Affordability isn’t just about income. It’s about what that income buys you.
When the new ACS 5-year (2020-2024) file lands, I end up doing the same thing every time. I look for the places where the housing math still works. Not perfectly. Not magically. Just... where the gap between paychecks and prices hasn’t completely blown out.
This is a map-scan and a shortlist builder. It finds metros where home values and rents are low relative to household income, then points you to the real work (neighborhoods, jobs, schools, insurance, taxes, commuting) with a smaller set of candidates.
What this is (and isn’t)
The ACS 5-year estimates combine responses across 2020-2024. That makes them one of the best public sources we have for metro-level comparisons, but it also means they move slowly.
I treat this like a time-lapse, not breaking news.
And it’s not a full cost-of-living index. Housing is the biggest line item for most households, but taxes, childcare, transportation, and insurance can dominate depending on your situation. Use this as a shortlist, not a verdict.