Americans Need to Earn 70.1% More Today Than Six Years Ago to Afford the Median-priced Home
- Active listings increased 30.6% YoY, providing more choices for buyers
- 18.0% of listings saw price reductions, indicating more seller flexibility
- New listings up 8.2% MoM and 9.2% YoY, improving inventory conditions
- Market showing signs of rebalancing, potentially creating opportunities for prepared buyers
- Required income to afford median-priced home surged 70.1% in six years to $114,000
- Pending home sales declined 3.2% YoY, fourth consecutive month of decreases
- Nationwide inventory still 16.3% below 2017-2019 pre-pandemic levels
- Median listing price increased 36.9% compared to April 2019
Insights
Housing affordability crisis deepens with required income up 70.1% since 2019, though increased inventory and price cuts signal potential market rebalancing.
The housing market has reached a critical affordability threshold that's reshaping access to homeownership across America. A household now needs
The data reveals a market in transition with some buyer-friendly shifts emerging. Active listings have increased
However, these improvements haven't yet translated to increased buyer activity. Pending home sales declined
The regional disparities are particularly striking, with California markets requiring remarkably high incomes:
Housing affordability crisis creates economic strain as required income for homeownership far outpaces wage growth, despite early rebalancing signs.
The housing affordability crisis detailed in Realtor.com's April report represents a significant economic challenge with far-reaching implications. The
This widening gap creates a multi-tiered housing economy. When a median-priced home requires
While the market shows signs of rebalancing with active listings up
The four consecutive months of declining pending home sales (down
Perhaps most concerning is the breadth of the affordability crisis. Even in traditionally more affordable markets, required incomes have increased dramatically since 2019—Birmingham (
- Americans now need to earn
to afford the median-priced home$114,000 - Pending home sales fall for the fourth straight month YoY, down
3.2% - Active listings rise
30.6% YoY, surpassing April 2020 levels - Price reductions hit
18.0% of listings
"Even with today's affordability hurdles, meaningful changes in the market could give buyers a better shot at finding a home," said Danielle Hale, Chief Economist at Realtor.com®. "The number of homes for sale is rising in many markets, giving shoppers more choices than they've had in years. Sellers are becoming more flexible on pricing, underscored by the price reductions we're seeing, and while higher mortgage rates are certainly weighing on demand, the silver lining is that the market is starting to rebalance. This could create opportunities for buyers who are prepared."
April 2025 Housing Metrics – National (*For metro stats, see Table 1 and Table 2 below)
Metric | April 2025 | Change over Mar. 2025 (MoM) | Change over Apr. 2024 (YoY) | Change over |
Median listing price | +1.5 % | +0.3 % | +36.9 % | |
Active listings | 959,251 | +7.5 % | +30.6 % | -15.6 % |
New listings | 471,788 | +8.2 % | +9.2 % | -14.6 % |
Median days on market | 50 | -3 days | +4 days | -4 days |
Share of active listings with price reductions | 18.0 % | +0.5 percentage points | +2.5 percentage points | +3.5 percentage points |
Median List Price Per Sq.Ft. | +1.0 % | +1.1 % | +54.0 % |
A
Since 2019, the income required to afford the median-priced home has risen
Markets with the Highest Required Incomes to Afford a Home
Metro Area | Required Income to Afford Median Home | Required Income vs Apr. 2019 |
+54.3 % | ||
+30.5 % | ||
+86.0 % | ||
+73.4 % | ||
+54.9 % | ||
+81.9 % | ||
+69.4 % | ||
+42.2 % | ||
+61.7 % | ||
+59.1 % |
Five
January Set the Tone and April Followed: Pending Home Sales Continue to Drop
From October to December last year, pending home sales were relatively stronger on a year-over-year basis. But since January, the momentum has shifted, and in April, pending home sales declined
Shifts in Pending Home Sales YoY
Month | YoY Change in Pending Home Sales |
April 2025 | - 3.2 % |
March 2025 | - 5.3 % |
February 2025 | - 5.4 % |
January 2025 | - 4.1 % |
December 2024 | + 2.4 % |
November 2024 | + 8.2 % |
October 2024 | + 4.3 % |
Where's the Silver Lining?
In light of affordability concerns and more choice for buyers, data suggest that some sellers are meeting buyers in the middle. This month,
The West (+
The full April 2025 monthly housing trends report with additional findings can be found here.
*Table 1: April 2025 Top 50 Metros Median Listing Price and Income
Metro Area | Median Listing | Median Listing | Median | Median Listing | Required | Required |
-0.8 % | -1.3 % | 26.9 % | 57.7 % | |||
-5.9 % | -5.1 % | 41.9 % | 76.3 % | |||
11.5 % | 4.0 % | 19.0 % | 47.9 % | |||
1.5 % | 0.8 % | 18.8 % | 47.6 % | |||
0.9 % | 1.6 % | 46.4 % | 81.9 % | |||
-1.7 % | 1.2 % | 31.8 % | 63.8 % | |||
4.0 % | 1.0 % | 25.6 % | 56.1 % | |||
-4.4 % | -0.5 % | 9.8 % | 36.4 % | |||
-7.3 % | 2.3 % | 23.8 % | 53.8 % | |||
7.0 % | 8.5 % | 34.5 % | 67.1 % | |||
-4.9 % | 1.3 % | 24.8 % | 55.1 % | |||
-4.4 % | -0.7 % | 19.4 % | 48.4 % | |||
-4.1 % | -1.1 % | 14.5 % | 42.2 % | |||
1.4 % | 1.8 % | 1.3 % | 25.8 % | |||
-2.6 % | 1.0 % | 36.9 % | 70.2 % | |||
6.8 % | 7.0 % | 49.7 % | 86.0 % | |||
0.2 % | -0.6 % | 14.7 % | 42.5 % | |||
-3.4 % | -0.8 % | 18.7 % | 47.4 % | |||
-4.8 % | -2.9 % | 28.1 % | 59.2 % | |||
-5.3 % | 0.5 % | 23.9 % | 53.9 % | |||
0.0 % | 0.9 % | 50.1 % | 86.5 % | |||
0.3 % | 1.4 % | 49.7 % | 86.0 % | |||
-0.6 % | 1.9 % | 16.2 % | 44.4 % | |||
1.8 % | 1.6 % | 56.8 % | 94.8 % | |||
-5.6 % | -4.2 % | 27.8 % | 58.8 % | |||
2.3 % | 5.3 % | 26.5 % | 57.1 % | |||
-0.5 % | -0.2 % | 20.4 % | 49.6 % | |||
-4.0 % | -1.4 % | 48.5 % | 84.6 % | |||
1.9 % | -2.3 % | 36.3 % | 69.4 % | |||
-2.3 % | 0.4 % | 27.4 % | 58.3 % | |||
-3.4 % | -2.1 % | 35.8 % | 68.7 % | |||
1.4 % | 2.7 % | 36.4 % | 69.4 % | |||
-2.2 % | -0.9 % | 41.4 % | 75.7 % | |||
0.5 % | 1.6 % | 33.2 % | 65.6 % | |||
0.0 % | -0.5 % | 29.2 % | 60.6 % | |||
11.5 % | 6.9 % | 55.2 % | 92.8 % | |||
-0.5 % | -0.3 % | 22.0 % | 51.6 % | |||
0.0 % | 2.3 % | 37.2 % | 70.5 % | |||
0.4 % | 0.3 % | 46.8 % | 82.4 % | |||
-2.5 % | -1.5 % | 30.1 % | 61.7 % | |||
-1.3 % | -2.3 % | 15.0 % | 42.9 % | |||
-6.7 % | -3.0 % | 39.5 % | 73.4 % | |||
-3.1 % | -5.6 % | 5.0 % | 30.5 % | |||
-4.6 % | -1.8 % | 24.2 % | 54.3 % | |||
0.9 % | 3.4 % | 24.7 % | 54.9 % | |||
0.2 % | -0.9 % | 31.1 % | 62.9 % | |||
-2.4 % | -2.3 % | 46.5 % | 82.0 % | |||
-3.2 % | -0.7 % | 32.7 % | 64.9 % | |||
3.8 % | 4.8 % | 39.7 % | 73.6 % | |||
-0.6 % | -2.9 % | 28.1 % | 59.1 % |
*Table 2: April 2025 Top 50 Metros Inventory, Days on Market and Price Reduction
Metro Area | Active Listing | New Listing | Median Days | Median Days | Price– | Price- |
45.2 % | 8.8 % | 46 | 7 | 20.8 % | 3.1 pp | |
24.5 % | -0.6 % | 44 | 2 | 25.9 % | 1.2 pp | |
47.7 % | 11.3 % | 29 | -7 | 13.4 % | 1.4 pp | |
18.2 % | -1.9 % | 50 | 4 | 16.1 % | 1.4 pp | |
25.7 % | 20.1 % | 25 | 1 | 12.1 % | 1.7 pp | |
3.2 % | 8.4 % | 35 | 1 | 6.5 % | 1.2 pp | |
53.0 % | 17.9 % | 42 | 5 | 21.1 % | 4.2 pp | |
11.4 % | 1.9 % | 33 | -1 | 10.4 % | 1.8 pp | |
24.0 % | 9.6 % | 34 | 3 | 13.2 % | 2.5 pp | |
21.0 % | 3.6 % | 38 | -2 | 13.0 % | 2.1 pp | |
37.9 % | 7.5 % | 31 | 6 | 18.8 % | 3.6 pp | |
42.8 % | 11.1 % | 43 | 3 | 25.8 % | 4.1 pp | |
65.0 % | 24.7 % | 36 | 4 | 27.2 % | 6.1 pp | |
16.7 % | 10.6 % | 37 | -3 | 12.6 % | 2.7 pp | |
15.4 % | -3.6 % | 33 | 2 | 9.1 % | -0.3 pp | |
15.2 % | 10.2 % | 30 | -1 | 6.7 % | 1.1 pp | |
33.9 % | 10.7 % | 44 | 1 | 19.2 % | 1.1 pp | |
19.7 % | 7.5 % | 40 | 2 | 19.8 % | 1.7 pp | |
35.2 % | 0.4 % | 57 | 7 | 27.6 % | 2.7 pp | |
11.8 % | 11.1 % | 47 | 0 | 12.6 % | 0.5 pp | |
60.7 % | 18.2 % | 44 | 5 | 21.4 % | 7.5 pp | |
54.6 % | 8.3 % | 44 | 5 | 14.3 % | 5.6 pp | |
22.9 % | 10.5 % | 39 | -1 | 14.7 % | 1.0 pp | |
30.8 % | -7.6 % | 56 | 8 | 20.6 % | 0.4 pp | |
40.7 % | -1.0 % | 72 | 8 | 20.1 % | 1.2 pp | |
2.3 % | 5.2 % | 30 | -1 | 8.7 % | 1.8 pp | |
8.9 % | 8.4 % | 33 | -3 | 10.6 % | 0.0 pp | |
34.3 % | 4.7 % | 47 | 16 | 18.8 % | -0.5 pp | |
3.2 % | 3.3 % | 45 | -1 | 7.6 % | 0.6 pp | |
30.0 % | -0.9 % | 43 | 2 | 18.4 % | 0.4 pp | |
44.7 % | 5.3 % | 62 | 8 | 23.4 % | 2.8 pp | |
18.2 % | 6.2 % | 35 | -5 | 12.6 % | 1.2 pp | |
33.3 % | 22.9 % | 52 | -3 | 31.3 % | 7.6 pp | |
16.8 % | 8.9 % | 47 | -5 | 15.7 % | 2.4 pp | |
30.6 % | 8.2 % | 44 | 5 | 23.3 % | 2.5 pp | |
33.9 % | 10.2 % | 29 | 0 | 8.2 % | 1.5 pp | |
58.2 % | 16.2 % | 43 | 5 | 20.1 % | 6.6 pp | |
20.6 % | 12.9 % | 36 | -5 | 9.9 % | 1.5 pp | |
52.4 % | 12.6 % | 52 | 7 | 18.3 % | 4.3 pp | |
49.6 % | 13.1 % | 38 | 6 | 17.9 % | 3.3 pp | |
20.1 % | 9.5 % | 58 | 4 | 25.6 % | 2.4 pp | |
70.1 % | 14.4 % | 37 | 4 | 17.8 % | 5.9 pp | |
42.6 % | 5.5 % | 33 | 6 | 13.4 % | 4.1 pp | |
67.6 % | 2.4 % | 24 | 3 | 12.0 % | 4.3 pp | |
50.1 % | 7.5 % | 30 | 2 | 14.4 % | 5.6 pp | |
16.8 % | 0.6 % | 39 | 4 | 13.5 % | 1.5 pp | |
32.1 % | 6.0 % | 58 | 6 | 29.3 % | 1.8 pp | |
56.5 % | 14.9 % | 51 | 6 | 23.5 % | 4.6 pp | |
32.1 % | 9.4 % | 35 | 3 | 16.0 % | 2.2 pp | |
69.3 % | 16.1 % | 25 | -5 | 13.8 % | 3.6 pp |
Methodology
Realtor.com housing data as of April 2025. Listings include the active inventory of existing single-family homes and condos/townhomes/row homes/co-ops for the given level of geography on Realtor.com; new construction is excluded unless listed via an MLS that provides listing data to Realtor.com. Realtor.com data history goes back to July 2016. The 50 largest
About Realtor.com®
Realtor.com® pioneered online real estate and has been at the forefront for over 25 years, connecting buyers, sellers, and renters with trusted insights, professional guidance and powerful tools to help them find their perfect home. Recognized as the No. 1 site trusted by real estate professionals, Realtor.com® is a valued partner, delivering consumer connections and a robust suite of marketing tools to support business growth. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc.
Media contact: Asees Singh, press@realtor.com
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SOURCE Realtor.com