The dream of finding an affordable home continues to be a significant challenge for many Americans, especially those in the middle-income bracket.
Middle-class households continue to face the largest supply gap, a critical issue highlighted in the May 2026 Housing Mismatch Report, a collaborative analysis from Realtor.com® and the National Association of Realtors®.
Buyers earning around $75,000 can currently afford homes priced up to about $261,140, yet homes priced below this point account for only about 23% of listings nationally, compared with about 44% in a balanced market. This represents an effective shortage of about 311,000 listings within reach of these middle-income households…