RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most affordable housing, US states · 1990

US states with the lowest CensusEasy Afford Score, where homes cost the fewest years of local income (1990 ACS). Iowa leads at 1.7. 51 states qualify in total. The median across all 51 is 2.4.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPAFFORD SCOREVS –

USUnited States248,709,8733.0–

01Iowa, IAIA3,210,5071.7–

02Indiana, ININ6,851,0731.9–

03Kansas, KSKS2,947,1971.9–

04Nebraska, NENE1,978,7071.9–

05Michigan, MIMI10,077,7611.9–

06South Dakota, SDSD907,4282.0–

07Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6342.0–

08Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,8722.1–

09Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3912.2–

10North Dakota, NDND784,8412.2–

11Texas, TXTX30,188,4242.2–

12Ohio, OHOH11,810,2932.2–

13Kentucky, KYKY4,534,8242.2–

14Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7792.2–

15Missouri, MOMO6,191,8142.2–

16Alabama, ALAL5,086,7682.3–

17Wyoming, WYWY582,3972.3–

18Alaska, AKAK735,7062.3–

19West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3732.3–

20Idaho, IDID1,934,2622.3–

21South Carolina, SCSC5,296,2252.3–

22Utah, UTUT3,392,3312.3–

23Tennessee, TNTN7,066,3832.3–

24Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,6392.4–

25Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4452.4–

26Georgia, GAGA10,940,4072.4–

27North Carolina, NCNC10,730,4042.5–

28Oregon, OROR4,254,2932.5–

29Montana, MTMT1,116,8752.5–

30Illinois, ILIL12,694,7982.5–

31Louisiana, LALA4,611,9612.6–

32Virginia, VAVA8,705,1702.7–

33Colorado, COCO5,862,1892.7–

34Florida, FLFL22,416,0772.8–

35Delaware, DEDE1,021,1912.9–

36Arizona, AZAZ7,378,8382.9–

37New Mexico, NMNM2,120,2462.9–

38Maryland, MDMD6,206,0112.9–

39Washington, WAWA7,816,1163.0–

40Nevada, NVNV3,184,6123.1–

41Maine, MEME1,387,8173.1–

42Vermont, VTVT647,1063.2–

43New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8683.6–

44New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8093.9–

45New York, NYNY19,852,3664.0–

46District of Columbia, DCDC681,2944.0–

47Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,8014.1–

48Connecticut, CTCT3,624,5084.2–

49Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,0564.4–

50California, CACA39,287,3775.4–

51Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2356.2–

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

Download CSV (full list, 51 rows)How this score is calculated

UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the lowest afford score?

Iowa ranks #1 with 1.7 (1990 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by afford score?

Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Nebraska, Michigan.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 1990 Decennial Census data.

How is afford score measured?

CensusEasy Afford Score: median home value divided by median household income, the number of years of a typical local income it takes to buy a typical local home. Lower is more affordable. Source: US Census Bureau, 1990 Decennial Census.