Homeownership is a symbol of financial stability for most Americans—but for those living in states where the cost of living is higher, it might seem like they're working solely to keep a roof over their heads.

The median home price nationally is $412,000, according to the Realtor.com February 2025 Monthly Housing Trends Report. Homeowners who purchase a home at that price point will need to work approximately 10 days each month to afford the mortgage payment—and that's without factoring in any other expenses.

"Home prices have significantly outpaced wage growth in recent years, widening the gap between income and housing affordability," says Hannah Jones, Realtor.com® senior economic research analyst.

"This disparity intensified during the [COVID-19] pandemic, when a surge in housing demand strained inventory, driving home prices sharply upward and increasing economic pressure on households."

Hawaii has the highest median home list price in the nation at $796,947. Homeowners purchasing a home at this price point will need to work 17 days each month just to cover the payment of $5,222, including tax and insurance. The average hourly wage in January 2025 was $38.

"This disparity intensified during the [COVID-19] pandemic, when a surge in housing demand strained inventory, driving home prices sharply upward and increasing economic pressure on households."

Meanwhile, West Virginia and Ohio have the lowest median home list price, at $247,000 and $259,450, where residents will need to work about 7 and 6 days a month, respectively.

In other states, including Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, and Michigan, it requires about 7 days of work each month to cover mortgage payments.

https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/mortgage-payment-days-work/

The Number of Days You Need To Work To Afford a Monthly Mortgage Payment