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 Kiplinger’s expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger’s 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 | % Change 1 Year | % Change Since Peak* | % Change Since 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.
-
-
Will Hyundai or Kia EVs Qualify for the Electric Vehicle Tax Credit?
The new electric vehicle tax credit has spurred concern that Kia and Hyundai EVs won’t qualify—without some flexibility.
-
Capital Losses: Rules to Know for Tax Loss Harvesting
Tax loss harvesting requires an understanding of the capital loss rules for deductions, carryovers, and more.
-
11 Best Foreclosure Sites for Finding Properties
Making Your Money Last Searching for foreclosures for sale for your next home or to flip for a profit? These websites will guide you to foreclosures and real estate owned properties to buy.
-
Watch Out for Flood-Damaged Cars from Hurricane Ian
Buying & Leasing a Car In the wake of Hurricane Ian, more flood-damaged cars may hit the market. Car prices may rise further because of increased demand as well.
-
What You Need to Know About Life Insurance Settlements
life insurance If your life insurance payments don’t seem worth it anymore, consider these options for keeping the value.
-
The Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards
credit cards Business road warriors and leisure travelers alike can use a travel reward card to turn miles logged into other things – including more travel.
-
What Is an APR?
credit & debt Even for those who pay off their credit card balances every month, knowing your APR is part of keeping good credit habits.
-
How Big Will the Fed Rate Hike Be? Wall Street's Top Minds Weigh In
interest rates The Fed rate hike announcement is due out Wednesday afternoon, and markets are anticipating another monster increase.
-
Amazon Early Prime Access Sale Is a Prime Day Redux
Amazon Prime Prime Day: So nice they had to try it twice. A fall event will follow the model of blowout sales over two days. But it will come with a different name.
-
The Best Cash-Back Credit Cards
Smart Buying Not interested in miles, points or other perks from your credit card? For those who want money back with a minimum of games, these cash-back cards are the way to go.
