MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index
The MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) tracks daily housing affordability for the national average and all 51 states. Scores update each morning, computed from rate data captured the previous night. Computed from 13,038 verified mortgage rate quotes across 2,105 FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-chartered credit unions, combined with U.S. Census Bureau income and home value data. A score of 100 equals the national average; higher scores mean homeownership is more affordable.
Housing Affordability Across U.S. States
MBR-HAI score for every state as of September 21, 2026. Green states are more affordable than the national baseline of 100; red states are less affordable. Hover for the rank and rate used; click through to that state’s page.
National baseline = 100 (computed at the 6.5% reference rate). Scores update every morning. Hover any state for its rank; click to open that state's page.
Free to reuse with the citation shown on the image.
National MBR-HAI · 90-Day Trend
Score of 100 = national baseline (computed at 6.5% reference rate). Scores update each morning, computed from rate data captured the previous night. A 0.25% change in the 30-year average shifts the national score by approximately 0.8-1.0 points.
Most & Least Affordable States
Key Affordability Factors · United States
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey and Current Population Survey. Mortgage rate from MBR live rate database.
All State Rankings · September 21, 2026
Ranked from most to least affordable. Click any state to view its full trend history and city-level affordability breakdown. Scores above 100 indicate markets more affordable than the national baseline; scores below 100 indicate markets where homeownership costs are above average relative to income.
| # | State | MBR-HAI Score | Affordability | vs. Prior Day | 30-yr Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Virginia WV | 146.2 | Highly Affordable | ▼ 0.3 | 6.974% |
| 2 | Arkansas AR | 137.4 | Highly Affordable | ▲ +0.6 | 6.834% |
| 3 | Alabama AL | 135.1 | Highly Affordable | ▼ 0.9 | 6.924% |
| 4 | Mississippi MS | 132.5 | Highly Affordable | ▼ 0.6 | 6.867% |
| 5 | Iowa IA | 127.2 | Highly Affordable | ▼ 0.3 | 6.987% |
| 6 | Louisiana LA | 125.5 | Highly Affordable | ▼ 0.8 | 7.072% |
| 7 | Indiana IN | 124.7 | Highly Affordable | ▼ 0.2 | 7.140% |
| 8 | Kentucky KY | 121.6 | Highly Affordable | ▲ +0.4 | 7.074% |
| 9 | Kansas KS | 120.5 | Highly Affordable | ▼ 0.6 | 7.206% |
| 10 | Oklahoma OK | 117.4 | More Affordable Than Average | ▼ 0.1 | 7.308% |
| 11 | Missouri MO | 115.4 | More Affordable Than Average | ▼ 0.8 | 7.327% |
| 12 | North Dakota ND | 115.0 | More Affordable Than Average | ▼ 0.2 | 7.075% |
| 13 | South Carolina SC | 113.6 | More Affordable Than Average | ▼ 0.4 | 6.864% |
| 14 | New Mexico NM | 113.4 | More Affordable Than Average | ▼ 0.2 | 6.855% |
| 15 | Ohio OH | 113.1 | More Affordable Than Average | ▲ +0.3 | 7.050% |
| 16 | South Dakota SD | 112.3 | More Affordable Than Average | ▼ 0.3 | 6.974% |
| 17 | Michigan MI | 109.5 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.2 | 7.073% |
| 18 | Pennsylvania PA | 109.5 | Near National Average | ▲ +0.1 | 6.917% |
| 19 | Nebraska NE | 107.6 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.2 | 6.988% |
| 20 | Georgia GA | 107.0 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.7 | 6.923% |
| 21 | North Carolina NC | 105.8 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.2 | 6.868% |
| 22 | Wisconsin WI | 105.1 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.3 | 7.116% |
| 23 | Delaware DE | 104.8 | Near National Average | ▲ +0.1 | 6.957% |
| 24 | Wyoming WY | 104.0 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.3 | 6.974% |
| 25 | Tennessee TN | 103.9 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.1 | 7.123% |
| 26 | Illinois IL | 102.8 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.3 | 7.145% |
| 27 | Alaska AK | 100.5 | Near National Average | – | 6.632% |
| 28 | Texas TX | 100.0 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.4 | 7.041% |
| 29 | Minnesota MN | 98.2 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.4 | 7.059% |
| 30 | Idaho ID | 97.5 | Near National Average | ▲ +0.1 | 6.919% |
| 31 | Virginia VA | 96.0 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.3 | 6.935% |
| 32 | Maine ME | 95.0 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.1 | 7.326% |
| 33 | Arizona AZ | 94.4 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.3 | 6.915% |
| 34 | Montana MT | 93.4 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.2 | 6.974% |
| 35 | Florida FL | 93.2 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.4 | 6.880% |
| 36 | Utah UT | 91.3 | Near National Average | – | 6.922% |
| 37 | Vermont VT | 90.9 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.1 | 6.909% |
| 38 | Maryland MD | 90.4 | Near National Average | ▼ 0.3 | 6.927% |
| 39 | Connecticut CT | 88.3 | Moderately Less Affordable | ▼ 0.3 | 7.012% |
| 40 | Nevada NV | 87.1 | Moderately Less Affordable | ▼ 0.2 | 6.748% |
| 41 | New Hampshire NH | 86.4 | Moderately Less Affordable | ▼ 0.1 | 7.303% |
| 42 | New Jersey NJ | 84.4 | Moderately Less Affordable | ▼ 0.2 | 6.930% |
| 43 | Colorado CO | 83.9 | Moderately Less Affordable | ▼ 0.3 | 7.077% |
| 44 | Washington WA | 82.8 | Moderately Less Affordable | ▼ 0.1 | 7.047% |
| 45 | Rhode Island RI | 82.7 | Moderately Less Affordable | ▲ +1.2 | 6.710% |
| 46 | New York NY | 80.6 | Moderately Less Affordable | ▼ 0.4 | 7.101% |
| 47 | Oregon OR | 78.7 | Moderately Less Affordable | – | 6.937% |
| 48 | Dist. of Columbia DC | 78.2 | Moderately Less Affordable | ▼ 0.2 | 6.956% |
| 49 | Massachusetts MA | 77.0 | Moderately Less Affordable | ▲ +0.3 | 6.669% |
| 50 | Hawaii HI | 69.9 | Significantly Less Affordable | – | 6.711% |
| 51 | California CA | 68.0 | Significantly Less Affordable | ▼ 0.1 | 6.963% |
How the MBR-HAI Works
The MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index answers one question: how affordable is homeownership in this market, relative to the national average? A score of 100 equals the national baseline. Scores above 100 indicate markets where homeownership costs are below average relative to local incomes; scores below 100 indicate markets where costs are above average.
The index combines a qualifying income method using live daily mortgage rates with eight additional Census Bureau data components: median home values, household income, property taxes, total owner costs, and housing cost burden percentages. This 9-component formula gives the index both rate sensitivity and a grounded view of the full cost of homeownership.
The rate component updates from 30-year fixed averages computed from 13,038 verified mortgage rate quotes across 2,105 FDIC-insured banks and NCUA-chartered credit unions. Scores update each morning, computed from rate data captured the previous night. Census components update annually as new estimates are released. A 0.25% move in the 30-year rate shifts the national score by approximately 0.8-1.0 index points.
Score Interpretation
| 120+ | Highly affordable -- well above the national average |
| 110-119 | More affordable than the U.S. average |
| 90-109 | Near the national average |
| 70-89 | Moderately less affordable |
| 50-69 | Significantly less affordable |
| Below 50 | Among the least affordable markets in the U.S. |
Daily updates
Actual verified bank rates
National + 51 states
Taxes & cost burden included
Monthly updates
Estimated rates
National + metros only
Payment-to-income only
Download & Use MBR-HAI Data
Daily MBR-HAI scores for the national average and all 51 states are available in multiple formats, updated every morning. For press and research use, cite as “MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com” and link to the methodology page.
Complete daily history of national MBR-HAI scores and the 30-year rate used to compute each score. Excel and Google Sheets compatible.
2026-09-22,NAT,98.3,6.974
2026-09-21,NAT,…,…
Daily MBR-HAI scores for every U.S. state plus the District of Columbia, with the state-specific rate used in each calculation. One row per state per day.
2026-09-22,WV,146.2,6.974
2026-09-22,AR,137.4,6.834
Press & Citation Resources
Ready-to-publish sentences using today's data, an email template you can send to clients, and direct contact for press inquiries or custom data requests.
Ready-to-Publish Sentences
Each sentence updates daily with the live score. Free for editorial use with attribution to MonitorBankRates.
The MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index for the United States stood at 98.3 on September 21, 2026, indicating near national average conditions for U.S. homeownership relative to the long-term national baseline. The index reflects a 30-year mortgage rate average of 6.974% across 2,105 verified lenders, combined with U.S. Census Bureau housing, income, and cost-burden data.
“At 98.3, today's MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index sits below the 100 baseline, meaning purchasing power for U.S. homebuyers is weaker than the long-run reference computed at a 6.5% mortgage rate. The 30-year average is currently 6.974%, and conditions vary widely by state, from West Virginia's 146.2 at the top to California's 68.0 at the bottom.”
Brian McKay, MonitorBankRates
🏠 MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index. U.S. score: 98.3 (Near National Average). 30-yr mortgage avg: 6.97%. Most affordable state: West Virginia (146.2). Least: California (68.0). Updated daily · via @MonitorBankRates → https://www.monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/
Housing affordability in the U.S. is currently sitting at 98.3 on the MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, where 100 represents the long-term baseline at a 6.5% reference rate. With 30-year mortgage rates running 6.97%, the national picture reflects near national average conditions for buyers. Affordability varies dramatically by state right now: West Virginia tops the list at 146.2, while California sits at the bottom with 68.0.
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For Press & Researchers
The MBR-HAI is free to cite for editorial, academic, and policy use with attribution. We're happy to provide additional support:
- Custom data cuts: specific states, metros, or historical slices on request
- Embargo-friendly releases: give us 24 hours notice for scheduled coverage
- Background interviews: methodology, market context, or commentary on rate moves
- Direct contact: contact form or reply to any address listed there
For our published citation history and recent media mentions, see MBR in the Press.
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