TEXAS — New data from Redfin shows the income needed to purchase a starter home in the U.S. is down 1.5%. As we dug deeper into the analysis, the affordability news is even better in major Texas cities.
“Prices have come down because of that increase in supply. So if you live in Austin, you have a better shot at affording that median-priced home than somebody living in different parts of the country,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin.
In 2025, people looking to buy a starter home in Austin needed an annual income of about $98,664, according to Redfin. This year, that’s down just about $6,000 — the biggest decline among the cities in the analysis.
“The reason that Austin prices have come down so much in the income needed to afford an Austin home has come down so much, is because it was the epicenter of all the building that happened,” said Fairweather…