If you have been following my blog, you are well aware that values are declining in many markets across the U.S., including markets in Florida, Texas, and Louisiana. As time goes on in this high interest rate environment, there are fewer remaining markets where values are still going up. If a new Fed Chair is eventually appointed who is more inclined to reduce interest rates, there may be a reduction in downward pressure on real estate values.
ATTOM’s Q1 2026 U.S. Home Affordability Report reveals persistent challenges in the U.S. housing market. Homeownership remained less affordable than historical norms in 97% of the 580 counties analyzed with sufficient data. This suggests that prices are still too high relative to incomes in most of the country. In the first quarter of 2026, typical monthly ownership costs for median-priced single-family homes and condos exceeded long-term averages in 560 of those counties.
This marks a modest improvement from the prior quarter, when 98% (567 counties) fell below historical affordability levels, and from Q1 2025, when the figure stood at 564 counties. Despite this slight easing, the data underscores ongoing pressures on prospective buyers amid elevated home prices and financing costs.
National Price and Wage Trends
According to ATTOM’s analysis, the national median home price rose 8% since Q1 2024, increasing from $333,438 to $360,000. Over the same period, average weekly wages grew by 6.4%, based on the latest available Bureau of Labor Statistics data through Q3 2025.
The national median home price held steady at $360,000 from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026. Year-over-year, however, median home prices advanced in 61.7% (358) of the 580 counties studied. Counties qualified for inclusion if they had populations of at least 100,000, recorded at least 50 single-family home and condo sales in Q1 2026, and provided sufficient data.
Largest Price Gains in Major Counties
Among the 45 counties with populations exceeding 1 million, the strongest year-over-year increases in median home prices occurred in:
- Honolulu County, HI (+12%)
- Cuyahoga County, OH (+5%)
- Tarrant County, TX (+5%)
- Queens County, NY (+4%)
- Franklin County, OH (+4%)
Top 10 Counties with the Largest Year-Over-Year Median Home Price Increases
A closer examination of ATTOM’s data identifies the counties—meeting the population and sales thresholds—experiencing the most significant year-over-year appreciation in median home prices during Q1 2026:
#1 – Mercer County, Pennsylvania
- Year-over-year change: +29%
- Q1 2026 median sales price: $129,050
#2 – Warren County, Kentucky
- Year-over-year change: +23%
- Q1 2026 median sales price: $296,000
#3 – Fayette County, Georgia
- Year-over-year change: +22%
- Q1 2026 median sales price: $524,927
#4 – Richland County, Ohio
- Year-over-year change: +22%
- Q1 2026 median sales price: $187,000
#5 – Dallas County, Iowa
- Year-over-year change: +21%
- Q1 2026 median sales price: $336,000
#6 – Blair County, Pennsylvania
- Year-over-year change: +21%
- Q1 2026 median sales price: $156,000
#7 – Comanche County, Oklahoma
- Year-over-year change: +20%
- Q1 2026 median sales price: $154,000
#8 – Florence County, South Carolina
- Year-over-year change: +18%
- Q1 2026 median sales price: $193,236
#9 – Fairfield County, Ohio
- Year-over-year change: +18%
- Q1 2026 median sales price: $323,900
#10 – Stearns County, Minnesota
- Year-over-year change: +17%
- Q1 2026 median sales price: $312,177
(Note: The original text lists “Q1 2006” for prices, which appears to be a typographical error; these figures represent Q1 2026 medians based on the report context.)
Conclusion
ATTOM’s Q1 2026 U.S. Home Affordability Report confirms that home prices continued to climb in a majority of U.S. counties, with year-over-year gains in 61.7% of markets. At the same time, affordability lagged historical norms in 97% of analyzed counties, highlighting sustained challenges for buyers despite modest quarterly improvements and wage growth in many areas.