The 10 Most Expensive Cities in the U.S. in 2026

Key takeaways San Francisco, Anaheim, and Los Angeles are the most expensive cities in the U.S., where median earners need to spend 70% or more of their income on housing. The majority of the most expensive places to live are located on the coasts—led by California, which accounts for seven of the top ten priciest cities. House prices skyrocketed during the pandemic and have only recently started to level out, straining budgets and putting a lid on demand in many places. Buying a house today is a pipe dream for many Americans. Monthly housing payments have hovered near record highs for years as mortgage rates and house prices remain elevated following the pandemic surge. The typical homebuyer today spends nearly 40% of their income on housing, according to Redfin data—well above the recommended threshold. To adapt, many people are instead choosing to rent long-term or leaning on family for help with down payments. Nearly all of the country’s most expensive major housing markets are concentrated along the coasts, where limited space and tight supply have long pushed prices upward. Prior to the pandemic, though, costs were more manageable. It wasn’t until after the pandemic housing b...