California Affordability
How affordable is California real estate?
Public Record + Census ACS
Median Home Price
$1.16M
Median Household Income
$91,905
Affordability Index
12.64
vs National Avg
+85.3%
Cities in California by Affordability
| # | City | Median Price | Index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paradise | $240.4K | 2.62 |
| 2 | Yucca Valley | $381.4K | 4.15 |
| 3 | Lancaster | $395.5K | 4.30 |
| 4 | Hemet | $432K | 4.70 |
| 5 | Victorville | $438.6K | 4.77 |
| 6 | Bakersfield | $442.7K | 4.82 |
| 7 | Palmdale | $444.1K | 4.83 |
| 8 | Stockton | $451.6K | 4.91 |
| 9 | Fresno | $462.3K | 5.03 |
| 10 | Apple Valley | $522.2K | 5.68 |
| 11 | Menifee | $557.1K | 6.06 |
| 12 | Grass Valley | $594.9K | 6.47 |
| 13 | Sacramento | $599.9K | 6.53 |
| 14 | Clovis | $646.9K | 7.04 |
| 15 | Roseville | $687.4K | 7.48 |
| 16 | Riverside | $694.1K | 7.55 |
| 17 | Indio | $745.5K | 8.11 |
| 18 | Palm Desert | $932.2K | 10.14 |
| 19 | Temecula | $946.4K | 10.30 |
| 20 | Murrieta | $966K | 10.51 |
| 21 | Chula Vista | $993.4K | 10.81 |
| 22 | Oakland | $1.02M | 11.14 |
| 23 | Palm Springs | $1.11M | 12.13 |
| 24 | San Diego | $1.27M | 13.82 |
| 25 | San Jose | $1.39M | 15.17 |
| 26 | La Quinta | $1.62M | 17.58 |
| 27 | Irvine | $1.99M | 21.66 |
| 28 | Los Angeles | $2.09M | 22.71 |
| 29 | San Francisco | $2.64M | 28.73 |
| 30 | Oceanside | $3.81M | 41.41 |
Methodology
Affordability index = local median home price ÷ state median household income. A value of 4.0 means homes cost 4x annual income (roughly the historical "rule of thumb" ceiling). Higher values = less affordable.
Income figures: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-year estimates (state level). Sale prices: MarketTimeline public-record SOLD events, last 12 months.