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Many of the most affordable metros, with the lowest income requirements, are located in the Midwest and parts of the South, with the cheapest city sitting in Pennsylvania.
Pittsburgh, according to a report from Realtor.com, is considered the most affordable metro in the nation with a median listing price of $245,000. To afford a home in the area, residents will need an annual salary of $65,000, making it one of the lowest income requirements.
As affordability pressures persist, Realtor.com identified the 10 least expensive cities that require household incomes below $85,000 to purchase a home.
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The most affordable regions all have similarities, such as more abundant land, more new construction, and a lower cost of living, all of which keep home prices from surging as much as they have in markets on the East and West coasts and in the Sun Belt, according to Realtor.com senior economic research analyst Hannah Jones.
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In Pittsburgh, a household earning $65,000 could afford a $1,630 monthly housing payment, which includes a mortgage assuming a 6.19% interest rate, as well as property taxes and insurance.
To put this in perspective, to afford the November national median list price of $415,000, a buyer would need to earn 70% more than they would in Pittsburgh.
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Here are other affordable metros and the income needed to buy a home in each, according to Realtor.com data:
Cleveland, Ohio
• Median listing price: $250,000
• Income needed: $66,538 annually
Detroit, Michigan
• Median listing price: $255,000
• Income needed: About $68,000 annually
Buffalo, New York
• Median listing price: $259,900
• Income needed: $69,173 annually
St. Louis, Missouri
• Median listing price: $291,900
• Income needed: $77,690 annually
