economy
Hundreds of U.S. cities now have starter homes that cost $1 million, Zillow finds
June 15, 2026 / 11:53 AM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- 242 U.S. cities now have starter homes priced at $1 million or higher, a threefold increase since 2020.
- The pandemic's housing market conditions, including shortages and strong demand, led to soaring prices.
- California leads with 105 cities having million-dollar starter homes, followed by New York (41) and New Jersey (26).
- The Northeast is seeing more million-dollar starter homes due to persistent housing shortages not alleviated by new supply, unlike some Sun Belt markets.
- The typical starter home nationwide costs under $199,000, and the median home price is nearly $418,000.