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Housing Affordability Index - First-Time Buyer

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C.A.R.'s First-time Buyer Housing Affordability Index (FTB-HAI) measures the percentage of households that can afford to purchase an entry-level home in California. C.A.R. also reports first-time buyer indexes for regions and select counties within the state. The Index is the most fundamental measure of housing well-being for first-time buyers in the state.


Download series:    XLS  |  Historical

First -Time Buyer Housing Affordability Index Methodology

Q32026

First Time Buyer Housing Affordability Index

STATE/REGION/COUNTY

Q32026

Q22026

 

Q32025

Median Home Price

Monthly Payment Including Taxes & Insurance

Minimum Qualifying Income

CA SFH (SAAR)

34

34

 

34

r

$760,440

$4,990

$149,700

CA Condo/Townhomes

49

48

 

48

r

$544,000

$3,570

$107,100

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

34

33

 

30

 

$719,980

$4,730

$141,900

Inland Empire

47

46

 

43

 

$510,000

$3,350

$100,500

S.F. Bay Area

33

30

 

30

 

$1,105,000

$7,260

$217,800

US

57

58

 

58

r

$367,970

$2,420

$72,600

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

S.F. Bay Area

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alameda

32

30

 

32

r

$1,083,330

$7,110

$213,300

Contra Costa

46

45

 

46

r

$743,750

$4,880

$146,400

Marin

32

31

 

32

r

$1,445,000

$9,490

$284,700

Napa

40

40

 

38

r

$765,000

$5,020

$150,600

San Francisco

27

26

 

31

r

$1,700,000

$11,160

$334,800

San Mateo

27

27

 

29

r

$1,929,500

$12,670

$380,100

Santa Clara

32

31

 

32

r

$1,632,000

$10,720

$321,600

Solano

53

52

 

47

 

$501,500

$3,290

$98,700

Sonoma

39

37

 

38

r

$708,050

$4,650

$139,500

Southern California

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imperial

47

46

 

43

 

$357,000

$2,340

$70,200

Los Angeles

28

32

 

27

r

$814,680

$5,350

$160,500

Orange

21

21

 

22

r

$1,249,500

$8,200

$246,000

Riverside

47

48

 

48

r

$538,040

$3,530

$105,900

San Bernardino

53

55

 

53

r

$437,230

$2,870

$86,100

San Diego

30

31

 

33

r

$913,750

$6,000

$180,000

Ventura

37

36

 

37

r

$799,000

$5,250

$157,500

Central Coast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monterey

28

27

 

24

r

$798,790

$5,250

$157,500

San Luis Obispo

30

31

 

33

r

$807,500

$5,300

$159,000

Santa Barbara

20

18

 

20

r

$1,054,000

$6,920

$207,600

Santa Cruz

24

23

 

23

r

$1,109,250

$7,280

$218,400

Central Valley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fresno

53

54

 

52

r

$369,750

$2,430

$72,900

Glenn

56

62

 

56

r

$357,000

$2,340

$70,200

Kern

54

55

 

55

 

$349,350

$2,290

$68,700

Kings

56

57

 

59

r

$326,230

$2,140

$64,200

Madera

50

54

 

53

r

$381,650

$2,510

$75,300

Merced

47

49

 

49

r

$357,000

$2,340

$70,200

Placer

53

53

 

52

r

$582,250

$3,820

$114,600

Sacramento

53

53

 

52

r

$467,490

$3,070

$92,100

San Benito

44

46

 

45

r

$683,060

$4,490

$134,700

San Joaquin

53

53

 

53

r

$471,750

$3,100

$93,000

Stanislaus

54

53

 

49

r

$412,250

$2,710

$81,300

Tulare

57

59

 

58

r

$337,030

$2,210

$66,300

Far North

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Butte

46

44

 

41

r

$378,250

$2,480

$74,400

Lassen

76

67

 

69

 

$187,000

$1,230

$36,900

Plumas

42

43

 

48

 

$463,250

$3,040

$91,200

Shasta

58

59

 

57

r

$335,750

$2,200

$66,000

Siskiyou

57

55

 

54

 

$267,750

$1,760

$52,800

Tehama

57

53

r

54

 

$267,750

$1,760

$52,800

Trinity

60

49

 

51

 

$229,500

$1,510

$45,300

Other Counties in California

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amador

59

58

 

55

 

$379,740

$2,490

$74,700

Calaveras

57

54

 

53

 

$390,580

$2,560

$76,800

Del Norte

52

53

 

52

 

$361,250

$2,370

$71,100

El Dorado

52

52

 

53

r

$593,730

$3,900

$117,000

Humboldt

45

45

 

40

r

$365,500

$2,400

$72,000

Lake

55

48

 

38

r

$272,000

$1,790

$53,700

Mariposa

57

44

 

46

 

$314,500

$2,070

$62,100

Mendocino

42

43

 

47

r

$446,250

$2,930

$87,900

Mono

12

9

 

15

 

$1,189,150

$7,810

$234,300

Nevada

53

50

 

56

r

$467,500

$3,070

$92,100

Sutter

53

53

 

53

r

$382,080

$2,510

$75,300

Tuolumne

61

59

 

54

 

$331,500

$2,180

$65,400

Yolo

46

45

 

45

r

$544,000

$3,570

$107,100

Yuba

55

56

 

56

r

$388,450

$2,550

$76,500

 

Feel free to email us your questions, feedback or other comments to [email protected].

 

Source: CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®


 r – revised

Note: The effective interest rate series previously used to calculate C.A.R.’s First-Time Buyer Housing Affordability Index (FTB-HAI) was discontinued in 2008. Beginning with this news release, the FTB-HAI will incorporate an effective interest rate that is based on the one-year, adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) from Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS). The effective rate accounts for both the one-year ARM rate and the points/fees as reported by Freddie Mac.


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