Housing Affordability

The 25 most affordable and 25 least affordable U.S. housing markets in the first quarter of 1994, according to the National Assn. of Home Builders. The number corresponding to each area is the percentage of homes sold that were within reach of the median-income household at the prevailing mortgage interest rate.

Most Affordable Metro Area: Pct Vineland, N.J.: 95.6 Brazoria, Tex.: 95.3 Kokomo, Ind.: 93.6 Elkhart, Ind.: 92.8 Milwaukee: 92.1 Rockford, Ill.: 91.9 Lansing, Mich.: 91.8 Peoria, Ill.: 91.6 Nashua, N.H.: 91.5 Binghamton, N.Y.: 91.4 Lima, Ohio: 90.9 Grand Rapids, Mich.: 90.9 Springfield, Ill.: 90.7 Ft. Wayne, Ind.: 90.7 Duluth, Minn.: 90.6 Beaumont, Tex.: 90.5 Lawrence, Mass.: 90.1 Davenport, Iowa: 89.8 Lakeland, Fla.: 89.7 Syracuse, N.Y.: 89.7 Melbourne, Fla.: 89.3 Minneapolis: 89.1 Youngstown, Ohio: 88.5 Hamilton, Ohio: 88.2 Buffalo, N.Y.: 88.1

Least Affordable Metro Area: Pct San Francisco: 21.7 Salinas, Calif.: 34.0 Santa Cruz, Calif.: 41.1 San Luis Obispo, Calif.: 43.5 Los Angeles: 45.4 Honolulu: 45.5 Santa Barbara: 46.2 Santa Rosa, Calif.: 46.7 New York City: 47.0 San Diego: 48.2 San Jose: 49.9 Stamford, Conn.: 51.2 Oakland: 51.4 Orange County: 52.9 Yolo County, Calif.: 55.5 Reno: 58.3 El Paso: 59.3 Vallejo, Calif.: 62.8 Barnstable, Mass.: 63.2 Stockton: 63.5 Ventura: 63.5 Bridgeport, Conn.: 64.2 Fresno: 64.4 Chico, Calif.: 64.4 Danbury, Conn.: 66.0