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Homeownership is to the American dream. It offers , security, community, and countless other benefits. Yet for many California residents, the dream feels increasingly out of reach—even as and fall. Near-record prices have made homes hard to come by and often even harder to afford, leaving buyers and sellers and younger generations .

But affordable pockets still exist. In cities across the state, residents can comfortably spend around 30% of their income or less on housing, which is widely considered the affordable threshold.

To find out where these cities are, ranked the most affordable cities in California, based on their local payment to income ratios. All data is an average for the January-October 2025 period. To see the most affordable cities in the country, read this .

#1. Elk Grove, California
- Payment to income ratio: 40.9%
- Median sale price: $652,686
- Median household income: $122,229
- Income needed to buy: $166,672
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $4,167
- See homes for sale in Elk Grove on

#2. Roseville, California
- Payment to income ratio: 41.8%
- Median sale price: $639,738
- Median household income: $117,354
- Income needed to buy: $163,365
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $4,084
- See homes for sale in Roseville on

#3. Folsom, California
- Payment to income ratio: 43.2%
- Median sale price: $785,749
- Median household income: $139,263
- Income needed to buy: $200,651
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $5,016
- See homes for sale in Folsom on

#4. Tracy, California
- Payment to income ratio: 43.4%
- Median sale price: $669,832
- Median household income: $118,253
- Income needed to buy: $171,050
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $4,276
- See homes for sale in Tracy on

#5. Brentwood, California
- Payment to income ratio: 43.9%
- Median sale price: $800,505
- Median household income: $139,567
- Income needed to buy: $204,419
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $5,110
- See homes for sale in Brentwood on

#6. Vacaville, California
- Payment to income ratio: 44.0%
- Median sale price: $624,077
- Median household income: $108,580
- Income needed to buy: $159,366
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $3,984
- See homes for sale in Vacaville on

#7. West Sacramento, California
- Payment to income ratio: 45.0%
- Median sale price: $533,498
- Median household income: $90,791
- Income needed to buy: $136,236
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $3,406
- See homes for sale in West Sacramento on

#8. Rocklin, California
- Payment to income ratio: 45.3%
- Median sale price: $714,548
- Median household income: $120,916
- Income needed to buy: $182,469
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $4,562
- See homes for sale in Rocklin on

#9. Pittsburg, California
- Payment to income ratio: 45.4%
- Median sale price: $599,349
- Median household income: $101,099
- Income needed to buy: $153,051
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $3,826
- See homes for sale in Pittsburg on

#10. Eastvale, California
- Payment to income ratio: 45.8%
- Median sale price: $963,429
- Median household income: $161,322
- Income needed to buy: $246,024
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $6,151
- See homes for sale in Eastvale on

#11. Sacramento, California
- Payment to income ratio: 45.9%
- Median sale price: $501,506
- Median household income: $83,753
- Income needed to buy: $128,066
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $3,202
- See homes for sale in Sacramento on

#12. Vallejo, California
- Payment to income ratio: 45.9%
- Median sale price: $536,317
- Median household income: $89,496
- Income needed to buy: $136,955
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $3,424
- See homes for sale in Vallejo on

#13. Fairfield, California
- Payment to income ratio: 46.4%
- Median sale price: $619,532
- Median household income: $102,321
- Income needed to buy: $158,205
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $3,955
- See homes for sale in Fairfield on

#14. Yucaipa, California
- Payment to income ratio: 48.4%
- Median sale price: $583,457
- Median household income: $92,401
- Income needed to buy: $148,993
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $3,725
- See homes for sale in Yucaipa on

#15. Temecula, California
- Payment to income ratio: 48.9%
- Median sale price: $751,458
- Median household income: $117,840
- Income needed to buy: $191,895
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $4,797
- See homes for sale in Temecula on

#16. Antioch, California
- Payment to income ratio: 49.3%
- Median sale price: $606,135
- Median household income: $94,256
- Income needed to buy: $154,784
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $3,870
- See homes for sale in Antioch on

#17. Citrus Heights, California
- Payment to income ratio: 49.6%
- Median sale price: $499,234
- Median household income: $77,167
- Income needed to buy: $127,486
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $3,187
- See homes for sale in Citrus Heights on

#18. Woodland, California
- Payment to income ratio: 49.7%
- Median sale price: $570,077
- Median household income: $87,880
- Income needed to buy: $145,576
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $3,639
- See homes for sale in Woodland on

#19. Redlands, California
- Payment to income ratio: 50.6%
- Median sale price: $655,445
- Median household income: $99,158
- Income needed to buy: $167,376
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $4,184
- See homes for sale in Redlands on

#20. Carmichael, California
- Payment to income ratio: 50.9%
- Median sale price: $560,129
- Median household income: $84,376
- Income needed to buy: $143,036
- Median monthly mortgage payment: $3,576
- See homes for sale in Carmichael on