Housing Affordability: LA, Long Beach, SD Top World List; Detroit Most Affordable — 2026

Los Angeles, Long Beach, and San Diego are among the world’s least affordable cities for homebuyers, per a Remitly report released December 30, 2025. Using pre-tax salaries and median home prices, the cities ranked in the top five for affordability challenges, surpassed by New York, Paris, and Singapore. In Los Angeles, an average earner could afford a home that is 28% of the regional average; in San Jose, about 25%. San Francisco (10th) and Oakland (19th) also appeared on the "20 Least Affordable" list. The report compared 151 cities across 11 countries, finding California home prices roughly twice the national median of $475,000 as of December 2025. Detroit, the only U.S. city on the affordability list, was rated the most affordable due to population loss, high vacancy, and lower demand. Urban analysts attribute California’s high housing costs to strong affluence and limited supply, making entry-level home prices especially unattainable.