Home value increases surpassed median salaries in 25 metro areas last year, report says

Home value growth surpassed median salaries last year in 25 of 38 metropolitan areas across the country, according to research from real estate company Zillow.

To compare, Zillow said only five of these metropolitan areas saw home value appreciation outpace median salaries in 2020.

San Jose, California, had the highest median income – $93,000 – but it also saw the most home value growth with $229,277 in 2021, according to the research. San Francisco also experienced a major increase in home value appreciation that outpaced salaries.

“Those who owned a home saw their household wealth increase dramatically. But many renters witnessed that dream either soar out of reach or had to drastically adjust their expectations and plans,” said Zillow economist Nicole Bachaud in a press release.

Detroit and St. Louis were among the cities with the lowest home value growth to income ratio.

Metro areas also saw a rise in rents, up 16% from the previous year. The growth was even bigger in Sun Belt cities like Miami and Phoenix, where rents surged 25%, according to Zillow.

Housing prices have continued to increase, meanwhile, driven by tight supply and rising mortgage rates, which recently surged to 4.5%. Down payments on traditional 30-year mortgages also grew by more than $10,000 last year, according to Zillow.