Realtor.com says these areas require the most income to purchase a home

Housing affordability is a major consideration when purchasing a home that often varies based on the market in which homebuyers are looking to purchase. 

In its “April Housing Trends Report,” Realtor.com identified the markets in the U.S. in which buyers need to make the most money to be able to buy a median-priced home. 

While five of the metro areas in the top 10 could be found in California, locales in several other states also demanded big incomes, according to the real estate marketplace. 

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Homebuyers in each of the 10 metro areas that ranked among Realtor.com’s areas “with the highest required incomes to afford a home” all needed to take home at least six figures, with the San-Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California market taking the top spot. 

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California

A general view of the downtown skyline on Aug. 15, 2024 in San Jose, California. The median single-family home price has surpassed $2 million in the San Jose metro area, marking a nationwide record. (Loren Elliott/Getty Images / Getty Images)

In April, homes in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara market had median prices of nearly $1.4 million, according to Realtor.com. It pegged the income needed to buy such a home at just over $370,000, more than any other market it looked at. 

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, California

The Golden Gate Bridge stands in front of the San Francisco skyline on March 28, 2024 in Sausalito, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images / Getty Images)

This housing market, which is ranked No. 2, is also located in Northern California. Homebuyers needed to pocket about $263,000 a year to bear the expense of the market’s $995,000 median listing price in April, the report found. 

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California

A layer of smog lingers above the downtown Los Angeles skyline on Dec. 6, 2024. (ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Of the metros in the top 10 for highest required income, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim market saw the biggest jump – 86% – from 2019 to a take-home of nearly $315,900, Realtor.com reported. The median home there cost $1.195 million in April.

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, California

San Diego ranked within the top 10. (iStock / iStock)

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad ranked as the market requiring the third-highest income from homebuyers, with over $258,900 in income needed for the median $979,500, per the report. Compared to a year ago, the median price of a home in the area in April dropped 6.7%. 

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Washington

Seattle was named the number one city for singles in 2024. (iStock / iStock)

Tacoma is located south of Seattle, while Bellevue sits to the east of the city. To purchase a median-priced $782,225 home in this…