Facing the economic decision of relocating? Nice. But remember home prices, job salaries, and even neighbors will change drastically across the USA. In this week’s cross country comparison, we bring you a few of your life in three of the nation’s least affordable cities.

Barnstable Town, MA

 White Plains, NY

Anaheim, CA
Rank: 202  of 223 Rank: 223 of 223 Rank: 221 of 223
Median home price: $287,000 Median home price: $424,000 Median home price: $410,000
Median income: $53,000 Median income: $67,000 Median income: $84,200
The deal: If you earn the median income, you can afford just 60 percent of the area’s homes.  Earn any less and way more than half the homes there will be out of reach for you.    The deal: If you earn $67,000 you can afford only 25 percent of the homes there. Double your income to  $134,000 and you can still only afford half the area’s homes. The deal: Those making $84,000 a year can consider just 40 percent of the area’s homes. You have to earn close to $250,000 before you’ll have a decent selection to choose from.
The salaries (mean):

CEO: $180,000

Financial managers: $120,620

Accountants: $66,840

Electrical engineers: $99,990

Mental health prof: $45,740

Middle school teachers: $60,310

Graphic designers: $40,250

Pharmacists: $113,430

Dental assistants: $44,570

Police officers: $53,690

Legal secretaries: $35,690

Bus drivers: $34,910

 

 

 The salaries (mean):

Advertising managers: $147,950

Benefits managers: $122,510

Property managers: $97,970

Computer programmers: $81,730

Wildlife biologists: $67,300

Social workers: $57,910

Preschool teachers: $44,190

Special ed teachers: $76,420

Broadcast technicians: $46,670

Pediatricians: $150,030

Registered nurse: $82,000

Account collectors: $40,840

 

 

 

 

 

 The salaries (mean):

 

Marketing managers: $132,760

Cost estimators: $68,720

Personal financial advisors: $85,540

Civil engineers: $97,630

Child social workers: $42,620

Law clerks: $42,570

Elementary teachers: $69,230

High school teachers: $72,930

Teaching assistants: $33,620

Registered nurses: $77,450

Medical assistants: $31,510

Firefighters: $69,510

 

 

 

 

 

Want to see your city? We’ll happily publish it. Write to brett@thehomeeconomist.com