These 25 Suburbs Are Too Pricey for First-Time Homebuyers in 2026
Urban flight to the suburbs is understandable — suburban areas typically offer more safety, more highly-rated schools and increased space and overall provide a more family-friendly and quiet environment. Additionally, many suburbs allow a higher degree of affordability when compared to larger metropolitan areas — at least, they used to.
As America's cost of living increases, a number of suburbs have now become too pricey for first-time homebuyers in 2026. By examining the U.S. Census, Sperling’s BestPlaces and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as well as several other informational sources, MoneyLion was able to locate the 25 suburbs that now most exceed the grasp of first-time buyers due to their high living costs and steep mortgage rates.
Here are those expensive suburbs, ranked by how much of the typical first-time buyer's median income is consumed by high mortgage rates.
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1. Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Metro: Charleston-North Charleston
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $92,487
Average home value: $921,864
Monthly cost of living: $7,130
Mortgage as percent of median income: 66.1%
2. Farragut, Tennessee
Metro: Knoxville
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $79,557
Average home value: $687,769
Monthly cost of living: $5,764
Mortgage as percent of median income: 57.3%
3. Atlantic Beach, Florida
Metro: Jacksonville
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $84,031
Average home value: $722,928
Monthly cost of living: $6,085
Mortgage as percent of median income: 57.0%
4. San Marcos, California
Metro: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $116,896
Average home value: $998,936
Monthly cost of living: $7,749
Mortgage as percent of median income: 56.6%
5. Bothell, Washington
Metro: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $129,987
Average home value: $1,097,678
Monthly cost of living: $8,244
Mortgage as percent of median income: 56.0%
6. Prosper, Texas
Metro: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $93,621
Average home value: $784,319
Monthly cost of living: $6,410
Mortgage as percent of median income: 55.5%
7. Kenmore, Washington
Metro: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellvue
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $129,987
Average home value: $1,088,834
Monthly cost of living: $8,227
Mortgage as percent of median income: 55.5%
8. Nipomo, California
Metro: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $113,206
Average home value: $944,734
Monthly cost of living: $7,347
Mortgage as percent of median income: 55.3%
9. Chino, California
Metro: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $94,592
Average home value: $783,505
Monthly cost of living: $6,465
Mortgage as percent of median income: 54.9%
10. Stanton, California
Metro: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $103,879
Average home value: $857,708
Monthly cost of living: $6,908
Mortgage as percent of median income: 54.7%
11. West Covina, California
Metro: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $103,879
Average home value: $855,983
Monthly cost of living: $7,107
Mortgage as percent of median income: 54.6%
12. Leawood, Kansas
Metro: Kansas City
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $93,938
Average home value: $772,610
Monthly cost of living: $6,314
Mortgage as percent of median income: 54.5%
13. Corona, California
Metro: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $94,592
Average home value: $776,009
Monthly cost of living: $6,613
Mortgage as percent of median income: 54.4%
14. Alpine, California
Metro: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $116,896
Average home value: $957,554
Monthly cost of living: $7,576
Mortgage as percent of median income: 54.3%
15. Destin, Florida
Metro: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $79,929
Average home value: $653,667
Monthly cost of living: $5,689
Mortgage as percent of median income: 54.2%
16. La Quinta, California
Metro: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $94,592
Average home value: $771,383
Monthly cost of living: $6,455
Mortgage as percent of median income: 54.1%
17. Temecula, California
Metro: Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $94,592
Average home value: $769,131
Monthly cost of living: $6,552
Mortgage as percent of median income: 53.9%
18. Milpitas, California
Metro: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $197,485
Average home value: $1,583,505
Monthly cost of living: $11,198
Mortgage as percent of median income: 53.2%
19. Mill Creek, Washington
Metro: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $129,987
Average home value: $1,042,095
Monthly cost of living: $7,773
Mortgage as percent of median income: 53.1%
20. New River, Arizona
Metro: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $94,745
Average home value: $757,154
Monthly cost of living: $6,359
Mortgage as percent of median income: 53.0%
21. La Mesa, California
Metro: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $116,896
Average home value: $926,085
Monthly cost of living: $7,337
Mortgage as percent of median income: 52.5%
22. Fountain Hills, Arizona
Metro: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $94,745
Average home value: $750,041
Monthly cost of living: $6,244
Mortgage as percent of median income: 52.5%
23. Whittier, California
Metro: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $103,879
Average home value: $819,395
Monthly cost of living: $6,881
Mortgage as percent of median income: 52.3%
24. Marblehead, Massachusetts
Metro: Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $134,971
Average home value: $1,064,355
Monthly cost of living: $8,059
Mortgage as percent of median income: 52.3%
25. Duarte, California
Metro: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim
Median household income for homeowners 25-44: $103,879
Average home value: $815,716
Monthly cost of living: $6,816
Mortgage as percent of median income: 52.1%
Methodology: MoneyLion defines a suburb as a city that has at least 5,000 total households and is not named in the metropolitan area it resides in. First-time homebuyers are considered in the age range of 25-44 for this study. Median household income for homeowners aged 25-44 was sourced from the U.S. Census 2024 5-year ACS. Cost of living was determined for each metro using cost-of-living indexes from Sperling's BestPlaces, expenditure costs for households in the 25-44 age group from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, home value data from Zillow Home Value Index for March 2021, March 2025, December 2025 and February 2026. and 30-year mortgage rates from the Federal Reserve Economic Data. Using the median household income for households aged 25-44, the percentage of the median household income used for mortgage was calculated for each suburb for each time period. To qualify for this study, the suburb had to have a mortgage cost lower than 30% of median household income for March 2021 and greater than 30% of median household income for March 2026. The suburbs were sorted to show the highest percentage of median household income in March 2026. All data are up to date as of March 24, 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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