These 10 States Make It Easier to Save for a Down Payment

Saving up for a house down payment can take a long time—sometimes decades, depending on where you live in the United States. While buying a home may seem out of reach for many, there are some states where achieving this goal is easier.

A recent study by ConsumerAffairs looked at how long it would take to save up for a 10% down payment in each state. The study compared average household income to average home prices and also considered taxes and basic living expenses.
 

Where It’s Easiest to Save

Iowa is the state where it’s fastest to save for a home, taking about 8.7 years to put aside enough for a 10% down payment. On the other end, California takes the longest—about 25.1 years. Across all 50 states, the average is 14.4 years.

Here are the 10 states where you can save for a down payment the fastest, according to the study:
 

State	Time to Save	Median Household Income	Median Home Price
Iowa	8.7 years	$75,501	$247,400
Ohio	9.9 years	$72,212	$261,700
Texas	10.3 years	$79,721	$339,400
Maryland	10.3 years	$102,905	$439,300
North Dakota	10.6 years	$77,871	$298,200
Kansas	10.6 years	$75,514	$292,600
Oklahoma	10.7 years	$66,148	$252,900
Illinois	10.7 years	$83,211	$303,300
Alaska	10.9 years	$95,665	$402,800
Indiana	11.0 years	$71,959	$276,000

 

What Makes These States Affordable?

The main reason it’s easier to save in these states is that home prices are generally lower than the national average of $410,800 (per US Census Bureau data).

In most of these states, family incomes are around the national average of $83,730, so lower home prices make a big difference.

Taxes and basic living expenses also play a role, affecting how much money families can save each year.

The study found that annual taxes can differ by around $15,000 between states, and the cost of necessities can range from the mid-$20,000s to just above $40,000 per year.

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