Savings Needed To Buy a Starter Home in Every State in 2026
Home prices have skyrocketed in just the last several years. According to CNBC Make It, incomes would need to rise by nearly $50,000 for median-priced homes to be as affordable as they were in 2019. Starter homes are more affordable, but how much would you need to buy one in 2026?
It also depends on where you live, as the cost of living varies widely by state. For this analysis, typical starter-home values and the income needed to afford those payments are based on data from the Housing Affordability Atlas, which draws on Zillow and the U.S. Census.
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Down payment estimates assume the typical 9% down payment made by first-time homebuyers, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). Estimated closing costs are typically between 2% and 5% of the purchase price, but this analysis used a midpoint of 3%. By adding the down payment and closing costs, here are the savings needed to buy a starter home in 2026 by state.
Alabama
Typical starter home value: $121,090
Income needed: $39,171
Savings needed: $14,531
Alaska
Typical starter home value: $251,971
Income needed: $81,514
Savings needed: $30,236
Arizona
Typical starter home value: $298,157
Income needed: $96,471
Savings needed: $35,779
Arkansas
Typical starter home value: $116,679
Income needed: $37,757
Savings needed: $14,001
California
Typical starter home value: $473,542
Income needed: $153,214
Savings needed: $56,825
Colorado
Typical starter home value: $362,532
Income needed: $117,300
Savings needed: $43,504
Connecticut
Typical starter home value: $306,112
Income needed: $99,043
Savings needed: $36,733
Delaware
Typical starter home value: $278,545
Income needed: $90,129
Savings needed: $33,425
Florida
Typical starter home value: $233,915
Income needed: $75,686
Savings needed: $28,069
Georgia
Typical starter home value: $199,132
Income needed: $64,414
Savings needed: $23,896
Hawaii
Typical starter home value: $452,076
Income needed: $146,271
Savings needed: $54,249
Idaho
Typical starter home value: $340,086
Income needed: $110,014
Savings needed: $40,811
Illinois
Typical starter home value: $153,966
Income needed: $49,800
Savings needed: $18,476
Indiana
Typical starter home value: $157,087
Income needed: $50,829
Savings needed: $18,851
Iowa
Typical starter home value: $131,287
Income needed: $42,471
Savings needed: $15,755
Kansas
Typical starter home value: $121,950
Income needed: $39,471
Savings needed: $14,634
Kentucky
Typical starter home value: $126,126
Income needed: $40,800
Savings needed: $15,135
Louisiana
Typical starter home value: $114,413
Income needed: $37,029
Savings needed: $13,729
Maine
Typical starter home value: $251,091
Income needed: $81,257
Savings needed: $30,131
Maryland
Typical starter home value: $265,716
Income needed: $85,971
Savings needed: $31,885
Massachusetts
Typical starter home value: $435,652
Income needed: $140,957
Savings needed: $52,279
Michigan
Typical starter home value: $144,630
Income needed: $46,800
Savings needed: $17,356
Minnesota
Typical starter home value: $223,763
Income needed: $72,386
Savings needed: $26,852
Mississippi
Typical starter home value: $99,536
Income needed: $32,186
Savings needed: $11,944
Missouri
Typical starter home value: $152,265
Income needed: $49,243
Savings needed: $18,272
Montana
Typical starter home value: $283,241
Income needed: $91,629
Savings needed: $33,989
Nebraska
Typical starter home value: $170,086
Income needed: $55,029
Savings needed: $20,411
Nevada
Typical starter home value: $322,105
Income needed: $104,229
Savings needed: $38,652
New Hampshire
Typical starter home value: $350,941
Income needed: $113,529
Savings needed: $42,113
New Jersey
Typical starter home value: $364,216
Income needed: $117,857
Savings needed: $43,705
New Mexico
Typical starter home value: $200,957
Income needed: $65,014
Savings needed: $24,115
New York
Typical starter home value: $243,400
Income needed: $78,729
Savings needed: $29,208
North Carolina
Typical starter home value: $197,657
Income needed: $63,943
Savings needed: $23,719
North Dakota
Typical starter home value: $166,250
Income needed: $53,786
Savings needed: $19,950
Ohio
Typical starter home value: $141,036
Income needed: $45,643
Savings needed: $16,924
Oklahoma
Typical starter home value: $120,874
Income needed: $39,086
Savings needed: $14,505
Oregon
Typical starter home value: $355,418
Income needed: $114,986
Savings needed: $42,651
Pennsylvania
Typical starter home value: $159,111
Income needed: $51,471
Savings needed: $19,093
Rhode Island
Typical starter home value: $383,776
Income needed: $124,157
Savings needed: $46,053
South Carolina
Typical starter home value: $175,199
Income needed: $56,700
Savings needed: $21,024
South Dakota
Typical starter home value: $188,389
Income needed: $60,943
Savings needed: $22,607
Tennessee
Typical starter home value: $193,019
Income needed: $62,443
Savings needed: $23,163
Texas
Typical starter home value: $186,551
Income needed: $60,343
Savings needed: $22,386
Utah
Typical starter home value: $393,070
Income needed: $127,157
Savings needed: $47,168
Vermont
Typical starter home value: $260,385
Income needed: $84,257
Savings needed: $31,246
Virginia
Typical starter home value: $243,078
Income needed: $78,643
Savings needed: $29,169
Washington
Typical starter home value: $396,672
Income needed: $128,357
Savings needed: $47,601
West Virginia
Typical starter home value: $89,313
Income needed: $28,886
Savings needed: $10,718
Wisconsin
Typical starter home value: $216,297
Income needed: $69,986
Savings needed: $25,956
Wyoming
Typical starter home value: $235,277
Income needed: $76,114
Savings needed: $28,233
Editor's note: Data used in this article is accurate as of July, 17, 2026.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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