California · Affordability
Home Price-to-Income Ratio in California
Median home value divided by median household income; a higher ratio means homes cost more relative to what residents earn.
7.6× in 2024
#49 of 50 · Bottom tier (lower is better)
California is worse than the 50-state median (4.2×). That's a gap of 3.4×.
View interactive chart & trend → See full 50-state ranking →
2005 – 2024 · California only · interactive chart with US median overlay →
About home price-to-income ratio
What this measures: Median home value divided by median household income.
Why it matters: A higher ratio means it takes more years of typical income to buy a typical home, predicting both first-time buyer barriers and wealth inequality.
Watch out: This does not capture mortgage rates, property taxes, or other financing costs that shift the actual monthly payment.
Recent trend
| Year | California | US median |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 6.7× | 3.4× |
| 2015 | 7.0× | 3.4× |
| 2016 | 7.0× | 3.5× |
| 2017 | 7.1× | 3.5× |
| 2018 | 7.3× | 3.5× |
| 2019 | 7.1× | 3.4× |
| 2021 | 7.6× | 3.8× |
| 2022 | 7.8× | 4.1× |
| 2023 | 7.6× | 4.1× |
| 2024 | 7.6× | 4.2× |
California vs. neighboring states
Same metric (home price-to-income ratio), latest year with full state coverage. Click any name for that state's full report.
| State | Home Price-to-Income Ratio | National rank |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 5.8× | #46 of 50 |
| Nevada | 5.6× | #42 of 50 |
| Arizona | 5.2× | #38 of 50 |
How California compares (2024)
Top 5 best
| #1 | West Virginia | 2.8× |
| #2 | Iowa | 3.0× |
| #3 | Mississippi | 3.1× |
| #4 | Kansas | 3.2× |
| #5 | Ohio | 3.3× |
Bottom 5
| #46 | Oregon | 5.8× |
| #47 | Colorado | 5.9× |
| #48 | Washington | 6.1× |
| #49 | California | 7.6× |
| #50 | Hawaiʻi | 8.7× |
Source and methodology
Source: Census ACS · Direction: lower is better · Unit: ×
Download raw CSV (all 50 states, all years)