most expensive housing markets are all counties in the San Francisco area, within commuting distance to high-paying technology jobs in Silicon Valley. Many other expensive housing markets are in the Northeast, near the urban centers of New York, Philadelphia, and the District of Columbia.
Even in low-income states, the most expensive housing market has a median home value of at least $250,000, but there are exceptions. In Oklahoma, the most expensive housing market has a median of 174,667, which is less than 826 other counties across the country.
While relatively expensive, these markets are not necessarily unaffordable. Of the 50 counties with the most expensive housing markets in their state, close to half also report the state’s highest incomes. In Virginia’s Falls Church, the median home value is $850,801, and the median annual household income is about $115,000. Over 25% of Falls Church households earn $200,000 or more a year, the highest share of any U.S. county.
To determine the county with the most expensive housing market in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed median home prices in the 3,199 county and county-equivalents as aggregated by the National Association of Realtors for the second quarter of 2017. Monthly payments for the median home price for the same time period are also from the NAR and assume a fixed 30-year mortgage with a 3.5% interest rate and a 10% down payment. Median household incomes for each county come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2016 American Consumer Survey.
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