Even higher paid workers struggle to afford homes in these metros

If even the highest paid professionals can’t afford a metro’s median-priced homes, what chance do the average workers have?

A new study from LendingTree has looked at the highest paid workers in each area and analyzed the amount they make on average above what is needed to afford their area’s median-priced home.

Architects and engineers are the highest paid professionals in 19 of the 50 largest US metros and can expect to make an average of over $1,000 more a month that what they need to afford a home.

Meanwhile, legal occupations are the highest paid professionals in the nation’s three largest metros – New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago – and make an average of $728 more than they need for a home in their area.

But the highest paid workers in San Jose and San Francisco, would need an extra $269 on average to afford a median priced home and those in San Diego would only have a $112 monthly surplus.

Top 5 affordable metros for high-paid professionals
The most affordable metros for each of their highest-paid professions are:

1. Houston (monthly surplus of $1,509)
2. Detroit ($1,455)
3. Washington DC ($1,330)
4. Hartford, CT ($1,273)
5. Chicago ($1,250)