Want to live in one of the 50 most expensive ZIP codes across America? Key findings from new original research from GOBankingRates indicate the minimum income needed to comfortably pay for a home and mortgage starts at $684,000, and can reach nearly $2 million.
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GOBankingRates found America’s priciest ZIP codes by first isolating the 50 ZIP codes with the highest average 2025 home values via December 2025 data available on Zillow. Each ZIP code’s average monthly mortgage was determined assuming a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage with a 20% down payment and a rate of 6.09% and excluding any P&I, HOA fees or property taxes. From there, we found the minimum salary required to comfortably afford the home by assuming housing costs did not exceed 28% of gross income.
Key Findings
- Palm Beach, Florida’s 33480 ZIP code raced to first place as America’s most expensive. To comfortably afford a home, which has an average 2025 value of $9,336,055, residents need to earn at least $1,937,682 annually.
- The top five most expensive ZIP codes require a minimum income of $1,277,896. These ZIP codes are based in Palm Beach (33480), Aspen, Colorado (81611), Atherton, California (94027), Newport Beach, California (92657) and Sagaponack, New York (11962).
- California ZIP codes dominated the top 50 ranking. A total of 26 ZIP codes were mentioned with an even split of 13 in Southern and 13 in Northern California.
- Five of the nation’s priciest ZIP codes are in New York, New York — the most out of any U.S. city. They include 10014 (No. 6), 10065 (No. 10), 10012 (No. 18), 10011 (No. 26) and 10021 (No. 32).
- Colorado showed up strong. Four ZIP codes ranked in the top 50 including Aspen (No. 2, 81611), Snowmass Village (No. 8, 81615), Woody Creek (No. 9, 81656) and Telluride (No. 31, 81435).
- Only four Florida ZIP codes cracked the top 50. The Sunshine State displayed a modest turnout with Palm Beach (No. 1), Naples (No. 17), Key Biscayne (No. 39) and Boca Grande (No. 46).
Keep reading to see how much you’d need to earn to afford America’s 50 most expensive ZIP codes. Plus, find out which 10 ZIP codes are among America’s most expensive right now.
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1. 33480: Palm Beach, Florida
- 2025 average home value: $9,336,055
- Monthly mortgage payment: $45,213
- Annual mortgage payment: $542,551
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,937,682
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2. 81611: Aspen, Colorado
- 2025 average home value: $9,110,969
- Monthly mortgage payment: $44,123
- Annual mortgage payment: $529,470
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,890,965
3. 94027: Atherton, California
- 2025 average home value: $7,476,663
- Monthly mortgage payment: $36,208
- Annual mortgage payment: $434,495
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,551,768
4. 92657: Newport Beach, California
- 2025 average home value: $6,217,283
- Monthly mortgage payment: $30,109
- Annual mortgage payment: $361,308
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,290,386
5. 11962: Sagaponack, New York
- 2025 average home value: $6,157,104
- Monthly mortgage payment: $29,818
- Annual mortgage payment: $357,811
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,277,896
6. 10014: New York
- 2025 average home value: $5,953,316
- Monthly mortgage payment: $28,831
- Annual mortgage payment: $345,968
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,235,600
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7. 90210: Beverly Hills, California
- 2025 average home value: $5,622,626
- Monthly mortgage payment: $27,229
- Annual mortgage payment: $326,751
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,166,966
8. 81615: Snowmass Village, Colorado
- 2025 average home value: $5,601,661
- Monthly mortgage payment: $27,128
- Annual mortgage payment: $325,532
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,162,615
9. 81656: Woody Creek, Colorado
- 2025 average home value: $5,434,741
- Monthly mortgage payment: $26,319
- Annual mortgage payment: $315,832
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,127,971
10. 10065, New York
- 2025 average home value: $5,322,787
- Monthly mortgage payment: $25,777
- Annual mortgage payment: $309,326
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,104,735
11. 31561: Sea Island, Georgia
- 2025 average home value: $5,297,534
- Monthly mortgage payment: $25,655
- Annual mortgage payment: $307,858
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,099,494
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12. 90402: Santa Monica, California
- 2025 average home value: $4,979,262
- Monthly mortgage payment: $24,114
- Annual mortgage payment: $289,362
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,033,437
13. 93108: Montecito, California
- 2025 average home value: $4,861,713
- Monthly mortgage payment: $23,544
- Annual mortgage payment: $282,531
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,009,040
14. 94022: Los Altos, California
- 2025 average home value: $4,837,720
- Monthly mortgage payment: $23,428
- Annual mortgage payment: $281,137
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $1,004,060
15. 11976: Water Mill, New York
- 2025 average home value: $4,718,997
- Monthly mortgage payment: $22,853
- Annual mortgage payment: $274,237
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $979,419
16. 92625: Newport Beach, California
- 2025 average home value: $4,679,640
- Monthly mortgage payment: $22,663
- Annual mortgage payment: $271,950
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $971,251
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17. 34102: Naples, Florida
- 2025 average home value: $4,645,249
- Monthly mortgage payment: $22,496
- Annual mortgage payment: $269,952
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $964,113
18. 10012: New York
- 2025 average home value: $4,543,390
- Monthly mortgage payment: $22,003
- Annual mortgage payment: $264,032
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $942,973
19. 98039: Medina, Washington
- 2025 average home value: $4,485,216
- Monthly mortgage payment: $21,721
- Annual mortgage payment: $260,652
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $930,899
20. 92067: Rancho Santa Fe, California
- 2025 average home value: $4,446,012
- Monthly mortgage payment: $21,531
- Annual mortgage payment: $258,373
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $922,762
21. 92661: Newport Beach, California
- 2025 average home value: $4,399,378
- Monthly mortgage payment: $21,305
- Annual mortgage payment: $255,663
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $913,083
22. 94301: Palo Alto, California
- 2025 average home value: $4,393,874
- Monthly mortgage payment: $21,279
- Annual mortgage payment: $255,343
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $911,941
23. 11932: Bridgehampton, New York
- 2025 average home value: $4,362,848
- Monthly mortgage payment: $21,128
- Annual mortgage payment: $253,540
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $905,501
24. 83014: Wilson, Wyoming
- 2025 average home value: $4,312,009
- Monthly mortgage payment: $20,882
- Annual mortgage payment: $250,586
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $894,950
25. 94024: Los Altos, California
- 2025 average home value: $4,256,723
- Monthly mortgage payment: $20,614
- Annual mortgage payment: $247,373
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $883,475
26. 10011: New York
- 2025 average home value: $4,211,712
- Monthly mortgage payment: $20,396
- Annual mortgage payment: $244,757
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $874,133
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27. 29482: Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina
- 2025 average home value: $4,200,780
- Monthly mortgage payment: $20,344
- Annual mortgage payment: $244,122
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $871,864
28. 94304: Palo Alto, California
- 2025 average home value: $4,094,402
- Monthly mortgage payment: $19,828
- Annual mortgage payment: $237,940
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $849,786
29. 92662: Newport Beach, California
- 2025 average home value: $4,074,259
- Monthly mortgage payment: $19,731
- Annual mortgage payment: $236,769
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $845,605
30. 07723: Deal, New Jersey
- 2025 average home value: $4,058,549
- Monthly mortgage payment: $19,655
- Annual mortgage payment: $235,857
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $842,345
31. 81435: Telluride, Colorado
- 2025 average home value: $3,921,407
- Monthly mortgage payment: $18,991
- Annual mortgage payment: $227,887
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $813,881
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32. 10021: New York
- 2025 average home value: $3,896,220
- Monthly mortgage payment: $18,869
- Annual mortgage payment: $226,423
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $808,654
33. 95070: Saratoga, California
- 2025 average home value: $3,865,894
- Monthly mortgage payment: $18,722
- Annual mortgage payment: $224,661
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $802,359
34. 94028: Portola Valley, California
- 2025 average home value: $3,841,672
- Monthly mortgage payment: $18,604
- Annual mortgage payment: $223,253
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $797,332
35. 02108: Boston
- 2025 average home value: $3,751,498
- Monthly mortgage payment: $18,168
- Annual mortgage payment: $218,013
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $778,617
36. 94957: Ross, California
- 2025 average home value: $3,731,692
- Monthly mortgage payment: $18,072
- Annual mortgage payment: $216,862
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $774,506
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37. 90020: Los Angeles
- 2025 average home value: $3,689,408
- Monthly mortgage payment: $17,867
- Annual mortgage payment: $214,404
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $765,730
38. 90265: Malibu, California
- 2025 average home value: $3,653,198
- Monthly mortgage payment: $17,692
- Annual mortgage payment: $212,300
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $758,215
39. 33149: Key Biscayne, Florida
- 2025 average home value: $3,652,834
- Monthly mortgage payment: $17,690
- Annual mortgage payment: $212,279
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $758,139
40. 90049: Los Angeles
- 2025 average home value: $3,643,597
- Monthly mortgage payment: $17,645
- Annual mortgage payment: $211,742
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $756,222
41. 94123: San Francisco
- 2025 average home value: $3,546,712
- Monthly mortgage payment: $17,176
- Annual mortgage payment: $206,112
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $736,114
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42. 92091: Rancho Santa Fe, California
- 2025 average home value: $3,487,671
- Monthly mortgage payment: $16,890
- Annual mortgage payment: $202,681
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $723,860
43. 90272: Los Angeles
- 2025 average home value: $3,479,665
- Monthly mortgage payment: $16,851
- Annual mortgage payment: $202,216
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $722,198
44. 59716: Big Sky, Montana
- 2025 average home value: $3,407,695
- Monthly mortgage payment: $16,503
- Annual mortgage payment: $198,033
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $707,261
45. 94920: Tiburon, California
- 2025 average home value: $3,367,605
- Monthly mortgage payment: $16,309
- Annual mortgage payment: $195,703
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $698,940
46. 33921: Boca Grande, Florida
- 2025 average home value: $3,365,792
- Monthly mortgage payment: $16,300
- Annual mortgage payment: $195,598
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $698,564
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47. 94306: Palo Alto, California
- 2025 average home value: $3,341,355
- Monthly mortgage payment: $16,181
- Annual mortgage payment: $194,178
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $693,492
48. 08202: Avalon, New Jersey
- 2025 average home value: $3,326,064
- Monthly mortgage payment: $16,107
- Annual mortgage payment: $193,289
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $690,319
49. 95030: Los Gatos, California
- 2025 average home value: $3,315,046
- Monthly mortgage payment: $16,054
- Annual mortgage payment: $192,649
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $688,032
50. 94305: Stanford, California
- 2025 average home value: $3,297,423
- Monthly mortgage payment: $15,969
- Annual mortgage payment: $191,625
- Minimum income needed to comfortably afford home and mortgage: $684,374
Find more original studies and surveys in the GOBankingRates original research center.
Photo disclaimer: Photos are for illustrative purposes only. In many cases, the closest major city outside of the city/county mentioned in the article was used.
Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates first found the average 2025 for every ZIP code available on Zillow’s December 2025 data. We then isolated the 50 ZIP codes with the highest average 2025 home values. From there, we found the average monthly mortgage by using the following assumptions: a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 20% down payment with a rate of 6.09% as sourced from Freddie Mac for January 22, 2026, and with no P&I, HOA fees or property tax included. With the monthly mortgage rate found, GOBankingRates was able to find the minimum salary needed to comfortably afford the home by assuming housing costs could not exceed 28% of gross income. All data was collected and is up to date as of January 27, 2026.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Salary Needed To Afford America’s Priciest ZIP Codes
