Many Professionals Cannot Afford to Live Where They Work

Doctors, first responders, restaurant workers, and teachers are increasingly unable to afford living in the communities that they serve. For teachers, only 7 percent of the metros studied are more affordable this year over last.

Restaurant workers are the lowest wage earners Trulia studied for 2018, and face the toughest obstacles on their path to affording a home. In 2017, the share of affordable homes for restaurant workers was in the single digits for 56 out of 93 markets. This year, the number of markets has risen to 61. The data show that one metro, Detroit, has become more affordable to this cohort, with a share of 50.6 percent.

Computer programmers, the core workers within the San Francisco-Bay Area and Seattle’s thriving tech industries, are viewed as immune to rising prices. Yet, they also struggle to afford what is available. In San Francisco and San Jose, Calif., programmers can only afford 4.8 percent and 11.8 percent of homes on the market, respectively. This group earned a median wage of $122,993 in San Francisco and $115,660 in San Jose. Median home prices are $1,477,038 and $1,199,000, respectively.

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