Average Monthly Mortgage Payment by US State (2026)
Estimated monthly principal & interest on a median-priced home in every US state, based on a 10% down payment and a 30-year fixed rate of 6.8%.
Key findings
- National average: $2,168/month — across all 50 states and D.C., based on a 10% down payment at today's representative 30-year rate of 6.8%.
- Most expensive: Hawaii at $4,987/month — based on a median home value of $850,000.
- Least expensive: West Virginia at $997/month — based on a median home value of $170,000.
- 31 states exceed the 30%-of-income threshold — the widely-cited housing affordability benchmark. Families in these states are considered "cost-burdened" at median income.
- Most affordable: West Virginia — at 21% of median household income, it has the lowest housing cost burden in the US.
Monthly mortgage payment by state — all 50 states + D.C.
Sorted highest to lowest. Payment = principal + interest only. Taxes, insurance, HOA, and PMI are not included.
| State | Region | Median home value | Loan (10% down) | Est. monthly P&I | Housing burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii HI | West | $850,000 | $765,000 | $4,987 | 69% |
| California CA | West | $780,000 | $702,000 | $4,577 | 58% |
| Washington D.C. DC | South | $640,000 | $576,000 | $3,755 | 38% |
| Massachusetts MA | Northeast | $630,000 | $567,000 | $3,696 | 44% |
| Washington WA | West | $590,000 | $531,000 | $3,462 | 44% |
| Colorado CO | West | $560,000 | $504,000 | $3,286 | 44% |
| New York NY | Northeast | $530,000 | $477,000 | $3,110 | 46% |
| New Jersey NJ | Northeast | $510,000 | $459,000 | $2,992 | 35% |
| Utah UT | West | $490,000 | $441,000 | $2,875 | 39% |
| Rhode Island RI | Northeast | $450,000 | $405,000 | $2,640 | 41% |
| New Hampshire NH | Northeast | $440,000 | $396,000 | $2,582 | 34% |
| Virginia VA | South | $440,000 | $396,000 | $2,582 | 34% |
| Oregon OR | West | $440,000 | $396,000 | $2,582 | 39% |
| Florida FL | South | $420,000 | $378,000 | $2,464 | 41% |
| Maryland MD | South | $420,000 | $378,000 | $2,464 | 29% |
| Nevada NV | West | $420,000 | $378,000 | $2,464 | 40% |
| Connecticut CT | Northeast | $410,000 | $369,000 | $2,406 | 30% |
| Idaho ID | West | $400,000 | $360,000 | $2,347 | 38% |
| Arizona AZ | West | $390,000 | $351,000 | $2,288 | 38% |
| Montana MT | West | $390,000 | $351,000 | $2,288 | 40% |
| Maine ME | Northeast | $380,000 | $342,000 | $2,230 | 38% |
| Vermont VT | Northeast | $380,000 | $342,000 | $2,230 | 37% |
| Delaware DE | South | $370,000 | $333,000 | $2,171 | 32% |
| Alaska AK | West | $350,000 | $315,000 | $2,054 | 30% |
| Georgia GA | South | $340,000 | $306,000 | $1,995 | 32% |
| North Carolina NC | South | $340,000 | $306,000 | $1,995 | 33% |
| Tennessee TN | South | $340,000 | $306,000 | $1,995 | 36% |
| Texas TX | South | $340,000 | $306,000 | $1,995 | 33% |
| Wyoming WY | West | $340,000 | $306,000 | $1,995 | 33% |
| Minnesota MN | Midwest | $320,000 | $288,000 | $1,878 | 27% |
| South Carolina SC | South | $310,000 | $279,000 | $1,819 | 33% |
| Illinois IL | Midwest | $310,000 | $279,000 | $1,819 | 27% |
| South Dakota SD | Midwest | $300,000 | $270,000 | $1,760 | 31% |
| New Mexico NM | West | $300,000 | $270,000 | $1,760 | 35% |
| Wisconsin WI | Midwest | $280,000 | $252,000 | $1,643 | 26% |
| Pennsylvania PA | Northeast | $265,000 | $238,500 | $1,555 | 25% |
| Nebraska NE | Midwest | $260,000 | $234,000 | $1,526 | 26% |
| North Dakota ND | Midwest | $260,000 | $234,000 | $1,526 | 25% |
| Indiana IN | Midwest | $250,000 | $225,000 | $1,467 | 26% |
| Michigan MI | Midwest | $250,000 | $225,000 | $1,467 | 25% |
| Missouri MO | Midwest | $240,000 | $216,000 | $1,408 | 26% |
| Ohio OH | Midwest | $235,000 | $211,500 | $1,379 | 25% |
| Kentucky KY | South | $230,000 | $207,000 | $1,349 | 25% |
| Kansas KS | Midwest | $230,000 | $207,000 | $1,349 | 24% |
| Oklahoma OK | South | $225,000 | $202,500 | $1,320 | 26% |
| Alabama AL | South | $220,000 | $198,000 | $1,291 | 25% |
| Arkansas AR | South | $210,000 | $189,000 | $1,232 | 25% |
| Louisiana LA | South | $210,000 | $189,000 | $1,232 | 25% |
| Iowa IA | Midwest | $210,000 | $189,000 | $1,232 | 22% |
| Mississippi MS | South | $180,000 | $162,000 | $1,056 | 24% |
| West Virginia WV | South | $170,000 | $153,000 | $997 | 21% |
| National average | $2,168 | — | |||
Housing burden = monthly payment ÷ (median household income ÷ 12) × 100. Green <30% (affordable), amber 30–39% (cost-burdened), red ≥40% (severely cost-burdened).
Analysis: where is homeownership most — and least — affordable?
Hawaii and California stand in a category of their own, with monthly payments of $4,987 and $4,577 respectively. Both states combine exceptionally high home values with only moderate household incomes relative to housing costs, pushing cost burden ratios well above the 40% threshold that the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) defines as "severely cost-burdened."
At the other end, West Virginia, Mississippi, and Iowa offer the lowest absolute monthly payments — all under $1,232/month. West Virginia is notable for combining both the lowest median home value ($170,000) and a relatively low median income, meaning affordability in absolute dollar terms doesn't always translate to a low burden ratio.
The Midwest offers the most consistent affordability: states like Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, and Kansas all sit below 20% cost burden at median income, suggesting families have meaningful room for other expenses and savings. By contrast, the entire West Coast (California, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii) exceeds 30% burden, and several Northeastern states (Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey) follow suit.
Important caveat: these figures cover principal and interest only on a 30-year fixed mortgage at the prevailing representative rate of 6.8%. Property taxes, homeowner's insurance, PMI (required below 20% down), and HOA fees are not included. In high-tax states like New Jersey, Illinois, or Texas, property taxes alone can add $500–$1,200/month to the true cost of homeownership. The "all-in" payment would push burden ratios significantly higher across the board.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average monthly mortgage payment in the US?
Based on state median home values, the estimated average monthly mortgage payment (principal + interest) is $2,168, assuming 10% down and a 30-year fixed rate of 6.8%. Note that actual average payments reported by the Fed and Freddie Mac include all outstanding mortgages originated at historical rates, which currently skews lower than this new-loan figure.
Does this include property taxes and insurance?
No — only principal and interest are included. Property taxes, homeowners insurance (HO-3), PMI, and HOA dues are excluded because they vary dramatically by county, lender, and property type. To estimate your all-in monthly cost, add roughly 1.2–1.5% of home value per year for taxes + insurance, divided by 12. Use our mortgage calculator to model the full picture with your specific numbers.
What is the 28%/36% rule for mortgage affordability?
The traditional guideline says your housing cost (PITI — principal, interest, taxes, insurance) should not exceed 28% of gross monthly income, and total debt (housing + all other debt payments) should not exceed 36%. This dataset uses a simplified housing burden ratio (P&I ÷ gross monthly income) as a proxy, so the "cost-burdened" threshold is set at 30% (slightly above 28% to account for rounding).
How often is this data updated?
Median home values are updated annually using the Zillow Research Home Value Index. Median household income figures are updated when the US Census Bureau publishes the latest ACS 5-year estimates (typically each December). The mortgage rate used reflects the prevailing 30-year fixed rate at the time of the most recent update — currently 6.8% as of May 2026.
Methodology & sources
- Median home values: Zillow Research Home Value Index (ZHVI), Q4 2025 estimates. Values are rounded to the nearest $1,000.
- Median household income: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates, 2023 release. Values rounded to the nearest $1,000.
- Mortgage rate: 6.8% fixed, 30-year term — a representative rate based on Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) week of 22 May 2026. Actual rates vary by lender, credit score, and borrower profile.
- Down payment: 10% assumed. This reflects the typical first-time buyer down payment and results in a loan-to-value ratio of 90%. PMI costs (~0.5–1.5%/yr) are not included.
- Formula: Monthly P&I = Loan × [r(1+r)n] / [(1+r)n − 1], where r = 6.8%/12 and n = 360.
- Excluded: Property taxes, homeowners insurance, PMI, HOA fees, closing costs.
Data last updated: May 2026. Corrections or methodology questions: see our editorial policy.
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