Buying a home with one income can obviously be more financially challenging than buying one with two incomes.
That said, buying a home one with income is much easier in some states than others. In fact, a new analysis by MoneyLion set out to determine which states are the most affordable and most expensive for buying a home as a single person.
To come up with the list, MoneyLion looked at the average home value for each state, based on data from Zillow (as of January 2026). Then, the company calculated the minimum salary to “comfortably” afford a home of that price, meaning that housing costs would account for no more than 28 percent of the individual’s income.
Read on to find out which states MoneyLion determined to be the most and least affordable for single homebuyers in 2026.
According to MoneyLion’s report, West Virginia is the most affordable state for singles to buy a home. The state’s average home value is $168,181, which is the lowest of all 50 states. There, single homebuyers can afford to buy a house with a salary of around $35,000 plus a 20 percent down payment or a $39,000 salary with a 10 percent down payment.
Mississippi had the second lowest average home value, coming in at $185,617. There, you can buy a house with a $38,000 salary and a 20 percent down payment or a $43,000 salary and a 10 percent down payment.
Single homebuyers in Hawaii need the largest salaries to afford to buy a home. There, the average home value is $956,542. In Hawaii, you would need a salary of around $200,000 plus a 20 percent down payment to afford the average house or a $210,000 salary plus a 10 percent down payment.
California had the second highest home value at $778,888. To buy a home there, you’d need a salary of around $160,000 plus a 20 percent down payment or a salary of $180,000 plus a 10 percent down payment.
Curious to see how affordable buying a home is in your state? Check out MoneyLion’s full report for the complete list.
This story was originally published by Parade Home & Garden on Apr 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade Home & Garden as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
