In Less Than a Year, You Might Not Be Able To Afford To Live in These 6 US Housing Markets
The gap between what homes cost and what Americans earn keeps widening. According to ConsumerAffairs, the income needed to afford a typical home is now $120,796, which is 48% above the actual median U.S. household income.
This isn't just a coastal problem anymore. The cities people fled to because they were affordable are starting to catch the same fever, as population booms and corporate campuses push prices up faster than paychecks can follow.
These six markets are still affordable today. Give it a year, and that might not be true anymore.
1. Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville's music culture has always been a draw for those looking to relocate, and the state’s lack of income tax never hurt either. But the city’s popularity is pushing home prices to the brink of unaffordability.
The Urban Institute's American Affordability Tracker now flags Nashville among the metros where housing and overall living costs are rising faster than elsewhere in the country. Redfin puts the current median sale price at $475,000, 7% above the national average. That’s a gain of about 60% over the past five years.
2. Cleveland
From the Cleveland Museum of Art to the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland has something to offer almost anyone. Unfortunately for those still looking to buy in Cleveland, many people have caught on.
Redfin's 2025 housing market analysis showed Cleveland posted the highest home price appreciation of any major U.S. metro in 2025, at 9.2%. That's a hallmark of a formerly cheap city getting discovered fast.
3. Columbus, Ohio
About two-and-a-half hours southwest of Cleveland is another popular, formerly affordable city that is suffering the same price issue. Although the median price in the city is still affordable for the moment at $301,000, that’s changing rapidly.
Part of the reason is Intel's $20 billion semiconductor campus in nearby New Albany, which is drawing workers and pushing up prices faster than supply can keep up. Redfin shows Columbus home prices up 7.4% year over year as of May 2026, a rate that’s more than triple the national average gain of 2%. The Urban Institute independently flags Columbus as seeing costs rising faster than elsewhere.
4. Milwaukee
Milwaukee is another city that has been relatively affordable for decades but that’s now growing faster than it can handle. Workers from Chicago and other higher-priced cities in the area have been moving to Milwaukee and pushing up prices. Redfin's 2025 Year in Review reported that homes in Milwaukee rose at 7.1% over the past year, making the city one of the top three gainers among major metros. The Urban Institute's Affordability Tracker cites the Milwaukee area as one with costs rising faster than wages.
5. Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh has shifted in recent years from a steel town to one offering a blend of universities, healthcare and technology. The city’s new look has been pulling in residents ever since. The result is a rising population and a housing supply that’s not yet prepared for a population surge. Redfin's 2025 analysis reported a 7.1% year-over-year price gain in Pittsburgh, making it one of the fastest-growing major metros in the country.
6. Atlanta
Atlanta has long been cited as the perfect blend of big-city convenience with a southern cost of living. But that balance may be shifting. According to the Urban Institute's American Affordability Tracker, Atlanta is among the metro areas where housing and everyday costs are rising faster than most of the rest of the country. The factors are the same with most of the other cities on this list: rising population growth coupled with a supply pipeline that can’t keep up.
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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