Highest number of days: Hawaii (17 days), California (15 days), Massachusetts (15 days) and Montana (15 days).
AUSTIN, Texas — The median national home price in the U.S. is $412,000 and for Americans looking to buy a home, the magic number of days required to work per month to afford the mortgage payment is 10, according to Realtor.com® data. But, for residents in some states, the number of workdays required can go up to 17 days, a whole week more.
“The number of workdays required to afford a home today stems from a couple factors. First, home prices have risen faster than incomes, widening the gap between earnings and housing costs. Second, elevated mortgage rates have increased borrowing costs, further stretching monthly budgets,” said Charlie Lankston, Executive Editor, Realtor.com®. “As a result, prospective buyers must allocate more of their income, and consequently, more work days each month, to afford mortgage payments.”
More than half a month’s worth of work
Fittingly named the Paradise of the Pacific, it doesn’t come as a surprise that Hawaii is a sought after place to live. But, with that also comes the crown of the highest median home list price in the nation at $796,947. Homeowners purchasing a home at this price point will need to work 17 days each month just to cover the payment of $5,222, including tax and insurance, on average.
The in-demand state of California faces a similar trend, with homeowners having to work an average of 15 days of the month to cover a payment of $4,773, including tax and insurance. And, likely driven by an influx of people moving into the state and popular cities like Bozeman becoming more expensive, the average homeowner in Montana — where the median home list price is $613,275 — would also have to work 15 days of the month.
One week, or less
Meanwhile, the midwest and southeastern U.S. seaboard face a different reality. West Virginia and Ohio have the lowest median home list price, at $247,000 and $259,450, and residents need to work about seven and six days a month, respectively, to afford their mortgage payments. Other states that only require a week of work on average include Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, and Michigan.
To read more about the number of days required to work to afford a mortgage payment visit Realtor.com.
| Work Days Required Per Month To Afford a Mortgage Payment by State | ||
| State | Median Home List Price | Average Work Days Required to Afford the Mortgage Payment |
| Alabama | $321,720 | 9 |
| Alaska | $422,500 | 9 |
| Arizona | $488,500 | 12 |
| Arkansas | $289,950 | 8 |
| California | $728,500 | 15 |
| Colorado | $559,475 | 12 |
| Connecticut | $499,450 | 11 |
| Delaware | $479,495 | 12 |
| District of Columbia | $589,950 | 9 |
| Florida | $435,000 | 11 |
| Georgia | $380,000 | 9 |
| Hawaii | $796,947 | 17 |
| Idaho | $566,950 | 14 |
| Illinois | $289,950 | 7 |
| Indiana | $279,450 | 7 |
| Iowa | $279,950 | 8 |
| Kansas | $280,298 | 7 |
| Kentucky | $299,000 | 8 |
| Louisiana | $275,000 | 8 |
| Maine | $449,450 | 11 |
| Maryland | $408,323 | 9 |
| Massachusetts | $749,950 | 15 |
| Michigan | $265,350 | 7 |
| Minnesota | $380,948 | 8 |
| Mississippi | $289,900 | 9 |
| Missouri | $289,000 | 7 |
| Montana | $613,375 | 15 |
| Nebraska | $346,925 | 9 |
| Nevada | $485,598 | 13 |
| New Hampshire | $574,950 | 13 |
| New Jersey | $544,950 | 12 |
| New Mexico | $389,700 | 11 |
| New York | $659,974 | 14 |
| North Carolina | $399,450 | 10 |
| North Dakota | $363,322 | 9 |
| Ohio | $259,450 | 6 |
| Oklahoma | $294,995 | 8 |
| Oregon | $550,000 | 12 |
| Pennsylvania | $296,750 | 8 |
| Rhode Island | $524,950 | 12 |
| South Carolina | $352,450 | 9 |
| South Dakota | $372,500 | 10 |
| Tennessee | $419,965 | 11 |
| Texas | $355,000 | 8 |
| Utah | $586,200 | 14 |
| Vermont | $497,500 | 12 |
| Virginia | $422,325 | 10 |
| Washington | $607,075 | 12 |
| West Virginia | $247,000 | 7 |
| Wisconsin | $379,450 | 9 |
| Wyoming | $459,725 | 12 |
Methodology
To assess housing affordability, this analysis calculates the number of workdays needed to cover a median monthly mortgage payment in each state. The estimates are based on median home list prices as of February 2025 and assume a 30-year fixed mortgage at a 6.65% interest rate. Property taxes and insurance costs are factored in using a 1.7% annual rate, and calculations assume a 20% down payment. Wage data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ January 2025 release, which tracks average hourly earnings across states.
About Realtor.com®
Realtor.com® pioneered online real estate and has been at the forefront for over 25 years, connecting buyers, sellers, and renters with trusted insights, professional guidance and powerful tools to help them find their perfect home. Recognized as the No. 1 site trusted by real estate professionals, Realtor.com® is a valued partner, delivering consumer connections and a robust suite of marketing tools to support business growth. Realtor.com® is operated by News Corp [Nasdaq: NWS, NWSA] [ASX: NWS, NWSLV] subsidiary Move, Inc.
Source: Realtor.com