As mortgage rates continue to reach new heights, options for first-time buyers are dwindling. Even starter homes — affordable properties that entice first-time homebuyers get their foot in the door — are jumping in price.
The inventory of starter homes has recently decreased across the country. Data from Realtor.com shows that the national starter home share dropped from 38.1% to 36.2% from August 2019 to 2026, but the price during that timeframe increased 30.8%, from about $260,000 to $340,000.
Realtor defines starter homes as homes listed at or below 80% of the median list price in that metro. A recent report from Realtor analyzing 8,300 ZIP codes in the largest 100 metros found that only 18.3% of those ZIP codes were starter-home dominant.
“Affordability is only part of the story. What matters as much is whether affordable homes are actually for sale in the places where buyers want and need to live,” Realtor senior economist Hannah Jones said. “For first-time buyers, the search is increasingly shaped by the geography of opportunity, not simply a metro’s headline price. Keeping homeownership within reach will require more entry-level homes at attainable price points.”
It could be a while before the housing market gets back to “normal,” but there are still areas that have more starter homes than others. Below are the top 20 metros — out of the 100 largest metro areas — that have increased their share of starter homes.
20. Las Vegas et al., NV
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19. Los Angeles-Long Beach et al., CA
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18. Worcester, MA
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17. Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA
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16. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
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15. San Francisco-Oakland et al., CA
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14. Charlotte-Concord et al., NC-SC
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13. St. Louis, MO-IL
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12. Nashville-Davidson et al., TN
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11. Kansas City, MO-KS
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10. San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX
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9. Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
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8. Raleigh-Cary, NC
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7. Miami-Fort Lauderdale et al., FL
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6. Urban Honolulu, HI
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5. Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
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4. San Jose-Sunnyvale et al., CA
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3. Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
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2. Portland-Vancouver et al., OR-WA
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1. Boise City, ID
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