After soaring nearly 40% from 2020 to 2022, median home prices have since fallen 7.2% according to the Federal Reserve. Many housing markets saw steep declines in 2025, as inventory shrank and listings sat on the market longer.
Even so, many cities remain impractically expensive for middle-class buyers. Watch out for these five cities in particular that middle-class buyers should absolutely avoid — and check out five others for a closer look.
