Realtor.com® Releases Metro Affordability & Homebuilding Report Cards
Realtor.com® has released its first Metro Affordability & Homebuilding Report Cards for the nation's 100 largest metropolitan areas, evaluating them based on home affordability and new construction rates. Ten metros received A-range grades by balancing strong affordability with healthy building activity; Des Moines ranked highest at A+ (83.4), followed closely by Raleigh, N.C., also an A+. In contrast, Los Angeles was the least affordable major metro area, receiving a score of 12.0 and ranking last out of 100. The report highlights that the U.S. faces a housing supply gap exceeding four million homes, which has hindered household formation and delayed homeownership for many Americans. The analysis aims to identify regions where local markets are improving conditions for buyers versus those with persistent supply constraints. Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com®, emphasized that sustained progress in affordability requires both attainable home prices and sufficient new construction. Des Moines achieved its top ranking by offering homes affordable relative to median income while permitting more than 85% additional housing units compared to expectations based on population share.
Topics: affordability homebuilding metro rankings