RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Most affordable housing, US states · 2020

US states with the lowest CensusEasy Afford Score, where homes cost the fewest years of local income (2023 ACS). Iowa leads at 2.5. 51 states qualify in total.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPAFFORD SCOREVS 2000

01Iowa, IAIA3,210,5072.5+20%

02Indiana, ININ6,851,0732.6+15%

03West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3732.6+15%

04Kansas, KSKS2,947,1972.6+29%

05Nebraska, NENE1,978,7072.6+18%

06Ohio, OHOH11,810,2932.6+6%

07Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6342.6+30%

08Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7792.7+31%

09Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3912.7+29%

10Michigan, MIMI10,077,7612.7+11%

11Kentucky, KYKY4,534,8242.8+19%

12Missouri, MOMO6,191,8142.9+25%

13Alabama, ALAL5,086,7682.9+28%

14South Dakota, SDSD907,4282.9+38%

15Texas, TXTX30,188,4242.9+51%

16Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,6392.9+25%

17Illinois, ILIL12,694,7983.0+8%

18Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,8723.0+19%

19North Dakota, NDND784,8413.1+55%

20South Carolina, SCSC5,296,2253.1+38%

21Georgia, GAGA10,940,4073.1+31%

22Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4453.2+28%

23North Carolina, NCNC10,730,4043.2+31%

24Tennessee, TNTN7,066,3833.2+33%

25Louisiana, LALA4,611,9613.3+39%

26Maine, MEME1,387,8173.3+31%

27New Mexico, NMNM2,120,2463.4+24%

28Wyoming, WYWY582,3973.5+45%

29New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8683.5+36%

30Connecticut, CTCT3,624,5083.5+18%

31Alaska, AKAK735,7063.5+33%

32Vermont, VTVT647,1063.6+34%

33Virginia, VAVA8,705,1703.7+45%

34Delaware, DEDE1,021,1913.7+45%

35Maryland, MDMD6,206,0113.7+38%

36Arizona, AZAZ7,378,8383.9+46%

37Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,8013.9+27%

38Idaho, IDID1,934,2624.0+47%

39Florida, FLFL22,416,0774.0+67%

40New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8094.0+32%

41Utah, UTUT3,392,3314.1+32%

42Montana, MTMT1,116,8754.3+49%

43New York, NYNY19,852,3664.6+34%

44Nevada, NVNV3,184,6124.7+57%

45Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,0564.7+31%

46Washington, WAWA7,816,1164.8+37%

47Colorado, COCO5,862,1894.9+45%

48Oregon, OROR4,254,2935.1+44%

49District of Columbia, DCDC681,2946.8+78%

50California, CACA39,287,3776.8+63%

51Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2357.7+53%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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

UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES

Frequently asked

Which state has the lowest afford score?

Iowa ranks #1 with 2.5 (2020 American Community Survey).

What are the top 5 states by afford score?

Iowa, Indiana, West Virginia, Kansas, Nebraska.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2020 ACS 5-year 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, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020).