The COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in an unprecedented surge in demand for homes in the United States. Inventory of homes for sale hit a record low, as did the average time homes are on the market. Meanwhile, both home prices and the share of homes selling above asking price reached record highs.
Of course, in some parts of the country, high home prices are nothing new. Even before the pandemic, the majority of states had at least one metropolitan area where the value of most homes exceeded a quarter million dollars.
Using data on median home value from the U.S. Census Bureau, 24/7 Wall St. identified the most expensive metro area to buy a home in every state. It is important to note that Delaware, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont have only one metropolitan area each, and as a result, these metro areas rank as the most expensive place to buy a home by default only. The prices listed here are for 2019, the most recent year of available data from the Census Bureau.
While every county on this list has expensive homes relative to the rest of the state, not all counties have expensive homes relative to the U.S. as a whole. In states where median home values are generally low, even the most expensive metro can be relatively inexpensive in comparison to the nation. In 14 states, the most expensive metro area has a median home value below the $240,500 national median. Here is a look at how much home you can buy for $200,000 in every state.
Home values in a given area are often a reflection of what residents can afford. And not surprisingly, the vast majority of the metros on this list have a median household income that exceeds the median across the state as a whole. Here is a look at the richest town in every state.
Click here to see the most expensive metro to buy a home in every state
Click here to read our detailed methodology
Alabama: Daphne-Fairhope-Foley
> Median home value: $223,100 (Alabama: $154,000)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,386 (Alabama: $1,172)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 55.2% (Alabama: 55.3%)
> Homeownership rate: 79.3% (Alabama: 68.8%)
> Median household income: $56,439 (Alabama: $51,734)
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Alaska: Anchorage
> Median home value: $300,100 (Alaska: $281,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,932 (Alaska: $1,882)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 67.0% (Alaska: 60.8%)
> Homeownership rate: 64.6% (Alaska: 64.7%)
> Median household income: $80,676 (Alaska: $75,463)
Arizona: Flagstaff
> Median home value: $317,700 (Arizona: $255,900)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,765 (Arizona: $1,457)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 49.4% (Arizona: 62.4%)
> Homeownership rate: 61.5% (Arizona: 65.3%)
> Median household income: $58,085 (Arizona: $62,055)
Arkansas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
> Median home value: $196,300 (Arkansas: $136,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,295 (Arkansas: $1,094)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 64.9% (Arkansas: 53.0%)
> Homeownership rate: 61.3% (Arkansas: 65.5%)
> Median household income: $61,674 (Arkansas: $48,952)
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California: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
> Median home value: $1,116,400 (California: $568,500)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $3,533 (California: $2,421)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 67.9% (California: 69.0%)
> Homeownership rate: 55.2% (California: 54.9%)
> Median household income: $130,865 (California: $80,440)
Colorado: Boulder
> Median home value: $592,000 (Colorado: $394,600)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $2,193 (Colorado: $1,845)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 66.7% (Colorado: 70.8%)
> Homeownership rate: 61.6% (Colorado: 65.9%)
> Median household income: $88,535 (Colorado: $77,127)
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Connecticut: Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk
> Median home value: $444,500 (Connecticut: $280,700)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $2,852 (Connecticut: $2,087)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 67.5% (Connecticut: 66.2%)
> Homeownership rate: 66.1% (Connecticut: 65.0%)
> Median household income: $97,053 (Connecticut: $78,833)
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Delaware: Dover*
> Median home value: $225,200 (Delaware: $261,700)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,396 (Delaware: $1,557)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 65.0% (Delaware: 65.5%)
> Homeownership rate: 66.6% (Delaware: 70.3%)
> Median household income: $58,001 (Delaware: $70,176)
*Because Dover is the only eligible metro in Delaware, it is the most expensive metro to buy a home by default.
Florida: Naples-Marco Island
> Median home value: $370,800 (Florida: $245,100)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,949 (Florida: $1,530)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 45.3% (Florida: 56.3%)
> Homeownership rate: 74.2% (Florida: 66.2%)
> Median household income: $76,025 (Florida: $59,227)
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Georgia: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta
> Median home value: $247,200 (Georgia: $202,500)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,586 (Georgia: $1,450)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 70.9% (Georgia: 64.2%)
> Homeownership rate: 64.3% (Georgia: 64.1%)
> Median household income: $71,742 (Georgia: $61,980)
Hawaii: Urban Honolulu
> Median home value: $739,700 (Hawaii: $669,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $2,670 (Hawaii: $2,472)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 66.0% (Hawaii: 64.4%)
> Homeownership rate: 57.4% (Hawaii: 60.2%)
> Median household income: $87,470 (Hawaii: $83,102)
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Idaho: Coeur d’Alene
> Median home value: $306,900 (Idaho: $255,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,380 (Idaho: $1,306)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 66.7% (Idaho: 64.3%)
> Homeownership rate: 69.2% (Idaho: 71.6%)
> Median household income: $62,579 (Idaho: $60,999)
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Illinois: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin
> Median home value: $253,800 (Illinois: $209,100)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,882 (Illinois: $1,688)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 66.0% (Illinois: 62.4%)
> Homeownership rate: 64.4% (Illinois: 66.0%)
> Median household income: $75,379 (Illinois: $69,187)
Indiana: Bloomington
> Median home value: $185,200 (Indiana: $156,000)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,209 (Indiana: $1,146)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 62.8% (Indiana: 65.2%)
> Homeownership rate: 61.6% (Indiana: 69.3%)
> Median household income: $52,526 (Indiana: $57,603)
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Iowa: Iowa City
> Median home value: $241,600 (Iowa: $158,900)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,668 (Iowa: $1,266)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 64.7% (Iowa: 59.9%)
> Homeownership rate: 59.1% (Iowa: 70.5%)
> Median household income: $63,761 (Iowa: $61,691)
Kansas: Lawrence
> Median home value: $209,300 (Kansas: $163,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,514 (Kansas: $1,387)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 61.5% (Kansas: 57.9%)
> Homeownership rate: 49.3% (Kansas: 66.5%)
> Median household income: $64,233 (Kansas: $62,087)
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Kentucky: Lexington-Fayette
> Median home value: $199,500 (Kentucky: $151,700)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,299 (Kentucky: $1,179)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 67.4% (Kentucky: 56.9%)
> Homeownership rate: 58.9% (Kentucky: 67.0%)
> Median household income: $60,492 (Kentucky: $52,295)
Louisiana: New Orleans-Metairie
> Median home value: $211,900 (Louisiana: $172,100)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,451 (Louisiana: $1,279)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 55.6% (Louisiana: 51.7%)
> Homeownership rate: 63.4% (Louisiana: 66.5%)
> Median household income: $55,710 (Louisiana: $51,073)
Maine: Portland-South Portland
> Median home value: $284,300 (Maine: $200,500)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,676 (Maine: $1,387)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 66.6% (Maine: 60.5%)
> Homeownership rate: 71.2% (Maine: 72.2%)
> Median household income: $71,913 (Maine: $58,924)
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Maryland: California-Lexington Park
> Median home value: $320,700 (Maryland: $332,500)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,961 (Maryland: $2,015)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: N/A (Maryland: 71.9%)
> Homeownership rate: 72.3% (Maryland: 66.8%)
> Median household income: $87,947 (Maryland: $86,738)
Massachusetts: Boston-Cambridge-Newton
> Median home value: $482,700 (Massachusetts: $418,600)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $2,482 (Massachusetts: $2,276)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 69.9% (Massachusetts: 68.3%)
> Homeownership rate: 61.5% (Massachusetts: 62.2%)
> Median household income: $94,430 (Massachusetts: $85,843)
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Michigan: Ann Arbor
> Median home value: $295,300 (Michigan: $169,600)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,783 (Michigan: $1,285)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 63.8% (Michigan: 59.3%)
> Homeownership rate: 62.5% (Michigan: 71.6%)
> Median household income: $76,576 (Michigan: $59,584)
Minnesota: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington
> Median home value: $284,500 (Minnesota: $246,700)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,746 (Minnesota: $1,595)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 70.3% (Minnesota: 65.1%)
> Homeownership rate: 70.2% (Minnesota: 71.9%)
> Median household income: $83,698 (Minnesota: $74,593)
Mississippi: Jackson
> Median home value: $153,800 (Mississippi: $128,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,229 (Mississippi: $1,149)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 57.9% (Mississippi: 49.1%)
> Homeownership rate: 66.4% (Mississippi: 67.3%)
> Median household income: $52,426 (Mississippi: $45,792)
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Missouri: Kansas City
> Median home value: $209,100 (Missouri: $168,000)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,519 (Missouri: $1,271)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 65.8% (Missouri: 60.2%)
> Homeownership rate: 65.1% (Missouri: 67.1%)
> Median household income: $70,215 (Missouri: $57,409)
Montana: Missoula
> Median home value: $308,500 (Montana: $253,600)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,616 (Montana: $1,466)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 59.2% (Montana: 55.4%)
> Homeownership rate: 62.3% (Montana: 68.9%)
> Median household income: $57,347 (Montana: $57,153)
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Nebraska: Lincoln
> Median home value: $197,100 (Nebraska: $172,700)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,418 (Nebraska: $1,427)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 64.9% (Nebraska: 59.5%)
> Homeownership rate: 60.9% (Nebraska: 66.3%)
> Median household income: $61,539 (Nebraska: $63,229)
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Nevada: Reno
> Median home value: $383,000 (Nevada: $317,800)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,732 (Nevada: $1,589)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 66.5% (Nevada: 67.4%)
> Homeownership rate: 58.5% (Nevada: 56.6%)
> Median household income: $72,132 (Nevada: $63,276)
New Hampshire: Manchester-Nashua*
> Median home value: $293,300 (New Hampshire: $281,400)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $2,095 (New Hampshire: $1,963)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 67.9% (New Hampshire: 64.9%)
> Homeownership rate: 67.1% (New Hampshire: 71.0%)
> Median household income: $83,626 (New Hampshire: $77,933)
*Because Manchester-Nashua is the only eligible metro in New Hampshire, it is the most expensive metro to buy a home by default.
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New Jersey: Ocean City
> Median home value: $320,900 (New Jersey: $348,800)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,895 (New Jersey: $2,413)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 56.9% (New Jersey: 65.6%)
> Homeownership rate: 74.6% (New Jersey: 63.3%)
> Median household income: $69,980 (New Jersey: $85,751)
New Mexico: Santa Fe
> Median home value: $314,700 (New Mexico: $180,900)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,577 (New Mexico: $1,269)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 55.7% (New Mexico: 52.9%)
> Homeownership rate: 71.4% (New Mexico: 68.1%)
> Median household income: $61,298 (New Mexico: $51,945)
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New York: New York-Newark-Jersey City
> Median home value: $482,900 (New York: $338,700)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $2,807 (New York: $2,156)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 62.8% (New York: 59.6%)
> Homeownership rate: 50.8% (New York: 53.5%)
> Median household income: $83,160 (New York: $72,108)
North Carolina: Raleigh-Cary
> Median home value: $285,600 (North Carolina: $193,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,626 (North Carolina: $1,318)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 73.6% (North Carolina: 63.2%)
> Homeownership rate: 65.6% (North Carolina: 65.3%)
> Median household income: $80,096 (North Carolina: $57,341)
North Dakota: Bismarck
> Median home value: $261,300 (North Dakota: $205,400)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,622 (North Dakota: $1,430)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 58.3% (North Dakota: 52.1%)
> Homeownership rate: 70.5% (North Dakota: 61.3%)
> Median household income: $70,979 (North Dakota: $64,577)
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Ohio: Columbus
> Median home value: $212,600 (Ohio: $157,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,516 (Ohio: $1,250)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 69.4% (Ohio: 62.1%)
> Homeownership rate: 60.9% (Ohio: 66.0%)
> Median household income: $67,207 (Ohio: $58,642)
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City
> Median home value: $166,800 (Oklahoma: $147,000)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,360 (Oklahoma: $1,231)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 59.9% (Oklahoma: 54.4%)
> Homeownership rate: 63.3% (Oklahoma: 65.5%)
> Median household income: $60,605 (Oklahoma: $54,449)
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Oregon: Bend
> Median home value: $413,500 (Oregon: $354,600)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,745 (Oregon: $1,750)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 66.1% (Oregon: 66.1%)
> Homeownership rate: 70.7% (Oregon: 62.9%)
> Median household income: $71,643 (Oregon: $67,058)
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
> Median home value: $263,700 (Pennsylvania: $192,600)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,870 (Pennsylvania: $1,477)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 65.5% (Pennsylvania: 59.1%)
> Homeownership rate: 66.7% (Pennsylvania: 68.4%)
> Median household income: $74,533 (Pennsylvania: $63,463)
Rhode Island: Providence-Warwick*
> Median home value: $296,800 (Rhode Island: $283,000)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,891 (Rhode Island: $1,837)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 66.2% (Rhode Island: 66.3%)
> Homeownership rate: 62.0% (Rhode Island: 61.7%)
> Median household income: $70,967 (Rhode Island: $71,169)
*Because Providence-Warwick is the only eligible metro in Rhode Island, it is the most expensive metro to buy a home by default.
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South Carolina: Hilton Head Island-Bluffton
> Median home value: $304,800 (South Carolina: $179,800)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,581 (South Carolina: $1,250)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 55.2% (South Carolina: 58.0%)
> Homeownership rate: 76.6% (South Carolina: 70.3%)
> Median household income: $71,252 (South Carolina: $56,227)
South Dakota: Sioux Falls
> Median home value: $222,300 (South Dakota: $185,000)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,440 (South Dakota: $1,371)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 67.3% (South Dakota: 55.6%)
> Homeownership rate: 65.3% (South Dakota: 67.8%)
> Median household income: $65,566 (South Dakota: $59,533)
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Tennessee: Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin
> Median home value: $285,100 (Tennessee: $191,900)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,515 (Tennessee: $1,264)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 67.0% (Tennessee: 58.2%)
> Homeownership rate: 65.8% (Tennessee: 66.5%)
> Median household income: $70,262 (Tennessee: $56,071)
Texas: Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown
> Median home value: $318,400 (Texas: $200,400)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,992 (Texas: $1,675)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 67.7% (Texas: 56.1%)
> Homeownership rate: 57.6% (Texas: 61.9%)
> Median household income: $80,954 (Texas: $64,034)
Utah: Provo-Orem
> Median home value: $360,600 (Utah: $330,300)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,689 (Utah: $1,605)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 72.9% (Utah: 70.1%)
> Homeownership rate: 67.9% (Utah: 70.6%)
> Median household income: $79,152 (Utah: $75,780)
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Vermont: Burlington-South Burlington*
> Median home value: $291,800 (Vermont: $233,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,850 (Vermont: $1,606)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 69.0% (Vermont: 61.7%)
> Homeownership rate: 66.7% (Vermont: 70.9%)
> Median household income: $74,909 (Vermont: $63,001)
*Because Burlington-South Burlington is the only eligible metro in Vermont, it is the most expensive metro to buy a home by default.
Virginia: Charlottesville
> Median home value: $317,700 (Virginia: $288,800)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,670 (Virginia: $1,792)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 62.5% (Virginia: 67.7%)
> Homeownership rate: 65.0% (Virginia: 66.1%)
> Median household income: $75,907 (Virginia: $76,456)
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Washington: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
> Median home value: $503,000 (Washington: $387,600)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $2,359 (Washington: $1,951)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 71.7% (Washington: 67.7%)
> Homeownership rate: 59.7% (Washington: 63.1%)
> Median household income: $94,027 (Washington: $78,687)
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West Virginia: Morgantown
> Median home value: $192,700 (West Virginia: $124,600)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,291 (West Virginia: $1,052)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 52.3% (West Virginia: 46.4%)
> Homeownership rate: 65.0% (West Virginia: 73.4%)
> Median household income: $56,395 (West Virginia: $48,850)
Wisconsin: Madison
> Median home value: $276,600 (Wisconsin: $197,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,746 (Wisconsin: $1,412)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 68.2% (Wisconsin: 62.7%)
> Homeownership rate: 60.6% (Wisconsin: 67.2%)
> Median household income: $75,545 (Wisconsin: $64,168)
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Wyoming: Cheyenne
> Median home value: $267,200 (Wyoming: $235,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,574 (Wyoming: $1,417)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 69.0% (Wyoming: 59.2%)
> Homeownership rate: 68.2% (Wyoming: 71.9%)
> Median household income: $70,567 (Wyoming: $65,003)
Methodology
To determine the most expensive metro to buy a home in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed one-year estimates of median owner-occupied home values from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.
We used the 384 metropolitan statistical areas as delineated by the United States Office of Management and Budget and used by the Census Bureau as our definition of metros.
Metros were ranked within their state based on their owner-occupied median home values. To break ties, we used median monthly housing costs with a mortgage. Since many metros cross state lines, the metro was assigned to the state of its first-listed principal city. Thus, the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area was excluded as it is principally in the District of Columbia.
Additional information on median monthly housing costs with a mortgage, the share of owner-occupied housing units that have a mortgage, rates of homeownership, and median household income are also one-year estimates from the 2019 ACS.
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