Affordability Has Continued To Weaken In Many California and Northeast Markets
Location 1997Q2 2000Q2 2003Q2
Salinas CA 71.58 48.60 50.42
Santa Barbara CA 71.88 65.48 61.86
Santa Cruz CA 84.47 72.00 63.49
New York NY 90.37 79.00 65.42
San Francisco CA 87.22 69.36 66.53
San Diego CA 98.70 76.50 66.76
Los Angeles CA 96.30 80.71 67.37
Santa Rosa CA 93.51 75.92 67.56
Orange County CA 100.56 76.81 68.02
San Jose CA 88.84 67.35 72.96
Redding CA 101.64 85.04 73.48
Barnstable MA 95.39 70.75 74.37
San Luis Obispo CA 94.36 85.19 81.55
Vallejo CA 123.96 90.57 82.01
Boston MA 110.51 76.48 82.94
Chico CA 108.44 90.61 84.74
 
Nation 143.55 132.51 143.24
Note: For each market, the index shows the share of a median priced home's mortgage that is affordable to households earning a median income. A lower number indicates less affordability.

Source: Economy.com