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Housing Affordability Index - First-Time Buyer

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C.A.R.'s First-time Buyer Housing Affordability Index (FTB-HAI) measures the percentage of households that can afford to purchase an entry-level home in California. C.A.R. also reports first-time buyer indexes for regions and select counties within the state. The Index is the most fundamental measure of housing well-being for first-time buyers in the state.


Download series:    XLS  |  Historical

First -Time Buyer Housing Affordability Index Methodology

Q42025

First Time Buyer Housing Affordability Index

STATE/REGION/COUNTY

Q42025

Q32025

 

Q42024

Median Home Price

Monthly Payment Including Taxes & Insurance

Minimum Qualifying Income

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CA SFH (SAAR)

33

30

 

29

 

$738,910

$4,680

$140,400

CA Condo/Townhomes

46

44

 

41

 

$552,500

$3,500

$105,000

Los Angeles Metropolitan Area

32

30

 

29

 

$705,500

$4,470

$134,100

Inland Empire

45

43

 

41

 

$505,750

$3,210

$96,300

S.F. Bay Area

32

30

 

29

 

$1,074,320

$6,810

$204,300

US

57

54

 

54

 

$352,670

$2,240

$67,200

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

S.F. Bay Area

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alameda

32

30

 

28

 

$1,041,250

$6,600

$198,000

Contra Costa

45

43

 

41

 

$731,000

$4,630

$138,900

Marin

31

29

 

26

 

$1,298,380

$8,230

$246,900

Napa

32

31

 

34

 

$785,400

$4,980

$149,400

San Francisco

28

29

 

27

 

$1,530,000

$9,700

$291,000

San Mateo

27

26

 

25

 

$1,759,500

$11,150

$334,500

Santa Clara

30

29

 

27

 

$1,632,000

$10,340

$310,200

Solano

51

47

 

48

 

$493,000

$3,130

$93,900

Sonoma

37

36

 

35

 

$697,850

$4,420

$132,600

Southern California

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imperial

43

43

 

46

 

$369,750

$2,340

$70,200

Los Angeles

26

24

 

23

 

$798,740

$5,060

$151,800

Orange

21

19

 

18

 

$1,187,030

$7,520

$225,600

Riverside

44

43

 

40

 

$538,540

$3,410

$102,300

San Bernardino

51

49

 

48

 

$422,450

$2,680

$80,400

San Diego

30

27

 

26

 

$844,900

$5,360

$160,800

Ventura

34

32

 

29

 

$792,630

$5,020

$150,600

Central Coast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monterey

25

21

 

23

 

$786,250

$4,980

$149,400

San Luis Obispo

30

27

 

24

 

$769,250

$4,880

$146,400

Santa Barbara

19

19

 

18

 

$1,062,500

$6,730

$201,900

Santa Cruz

21

21

 

22

 

$1,094,380

$6,940

$208,200

Central Valley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fresno

51

48

 

48

 

$365,500

$2,320

$69,600

Glenn

60

56

 

53

 

$291,340

$1,850

$55,500

Kern

51

49

 

47

 

$337,870

$2,140

$64,200

Kings

57

55

r

55

 

$314,500

$1,990

$59,700

Madera

53

50

 

46

 

$374,000

$2,370

$71,100

Merced

50

47

 

43

 

$357,000

$2,260

$67,800

Placer

53

50

 

50

 

$556,750

$3,530

$105,900

Sacramento

51

48

 

47

 

$458,150

$2,900

$87,000

San Benito

48

47

 

42

 

$637,500

$4,040

$121,200

San Joaquin

51

49

 

48

 

$459,000

$2,910

$87,300

Stanislaus

51

48

 

50

 

$395,250

$2,510

$75,300

Tulare

54

52

 

48

 

$324,280

$2,060

$61,800

Far North

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Butte

48

45

 

46

 

$374,000

$2,370

$71,100

Lassen

74

69

 

69

 

$194,650

$1,230

$36,900

Plumas

58

48

 

53

 

$339,580

$2,150

$64,500

Shasta

56

54

 

53

 

$314,500

$1,990

$59,700

Siskiyou

58

54

 

54

 

$257,130

$1,630

$48,900

Tehama

57

54

 

54

 

$273,700

$1,730

$51,900

Trinity

61

51

 

48

 

$212,500

$1,350

$40,500

Other Counties in California

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amador

58

55

 

54

 

$357,000

$2,260

$67,800

Calaveras

58

53

 

54

 

$373,150

$2,370

$71,100

Del Norte

54

52

 

51

 

$322,150

$2,040

$61,200

El Dorado

52

48

 

44

 

$573,750

$3,640

$109,200

Humboldt

47

42

 

39

 

$351,050

$2,230

$66,900

Lake

50

47

 

55

 

$282,200

$1,790

$53,700

Mariposa

47

46

 

39

 

$374,850

$2,380

$71,400

Mendocino

44

44

 

39

 

$418,630

$2,650

$79,500

Mono

22

15

 

12

 

$784,550

$4,970

$149,100

Nevada

48

47

 

47

 

$467,500

$2,960

$88,800

Sutter

49

46

 

45

 

$382,500

$2,420

$72,600

Tuolumne

61

54

 

55

 

$323,000

$2,050

$61,500

Yolo

44

42

 

41

 

$529,130

$3,350

$100,500

Yuba

49

48

 

46

 

$376,340

$2,390

$71,700

 

 

Source: CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®


 r – revised

Note: The effective interest rate series previously used to calculate C.A.R.’s First-Time Buyer Housing Affordability Index (FTB-HAI) was discontinued in 2008. Beginning with this news release, the FTB-HAI will incorporate an effective interest rate that is based on the one-year, adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) from Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS). The effective rate accounts for both the one-year ARM rate and the points/fees as reported by Freddie Mac.


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