The 10 Most Expensive US Metro Areas to Buy a Home
The 10 Most Expensive US Metro Areas to Buy a Home
Dan SmithThu, February 19, 2026 at 8:05 PM UTC
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If you have browsed home listings in major U.S. cities lately, you have probably felt the sticker shock. What used to count as expensive now feels out of reach for many buyers. With the national median home price hovering around $530,000, several metro areas sit at double or even triple that amount. These prices reflect local job markets, limited housing supply, and regional demand, which is why more buyers are looking beyond traditional hotspots.
San Jose, California
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In the heart of Silicon Valley, open houses can feel more like industry meetups than relaxed weekend tours. Many buyers come from the same tech companies and understand how competitive the process can be. By 2025, typical home prices climbed past $1.6 million. Monthly payments often rival high executive incomes, yet stock compensation and equity packages continue to give tech employees an advantage over households relying on traditional salaries.
San Francisco, California
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Older housing stock plays a huge role in pricing in San Francisco, as many buildings date back decades, and replacing them is slow due to zoning reviews and preservation rules. That keeps supply turnover low. In 2025, it is still common to see small condos priced above $1.3 million, especially near transit lines or major employment corridors.
Los Angeles, California
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Buying a home in Los Angeles rarely comes with a single price range. Values shift quickly depending on commute times, wildfire risk, insurance costs, and school districts. In many neighborhoods, listings still hover around $1 million. That price point has pushed many middle-income buyers to look farther inland, where ownership feels more realistic and monthly payments are easier to manage.
San Diego, California
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Military transfers, biotech hiring cycles, and seasonal tourism employment all influence housing demand here in ways that are easy to miss from outside the region. Home prices often sit above $1 million. Coastal building restrictions and environmental reviews can delay projects for years, keeping new housing from keeping pace with population growth.
Seattle, Washington
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Many buyers today are still feeling the ripple effects of Seattle’s tech hiring surge during the 2010s. Neighborhoods built for smaller populations never fully caught up with demand. Homes near major employment corridors often sit around or slightly below $1 million, and long permitting timelines continue to slow the pace of new housing construction.
Boston, Massachusetts
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In Boston, the housing conversation often starts with universities and hospitals because those institutions keep a steady stream of renters and buyers moving through the city year-round. Some homes now sell above $1 million, especially near transit and medical campuses. Older building stock and renovation costs also push prices higher than buyers initially expect.
Honolulu, Hawaii
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Almost every construction project in Honolulu starts with shipping logistics because most building materials arrive by cargo ship, which drives up development costs long before homes reach the market. Average home prices in the city often exceed $700,000. Limited land means even small changes in housing supply can shift prices quickly across the island.
New York City Metro Area, New York
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In many parts of the New York metro region, buyers care less about home size and more about how fast they can reach work or transit hubs. In Manhattan, certain neighborhoods regularly see listings climb past $3 million. Across the wider metro, average values often sit near $700,000, especially in commuter-friendly areas with strong transit access.
Bridgeport Metro Area, Connecticut
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Home searches in Bridgeport often start with people priced out of New York who still want access to the same job market. Over the past few years, prices pushed beyond $650,000 as remote and hybrid work expanded. Many households now accept longer train commutes in exchange for larger homes and lower overall living costs than in NYC.
Oxnard, California
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Drive west from inland Southern California, and housing prices jump quickly once the coastline appears, and Oxnard sits right inside that shift. Many homes now approach $900,000. Agricultural land protections and ocean boundaries limit expansion, so even small population increases can tighten supply faster than buyers expect in coastal Ventura County.
Source: “AOL Money”
