🏆 Buffalo Gets the Billing for Top Spot 🏆

Buffalo, New York, is America's best overall city in 2023! It is also the second-best city for commuters and has seen the second-lowest increase in home prices in the nation, making it one of the best cities to live in the U.S.

Best of Real Estate | Best of Food | Best of the Rest | Methodology | FAQ

In an era when many Americans grapple with the decision to stay or go, understanding how one's city compares to others becomes paramount. Our "Best of 2023" analysis serves as a resource to help Americans weigh the pros and cons of staying in their current location or seeking greener pastures elsewhere.

After analyzing the results of 16 studies we published this year on Semya-Moya and our sister sites,  our No. 1 city is Buffalo, New York, home to the Bills and one of the world's few radial street systems. 

Much has changed from our "Best of 2022" retrospective. Notable rank changes include significant gains for San Francisco, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh — which all moved up more than 20 spots — as well as notable declines for Providence, Orlando, and Tampa — which dropped 20 spots. 

This year, Pittsburgh, Austin, and San Francisco tied for the most No. 1 rankings in our studies. Each of these cities took home the No. 1 spot twice: Pittsburgh for Best Beer Cities and Home Prices vs. Income; Austin for Best BBQ Cities and Best Taco Cities; and San Francisco for Inflation vs. Home Prices and Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities.

You can see where your city ranks in every study here:

• Commuter Cities
• Home Prices vs. Income
• Best Cities for Stoners
• Rent Prices vs. Income
• Cities With the Best Drivers
• Price Per Square Foot
• Pizza Cities
• BBQ Cities
• Beer Cities
• Burger Cities
• Bike Cities
• Coffee Cities
• Inflation vs. Home Prices
• Where People Want to Live
• Taco Cities
• LGBTQ-Friendly Cities

Best of 2023 Statistics 🏆

• The No. 1 overall city in America is Buffalo, New York, while the bottom-ranking city is Miami. Find out more below. 👇
• Buffalo's highest rankings were for Best Commuter Cities and Inflation vs. Home Prices, earning the No. 2 spot for both. Buffalo was also not in the bottom 10 in any of our studies in 2023. 👇
• Since 2022, home prices have surprisingly risen the least in San Francisco, where they've decreased 1.6%. Across the country, home prices have increased by 8% on average. 👇
• Miami's lowest ranking was for Inflation vs. Home Prices at No. 50. Its best was Best Pizza Cities at No. 8. 👇
• The best overall food city in America is Denver. It was our No. 3 Best Burger City and No. 5 Best Beer City. 👇
• The worst overall food city is Virginia Beach, Virginia. Its worst performance in a food-related study was Best Coffee Cities, where it came in 46th place. 👇
• In a survey of 1,000 Americans, respondents said Seattle is the most desirable place to live in the U.S. 👇
• The least desirable city was Washington, D.C. 👇
• Based on where its biggest cities landed in the rankings, Florida is the worst overall state. 👇
• San Francisco is the most LGBTQ-friendly city, while Memphis is the least. 👇
• Best Taco Cities was by far our most polarizing study of the year. Austin is the No. 1 city for tacos this year, but California had more cities than Texas in the top 15. 👇

Best of 2023 City Rankings

Best of Real Estate 

Our Best of Real Estate category compared the 50 most-populous U.S. cities based on their affordability. This year's category winner is Pittsburgh, which is the most affordable city for housing in the U.S. overall. The least affordable city is Los Angeles.

Three housing studies were used to compute the affordable housing score and rankings: Rent Prices vs. Income, Home Prices vs. Income, and Price per Square Foot, weighted equally.

The real estate study not included in the affordable housing ranking was Inflation vs. Home Prices, which tracked the increase in home prices and general goods over the past five decades. Several housing markets are still very expensive despite seeing decreases or minimal increases in prices. 

Rent Prices vs. Income

Rent Prices vs. Income examined changes in median rent prices and median income over time. We measured rent-to-income ratios for each city and found that Cincinnati has the lowest rent-to-income ratio at 15.5%. That means, on average, rent in Cincinnati is 15.5% of the median local income.

Miami residents take the biggest hit by paying 28.5% of their income on rent.

Top 15 Cities With the Lowest Rent-to-Income Ratio

1. Cincinnati, OH (15.5%)
2. Pittsburgh, PA (16.2%)
3. St. Louis, MO (16.4%)
4. Minneapolis, MN (16.6%)
5. Buffalo, NY (16.8%)
6. Milwaukee, WI (17.1%)
7. Providence, RI (17.2%)
8. Cleveland, OH (17.2%)
9. Kansas City, MO (17.2%)
10. Louisville, KY (17.4%)
11. Hartford, CT (17.5%)
12. Indianapolis, IN (17.6%)
13. Raleigh, NC (17.7%)
14. Columbus, OH (17.7%)
15. Oklahoma City, OK (17.7%)

Home Prices vs. Income

Home Prices vs. Income used the home-price-to-income ratio to determine the most affordable cities for buying a home. The study also looked at changes in income and home prices over time.

The most affordable city to buy a home is Pittsburgh, where the home-price-to-income ratio is 3.2, meaning the median home costs 3.2x the annual median income. San Jose, California, has the worst ratio — 12.1.

Top 15 Cities With the Lowest Home-Price-to-Income Ratio

1. Pittsburgh, PA (3.2)
2. Buffalo, NY (3.5)
3. Cleveland, OH (3.5)
4. St. Louis, MO (3.6)
5. Detroit, MI (3.7)
6. Oklahoma City, OK (3.7)
7. Louisville, KY (3.9)
8. Cincinnati, OH (3.9)
9. Indianapolis, IN (4.1)
10. Hartford, CT (4.2)
11. Philadelphia, PA (4.2)
12. Minneapolis, MN (4.2)
13. Columbus, OH (4.3)
14. Chicago, IL (4.4)
15. Baltimore, MD (4.4)

Price per Square Foot

With home prices as high as they are these days, it's important to look at how much home you're getting for your money. The Price per Square Foot study ranks cities based on the median square footage of local homes against median local income.

Cleveland has the lowest price per square foot at $133 per square foot, whereas San Francisco is the most expensive at $716 per square foot. 

Top 15 Cities With the Lowest Price per Square Foot

1. Cleveland, OH ($133)
2. Memphis, TN ($143)
3. Pittsburgh, PA ($147)
4. Indianapolis, IN ($158)
5. Birmingham, AL ($158)
6. Buffalo, NY ($169)
7. St. Louis, MO ($170)
8. Oklahoma City, OK ($170)
9. Louisville, KY ($174)
10. Detroit, MI ($176)
11. Houston, TX ($179)
12. San Antonio, TX ($182)
13. New Orleans, LA ($186)
14. Atlanta, GA ($191)
15. Kansas City, MO ($193)

Inflation vs. Home Prices

Inflation vs. Home Prices tracked the increase in home prices and general goods over the past five decades. This was not included in the overall affordability ranking, as several markets are still very expensive despite seeing decreases or minimal increases in prices. 

In this study, we found that median home sale prices rose 1,858% since 1970, while inflation, determined by the price of overall goods, rose 677%.

Since 2022, San Francisco experienced the smallest increase in home prices — a decrease of 1.6%. With the typical home value surpassing $1 million, San Francisco is notorious for exorbitant home prices, but buyers are now holding out on purchasing homes. Due to falls in demand, sellers are beginning to lower their prices.

Increasing 16%, Miami saw the biggest jump in home prices since 2022. Florida as a whole is the most expensive state in the South according to our research. This caused its major cities to fare poorly. Orlando, Tampa, Miami, and Jacksonville are all among the 10 cities with the highest home-price increases since 2022.

Top 15 Cities With the Lowest Home-Price Inflation

1. San Francisco, CA (-1.6%)
2. New Orleans, LA (-0.2%)
3. Sacramento, CA (0.7%)
4. Portland, OR (2.2%)
5. Salt Lake City, UT (2.5%)
6. Denver, CO (2.6%)
7. Seattle, WA (2.9%)
8. San Jose, CA (3.1%)
9. Minneapolis, MN (3.2%)
10. Washington, DC (3.3%)
11. Phoenix, AZ (3.6%)
12. Austin, TX (3.7%)
13. Los Angeles, CA (3.9%)
14. Baltimore, MD (4.3%)
15. Las Vegas, NV (4.5%)

Best of Food

The Best of Food ranking draws from an analysis of six food studies published this year:

1. Best Coffee Cities
2. Best Pizza Cities
3. Best Beer Cities
4. Best Burger Cities
5. Best BBQ Cities
6. Best Taco Cities

Denver is the No. 1 city for food in America, consistently performing admirably across various categories. Despite not claiming the top spot in a single study, it secured a notable No. 3 ranking in Best Burger Cities and maintained a strong presence in every food-related study.  Denver is also our No. 2 city in America overall, making it one of the best cities to live in the U.S.

In contrast, Virginia Beach, Virginia, finds itself at the bottom of the foodie list. Its poorest showing was in the Best Coffee Cities category, ranking 46th.

Best Coffee Cities

Best Coffee Cities ranked America's big cities on how great they are for coffee lovers, using metrics such as coffee shops per capita and the average cost of local coffee.

The No. 1 coffee city in America is Baltimore, with 26 coffee shops per 100,000 residents. The worst coffee city, Louisville, Kentucky, has just 8 coffee shops per 100,000 residents.

Top 15 Coffee Cities

1. Baltimore, MD
2. Hartford, CT
3. Boston, MA
4. Providence, RI
5. Riverside, CA
6. Cincinnati, OH
7. Washington, DC
8. Philadelphia, PA
9. Pittsburgh, PA
10. Oklahoma City, OK
11. Dallas, TX
12. Los Angeles, CA
13. San Francisco, CA
14. Austin, TX
15. Salt Lake City, UT

Best Pizza Cities

Best Pizza Cities ranked America's largest cities on their pizza scenes. We looked at metrics such as the number of pizza places per capita, pizza-related Google search trends, and average Yelp ratings for local pizza places.

Detroit came out on top, securing the No. 1 spot, while San Antonio received our worst pizza city designation. The average large cheese pizza in Detroit costs just $14.83, compared to $20.23 in San Antonio.

Top 15 Pizza Cities

1. Detroit, MI
2. Hartford, CT
3. Boston, MA
4. Phoenix, AZ
5. Philadelphia, PA
6. San Diego, CA
7. Denver, CO
8. Miami, FL
9. Buffalo, NY
10. Pittsburgh, PA
11. Cleveland, OH
12. Los Angeles, CA
13. Baltimore, MD
14. New Orleans, LA
15. San Francisco, CA

Best Beer Cities

Best Beer Cities ranked cities on their brewery scenes and their attractiveness to beer enthusiasts. Metrics included the number of breweries per capita and affordability of imported beer.

Pittsburgh is the country's No. 1 beer city, with 2.34 breweries per 100,000 residents. Los Angeles, the worst beer city, has just 0.26 breweries per 100,000 residents.  

Top 15 Beer Cities

1. Pittsburgh, PA
2. Cincinnati, OH
3. Milwaukee, WI
4. New Orleans, LA
5. Denver, CO
6. Louisville, KY
7. Indianapolis, IN
8. Nashville, TN
9. Charlotte, NC
10. Minneapolis, MN
11. Oklahoma City, OK
12. Jacksonville, FL
13. Hartford, CT
14. Seattle, WA
15. Buffalo, NY

Best Burger Cities

Best Burger Cities looked at the best cities for burgers in America based on metrics such as burger restaurants per capita, the average Yelp rating of burger and American-style restaurants, and the average cost of a McDonald's Value Meal as a measurement for local burger prices.

Richmond, Virginia, is the No. 1 burger city in America, whereas Riverside, California, is the worst. In Richmond, you could buy a burger every day for a year and it would only cost 4.8% of your annual income. In Riverside, you'd have to pay 8.1% of your annual income.

Top 15 Burger Cities

1. Richmond, VA
2. Milwaukee, WI
3. Denver, CO
4. Oklahoma City, OK
5. Louisville, KY
6. Cincinnati, OH
7. Birmingham, AL
8. Minneapolis, MN
9. San Jose, CA
10. Las Vegas, NV
11. Indianapolis, IN
12. Columbus, OH
13. Portland, OR
14. Austin, TX
15. Nashville, TN

Best BBQ Cities

Best BBQ Cities scoped out the best cities for barbecue in the U.S. Unsurprisingly, Texas cities dominated the top 10, with Austin taking the No. 1 spot, San Antonio coming in third, and Houston coming in seventh. Dallas is No. 16.

The worst BBQ city is Riverside, California, which has only 0.07 BBQ restaurants per 100,000 residents, compared to Austin's 1.7 BBQ restaurants per 100,000 residents.

Top 15 BBQ Cities

1. Austin, TX
2. Memphis, TN
3. San Antonio, TX
4. Birmingham, AL
5. Las Vegas, NV
6. Nashville, TN
7. Houston, TX
8. Oklahoma City, OK
9. Jacksonville, FL
10. Raleigh, NC
11. St. Louis, MO
12. New Orleans, LA
13. Buffalo, NY
14. Kansas City, MO
15. Tampa, FL

Best Taco Cities

Best Taco Cities was one of the most controversial studies this year. Americans take tacos very seriously, and several cities around the U.S. think they're the best. To find the best taco cities, we weighed metrics such as the average cost of taco supplies and the percentage of taco restaurants out of all restaurants in a city.

Austin, Texas, took the No. 1 spot for the second year in a row, while Cleveland came in last place. In Austin, 7.4% of restaurants are taco joints, compared to 1.5% in Cleveland.

Top 15 Taco Cities

1. Austin, TX
2. San Jose, CA
3. Las Vegas, NV
4. San Antonio, TX
5. San Diego, CA
6. Los Angeles, CA
7. Phoenix, AZ
8. Riverside, CA
9. Denver, CO
10. Houston, TX
11. Salt Lake City, UT
12. Oklahoma City, OK
13. Sacramento, CA
14. Milwaukee, WI
15. Richmond, VA

Best of the Rest

The Best of the Rest section highlights studies that don't quite fit into the real estate or food categories. These studies focus on quality-of-life measurements, such as road safety and LGBTQ friendliness, as well as the best cities for stoners, cyclists and other hobbyists: 

1. Cities With the Worst Drivers
2. Best Cities for Stoners
3. Best Bike Cities
4. Where People Want to Live
5. Best Commuter Cities
6. Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities

Cities With the Best Drivers

This study actually ranks the Cities With the Worst Drivers, but for the sake of our Best Of ranking, we focus on cities with the best drivers. 

The best city for drivers may come as a  surprise — New York City. Most New Yorkers use some form of public transportation, which ultimately contributes to higher road safety, despite the city's reputation for traffic.

The worst city for drivers is Jacksonville, Florida, where there are 10.9 annual driving deaths per 100,000 residents. In New York City, that number is only 3.3.

Top 15 Cities With the Best Drivers

1. New York, NY
2. Minneapolis, MN
3. Salt Lake City, UT
4. Boston, MA
5. San Francisco, CA
6. Buffalo, NY
7. San Jose, CA
8. Raleigh, NC
9. Washington, DC
10. Los Angeles, CA
11. Chicago, IL
12. Milwaukee, WI
13. Indianapolis, IN
14. San Diego, CA
15. Virginia Beach, VA

Best Cities for Stoners

Best Cities for Stoners ranks America's biggest cities on how great they are for weed enthusiasts. It takes into account the legality of cannabis, the number of cannabis-prescribing doctors per capita, the affordability of weed, and more.

Portland, Oregon, came in first place, whereas Birmingham, Alabama, came in last. Portland was one of the first major American cities to legalize weed, and it also boasts affordable weed. An ounce of medium-quality cannabis costs an average of $187 in Portland, which is $65 less than the national average.

Birmingham, on the other hand, is located in a state where recreational cannabis is illegal and is only approved for limited medicinal use. The city has just 0.5 medical dispensaries per 100,000 residents – 84% less than the average city in the study.

Top 15 Cities for Stoners

1. Portland, OR
2. Denver, CO
3. Buffalo, NY
4. Seattle, WA
5. Baltimore, MD
6. Las Vegas, NV
7. Sacramento, CA
8. San Diego, CA
9. Los Angeles, CA
10. San Francisco, CA
11. Boston, MA
12. San Jose, CA
13. Phoenix, AZ
14. Detroit, MI
15. Hartford, CT

Best Bike Cities

Best Bike Cities ranks the best cities for cyclists and those who like to commute by bike. Some metrics we used for the study include overall bikeability, the number of bike shops per capita, and overall safety for cyclists.

Minneapolis is the best city for cyclists, while Memphis is the worst. Cyclists are only involved in fatal crashes at a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 residents in Minneapolis, whereas in Memphis, that rate is 0.37 per 100,000 residents — 164% higher.

Top 15 Bike Cities

1. Minneapolis, MN
2. Portland, OR
3. San Francisco, CA
4. Boston, MA
5. Washington, DC
6. Salt Lake City, UT
7. San Jose, CA
8. Denver, CO
9. Seattle, WA
10. Providence, RI
11. Hartford, CT
12. Milwaukee, WI
13. Raleigh, NC
14. Sacramento, CA
15. New York, NY

Where People Want to Live

Our Where People Want to Live study focuses on where Americans want to live if money was no object. It also examines the cities they would not move to under any circumstance. 

Seattle is the most desirable U.S. city, while Washington, D.C., is the least desirable, according to a poll of 1,000 Americans. Americans also consider Seattle the most underrated city, while New York City ranks as the most overrated.

Top 15 Cities Where People Want to Live

1. Seattle, WA
2. Tampa, FL
3. Charlotte, NC
4. New York, NY
5. Denver, CO
6. San Francisco, CA
7. Los Angeles, CA
8. Orlando, FL
9. Nashville, TN
10. San Diego, CA
11. Miami, FL
12. Austin, TX
13. Atlanta, GA
14. Las Vegas, NV
15. Washington, DC

Best Commuter Cities

Our Best Commuter Cities study looks at the best cities for Americans who commute by car or use public transportation.

Overall, Salt Lake City is the best city for commuters, while Houston is the worst. Salt Lake City commuters lose just 12 hours to traffic annually. Houstonians lose a whopping 74 hours to traffic annually.

The best city for public transportation is, unsurprisingly, New York City, while Oklahoma City is the worst. About 28% of New Yorkers commute by public transit, and the public transit system scores 89 out of a possible 100. Just 0.4% of OKC residents commute by public transit, and its public transit system scores 17 out of 100.

Top 15 Commuter Cities

1. Salt Lake City, UT
2. Buffalo, NY
3. Raleigh, NC
4. Hartford, CT
5. Columbus, OH
6. Milwaukee, WI
7. Cleveland, OH
8. Cincinnati, OH
9. Minneapolis, MN
10. Richmond, VA
11. Pittsburgh, PA
12. Portland, OR
13. Virginia Beach, VA
14. Louisville, KY
15. Austin, TX

Most LBGTQ-Friendly Cities

The Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities study ranks America's most populous metros by how inclusive they are for the LGBTQ community. Metrics cover a range of factors related to political protections or regressions, as well as social and community aspects.

San Francisco ranks as the most LGBTQ-friendly city in the country, while Memphis, Tennessee, is the most unfriendly. San Francisco is not only located in a state with great protections for the LGBTQ community, it also has strong municipal protections and a thriving community.

Memphis is quite the opposite. Tennessee's state equality tally score is -11.5 out of a possible 43.5, while California's is near perfect at 43 out of 43.5. There are also just 0.22 gay bars per 100,000 residents in Memphis, compared to 0.63 gay bars per 100,000 residents in San Francisco — 186% more.

Top 15 LGBTQ-Friendly Cities

1. San Francisco, CA
2. Hartford, CT
3. Las Vegas, NV
4. Portland, OR
5. Denver, CO
6. Los Angeles, CA
7. San Diego, CA
8. Sacramento, CA
9. Chicago, IL
10. New Orleans, LA
11. San Jose, CA
12. Richmond, VA
13. Pittsburgh, PA
14. Baltimore, MD
15. Milwaukee, WI

Methodology

For the overall ranking, Clever compared the 50 most-populous cities based on normalized averages of each city’s score across 16 different weighted rankings for studies conducted throughout 2023. Each city's overall score is a sum of its rankings, divided by the lowest sum of rankings for all cities, multiplied by 100.

About Semya-Moya

Since 2017, Semya-Moya has been on a mission to make selling or buying a home easier and more affordable for everyone. About 12 million annual readers rely on Clever's library of educational content and data-driven research to make smarter real estate decisions, and to date, Clever has helped consumers save more than $160 million on Realtor fees. Clever's research has been featured in The New York Times, Business Insider, Inman, Housing Wire, and many more.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The post Find Out Why Buffalo, New York, is the No. 1 City in America (2023 Data) appeared first on Semya-Moya.

🕺 Laissez les bons temps rouler 💃

New Orleans has the most pride events per capita out of all metros studied. It hosts 0.32 pride events per every 100,000 residents — nearly 5x more than the average city (0.07).

Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities, Ranked | 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities | Top Cities by Category | 10 Least LGBTQ-Friendly Cities | Methodology | FAQ 

Policies pertaining to LGBTQ+ Americans and their rights have dominated headlines over the past year. Recently passed anti-LGBTQ legislation has underscored the urgent need to examine the most LGBTQ-friendly cities in America as many LGBTQ Americans announce they're on the move to more accepting cities, states, and even countries. 

The Human Rights Campaign declared a "state of emergency" for LGBTQ Americans and issued a national warning and guidebook, which highlights the ongoing struggles this community faces. We found in prior research that 38% of Americans still oppose same-sex marriage, a sobering reminder that the fight for equality is far from over.

Amid these challenges, we find glimmers of hope and resilience in various corners of the U.S. Pittsburgh's city council passed bills aimed at protecting the LGBT community, while Kansas City proudly declared itself an LGBTQ sanctuary city. Notably, New York City hosts one of the world's largest pride celebrations, attracting a staggering 2 million attendees and showcasing the vibrant and resilient spirit of its LGBTQ community.

Our study not only balances the fun aspects of the LGBTQ community but also the political realities necessary for LGBTQ Americans to thrive when they are moving across state lines for better futures amid rising costs of living.

To identify which cities are the most LGBTQ-friendly, our weighted rankings evaluated the following criteria: 

• 7x: Percent of state population that is LGBTQ
• 7x: Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) chapters per 100,000 residents  
• 6x: Designated LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per capita
• 6x: Number of anti-trans legislation passed at the state level
• 6x: Pride events per 100,000 residents
• 5x: National LGBT Chamber of Commerce chapters 
• 5x: Percentage of residents opposing to anti-discrimination laws
• 5x: Gay bars per 100,000 residents
• 3x: Percentage of residents opposing same-sex marriage
• 3x: Municipal equality score
• 3x: State equality tally score
• 3x: Inclusive curricular standards
• 2x: Parental opt-out laws
• 2x: "Don't Say Gay" laws

Find out how the 50 most-populous metros in the U.S. stack up against each other in terms of LGBTQ-friendliness.

Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities Stats 🏳️‍🌈

• San Francisco is America's most LGBTQ-friendly city, while Memphis is the least friendly. Jump to section👇
• California has the highest state equality tally score (100), while Tennessee has the lowest (-11.5).👇
• Fifteen of the 50 most-populous metros in the U.S. are located in states with "Don't Say Gay" laws.👇
• New Orleans has the most pride celebrations per capita (0.32), while Houston has the fewest (0.01).👇
• New Orleans has the most gay bars per 100,000 residents (1.43), while Riverside, California, has the fewest (0.06).👇
• Raleigh, North Carolina, has the highest number of LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per capita (5.73), while Buffalo, New York, has the lowest at just 0.09 providers per capita.👇
• Providence, Rhode Island, and Nashville, Tennessee, residents are the most supportive of anti-discrimination laws. Just 9% of residents oppose them. Kansas City, Missouri, and Birmingham, Alabama, have the highest opposition rate at 33%.👇

The 50 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities, Ranked

The 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities 

With five cities in the top 15 — including San Francisco, our No. 1 LGBTQ-friendly city — California is the most LGBTQ-friendly state. In terms of its policies, it has a near-perfect equality tally score of 43 out of 43.5, which is attractive to LGBTQ Americans looking to move to more inclusive states.

In addition to laws passed by their state congresses, the top 15 cities have enacted municipal laws that protect their residents. The top 15 cities have an average city municipal equality score of 99 out of 100. 

Only one city in the top 15 is located in a state that has passed anti-trans legislation. Louisiana may have restrictive laws, but New Orleans stands out from other cities in the South. 

The top 15 cities, of course, have a high number of gay bars per capita: 0.4 per 100,000 residents on average — compared to 0.22 in the bottom 10 cities.

Despite hosting the world's largest Pride celebration, New York City didn't make the top 15 — coming in at No. 20 instead. New York City has a particularly low number of PFLAG chapters, with just 0.05 per 100,000 residents — 38% fewer than the average metro (0.08). 

It also has just 0.49 LGBT-affirming health care providers per 100,000, which is 65% fewer than the average metro in our study (1.4). There are also no inclusive curricular standards in the state of New York.

1. San Francisco, CA

San Francisco got a big boost for being located in a state with such inclusive policies for LGBTQ Americans. However, it boasts some impressive stats on its own.

With a remarkable 0.63 gay bars per 100,000 residents, it soars 110% above the average city in our study, making it a vibrant hotspot for LGBTQ+ nightlife and culture. But it's not just about the party scene. San Franciscans are more inclusive than average, with only 12% opposing non-discrimination laws for LGBTQ Americans — 37% lower than the national average of 19%. 

At 6% of its total population, San Francisco's LGBTQ community slightly surpasses the national proportion of 5.1%, solidifying its status as a welcoming and diverse haven.

2. Hartford, CT

Hartford is the third-smallest metro in the study, so it has just 0.08 gay bars per 100,000 residents, which is tied with Miami for the third-lowest number. That's 73% fewer gay bars than the average city in our study (0.3). 

However, it makes up for this by having a more inclusive and supportive community than other cities. The Hartford metro area has 0.25 PFLAG chapters per 100,000 resident –  213% more than the average metro in our study (0.08). Additionally, just 11% of Hartford residents oppose same-sex marriage, the lowest percentage in the study. That's 59% fewer than the national response of 27%.

3. Las Vegas, NV

Las Vegas doesn't just dazzle on the famous Strip. It shines as an oasis of LGBTQ inclusivity. Just 19% of its residents oppose same-sex marriage. That's 30% fewer than the average city in our study (27%).

Keeping with its image, Las Vegas also boasts 0.57 gay bars per 100,000 residents — 90% more than the average city in our study (0.3). Las Vegas is home to the popular Hamburger Mary's and The Phoenix Bar & Lounge, both staples of the LGBTQ community.

With a state equality tally score of 40.5, Nevada as a whole scores an impressive 143% above the average state's tally score of 16.7. 

4. Portland, OR

When it comes to LGBTQ inclusivity, Portland isn't just leading the way, it's also setting the pace. With an impressive 3.07 LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per 100,000 residents, it rises 119% above the average metro in our study (1.4), ensuring the community's health care needs are met with care and compassion. 

Oregon's commitment to equality is also undeniable, with a state equality tally score of 38.5, an astonishing 131% higher than the average state's score of 16.7. Portland also benefits from having a thriving LGBTQ community. With 0.36 gay bars per 100,000 residents, Portland is home to 20% more than the average city in our study (0.3). 

5. Denver, CO

In Denver, diversity thrives. With a stunning 0.61 gay bars per 100,000 residents, it stands 103% above the average city in our study (0.3). This city doesn't just embrace love, it also champions it, with only 15% opposing same-sex marriage, a substantial 44% lower than the national average (27%).

Moreover, Denver ensures access to compassionate health care, boasting an estimated 1.75 LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per 100,000 residents, a solid 25% more than the average metro in our study (1.4).

6. Los Angeles, CA

The number of annual pride events in Los Angeles is tied with the national average at 0.07 per 100,000 residents. The L.A. Pride Festival & Parade is one of the most well-attended pride events in the country, with an estimated 146,000 attending last year. 

Los Angeles is also slightly more tolerant than other U.S. cities. Just 15% oppose non-discrimination laws, a noteworthy 21% less than the national average of 19%. Moreover, when it comes to same-sex marriage, the city stands out with only 25% opposing, a commendable 7% below the national average of 27%.

7. San Diego, CA

San Diego has long been a popular LGBTQ destination, dating to the 1950s when venues like Bradley's and Blue Jacket attracted travelers from all over the country. These days, the iconic Gossip Grill – a bustling lesbian-centered bar and grill – is a community standout that is a hot spot for LGBTQ tourists and locals alike.

Given its illustrious LGBTQ history, it's no surprise that people in San Diego are more progressive when it comes to LGBTQ topics. Just 14% of San Diego residents oppose non-discrimination laws, which is 26% lower than the national response of 19%. Furthermore, only 18% are in opposition to same-sex marriage, a significant 33% less than the overall national response of 27%.

8. Sacramento, CA

In Sacramento, just 17% of residents oppose non-discrimination laws — 11% below the national average of 19%. Additionally, only 26% oppose same-sex marriage, a heartening 4% lower than the national average of 27%. 

But Sacramento doesn't stop there — it's a city that actively fosters LGBTQ+ inclusivity. It boasts a National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce and the Sacramento LGBT Community Center, demonstrating its dedication to providing resources and opportunities for the LGBTQ+ community to thrive. 

9. Chicago, IL

Chicago has a reputation for being a progressive city in the Midwest, and the stats support that view. Chicago is home to 0.11 PFLAG chapters per 100,000 residents – 38% above the average metro in the study (0.08).

Chicagoans also seem to be a bit more tolerant than Americans in other cities. Only 15% of its residents oppose non-discrimination laws, a remarkable 21% lower than the national average of 19%. Moreover, just 25% oppose same-sex marriage, a modest 7% lower than the national response of 27%.

10. New Orleans, LA

With 0.32 pride events per 100,000 residents annually, New Orleans has 357% more pride events than the average metro in our study (0.07). It proudly claims the title of most pride events per capita, proving that in NOLA, celebration knows no bounds. 

But New Orleans doesn't just stop at parades and parties. It is home to 1.82 LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per 100,000, which is 30% more than the national average (1.4). 

When it comes to inclusivity, NOLA is an example in the South. Just 11% of its residents oppose non-discrimination laws — 42% lower than the national average of 19%.

11. San Jose, CA

In the heart of Silicon Valley, San Jose charts its unique course when it comes to LGBTQ+ inclusivity. Although it has 12% fewer LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per 100,000 residents than the average metro area (1.4), it's buoyed by its location in a progressive state and a near-perfect municipal equality score of 97 out of 100.

Its residents are also more tolerant than those in other cities. With just 17% opposing non-discrimination laws, it stands 11% below the national average of 19%. Moreover, in the realm of love and marriage, San Jose is a leading city with only 13% opposing same-sex marriage, a remarkable 52% lower than the national average of 27%.

12. Richmond, VA

Although Virginia could improve its policies pertaining to LGBTQ rights, its state equality score of 25.5 is still 53% higher than the average state's score of 16.7. 

Richmond, specifically, is slightly more tolerant than other cities in the country. Just 20% of Richmond residents oppose same-sex marriage — compared to 27% nationally.

When it's time to celebrate, Richmond knows how to do it right with a spirited 0.08 pride events per 100,000 residents annually, a robust 14% more than the average metro in our study,

13. Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh is leading the way in municipal policies that protect LGBTQ residents. These policies are backed by a thriving community whose culture is also putting Pittsburgh on the map as an LGBTQ destination.

Pittsburgh hosts 0.08 pride events per 100,000 residents each year — 14% more than the average metro in our study (0.07). 

But Pittsburgh isn't just about parades. It's also a city of acceptance. With just 14% of residents opposing non-discrimination laws, there are 26% fewer Pittsburghers in opposition to these protections than the national average (19%).

14. Baltimore, MD

With an impressive 0.14 PFLAG chapters per 100,000 residents, Baltimore is home to 75% more PFLAG chapters than the average city (0.08). Baltimore also champions health care accessibility, boasting an estimated 1.76 LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per 100,000 residents — 26% more than the national average (1.4). 

Although Maryland's LGBTQ+ population hovers just below the national proportion at 5%, Baltimore stands out with its dedication to progress. It not only hosts an NGLCC chapter, but it also proudly boasts a perfect municipal equality score of 100, showcasing a commitment to ensuring LGBTQ rights are protected via policy and support for LGBTQ business.

15. Milwaukee, WI

The Milwaukee metro area shines with 0.45 gay bars per 100,000 residents — 50% more than the 0.3 in the average city. Additionally, Milwaukee residents demonstrate a lower rate of opposition to same-sex marriage. Just 24% of Milwaukeeans oppose same-sex marriage, which is 11% less than the national average of 27%. 

Furthermore, Wisconsin earned a state equality tally score of 18.5, an 11% higher than the average state tally score of 16.7.

Top LGBTQ-Friendly Cities by Category

The 10 Least LGBTQ-Friendly Cities

Countless cities across the U.S. have a substantial way to go toward being more LGBTQ-friendly. These are the 10 least LGBTQ-friendly cities in America:

1. Memphis, TN
2. Houston, TX
3. Jacksonville, FL
4. Birmingham, AL
5. Miami, FL
6. Dallas, TX
7. Oklahoma City, OK
8. Tampa, FL
9. St. Louis, MO
10. Kansas City, MO

What stands out in the bottom cities is that they all have particularly low state equality tally scores. The bottom 10 average a state equality tally score of -3.15, which is 119% lower than the average state's score of 16.7. Seven out of the bottom 10 cities are also in states that have a "Don't Say Gay" law, one of the most restrictive laws targeting LGBTQ Americans. 

In addition, four of the bottom 10 cities don't have any NGLCC chapters, and they average just 0.75 LGBTQ-affirming health care providers per 100,000 residents — 46% fewer than the average metro in our study (1.4). 

Despite ranking so low on LGBTQ-friendliness, some cities in our bottom 10 do have some bright spots. Houston is home to Pearl Bar, one of the few remaining lesbian bars in the country, while Kansas City declares itself an LGBTQ sanctuary city. As for Jacksonville, it's tied for the lowest percentage of residents opposing same-sex marriage, along with Hartford at 11%.

Memphis, our least LGBTQ-friendly city, struggles with its location in Tennessee, a state with several anti-LGBTQ laws. Tennessee's state equality tall score is -11.5, nearly 2x lower than the average state's score of 16.7. Thirty-six percent of its residents oppose same-sex marriage, which indicates it has less support for LGBTQ residents materially and in terms of community. 

Methodology

Semya-Moya compared the 50 most-populous U.S. metro areas across 14 metrics, listed below. Each metric was normalized and graded on a 100-point scale. The combined weighted average of each score determined the overall “most-friendly LGBTQ+ city” score upon which the final ranking was based.

Data points were attributed to metropolitan areas as much as possible. For some, data attributed to the largest city in the metropolitan area or state was used.

The metrics used are as follows:

• Percentage of state population that is LGBTQ+ (11.1%)
• PFLAG chapters per 100,000 residents (11.1%)
• LGBTQ+ affirming health care providers per 100,000 residents (9.5%)
• Count of state-level anti-trans legislation (9.5%)
• Pride events per 100,000 residents (9.5%)
• Count of NGLCC chapters (7.9%)
• Percentage of population opposing anti-discrimination laws (7.9%)
• Percentage of population opposing same-sex marriage (7.9%)
• Gay bars per 100,000 residents (4.8%)
• Human Rights Campaign's municipal equality index (4.8%)
• Movement Advancement Project's state equality tally score (4.8%)
• Presence of state-level inclusive curricular standards (4.8%)
• Presence of parental opt-out laws (3.2%)
• Presence of "Don't Say Gay" laws (3.2%)

Sources: Human Rights Campaign, The American Values Atlas provided by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC), Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), Movement Advancement Project (MAP), OutCare, Yelp, Google Trends, and Gaypridecalendar.com.

About Semya-Moya

Since 2017, Semya-Moya has been on a mission to make selling or buying a home easier and more affordable for everyone. About 12 million annual readers rely on Clever's library of educational content and data-driven research to make smarter real estate decisions, and to date, Clever has helped consumers save more than $160 million on Realtor fees. Clever's research has been featured in The New York Times, Business Insider, Inman, Housing Wire, and many more.

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Frequently Asked Questions About the Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.

The post 2023 Data: The Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S. appeared first on Semya-Moya.

Best (and Worst) Cities for Commuters, Ranked | Top 15 Commuter Cities | Top Commuter Cities by Category | 10 Worst Commuter Cities | Public Transit Rankings | Commute Calculator | Methodology | FAQ

Dreading your daily commute or just the drive to the grocery store? You're not alone. To the chagrin of climate scientists, the COVID-19 pandemic has seemingly increased the number of Americans using their vehicles over public transportation. That increase in traffic isn't all in your head.

Meanwhile, despite growing urban populations, most metro areas have made only modest improvements to their public transit systems. A vexing question arises: Is commuting actually worth it?

Recent statistics reveal that working remotely saves workers an average of two hours per week in commute time, resulting in time that is being repurposed, such as doing more work, caregiving, and leisure.

Intriguingly, emerging research underscores the detrimental health impacts of even relatively short commutes — as brief as approximately 2 miles. But most Americans aren't given the opportunity to work from home.

Merely 27% of the U.S. workforce works from home. Furthermore, as numerous companies advocate for a return to in-person office settings, a deepening divide is growing between employers and employees in an already tense economic climate. In light of this public discourse, this study aims to find where commuters fare best.

To find the best cities for commuters, we looked at the 50 most-populated metros in the U.S. and ranked them against the following metrics:

• 4x: Annual hours lost to traffic: Average hours per year lost to traffic or congestion.
• 3x: Percent of workers who work from home: The percentage of workers 16 and over who work from home.
• 3x: Transit score: Public transit score given to each city by Walkscore.com.
• 2x: Time to work: Average minutes per day spent commuting to work one way. 
• 2x: Annual cost of commuting as a percent of income: How much of their income the average commuter spends on commuting every year.
• 2x: Annual fuel cost: How much money does the average commuter spend on fuel per year.
• 2x: Annual maintenance cost: How much money the average commuter spends on maintenance per year.
• 2x: Average annual insurance premium: The average annual cost of insurance in the metro area.
• 2x: Percent of workers who commute by public transit, excluding taxis: The percentage of workers 16 and over who commute to work by public transit.
• 1x: Distance of commute in miles: How far the average commute is in this metro.
• 1x: Opportunity cost: How much potential income is lost to time spent commuting to work.
• 1x: MPH during commute : Average MPH achieved during commute. A lower MPH means you're spending a lot of time going a short distance.
• 1x: Percent of major road miles in 'poor' condition: The percentage of miles of major roads surveyed — interstate, other freeways and expressways, other principal arterial, and minor arterial — that are in poor condition per the Federal Highway Administration's international roughness index. 

Keep reading to find out more about the most commuter-friendly metro areas and the dreaded daily schleps that some Americans have to make to work. 

Best Commuter Cities Stats 🛣

• Seattle has the highest average gas price per gallon ($5.10), while New Orleans has the lowest ($3.36). Jump to section👇
• The average commute time in the U.S. is 234 hours per year — or 27 minutes one way — and Americans spend an average of $8,189 commuting yearly. That's a 2.1% decrease in time and a 3.3% decrease in cost from the 239 hours and $8,466 spent on their commute in 2022. 👇
• Salt Lake City is the No. 1 city for commuters. Residents spend just 23 minutes one way and $6,527 on their annual commute. 👇
• Buffalo, New York, is the most affordable city for commuting, while Miami is the most expensive.👇
• Buffalo has the shortest one-way commute (22 minutes), while New York City has the longest (37 minutes).👇
• Buffalo and Memphis drivers lose the fewest annual hours to traffic at just eight, while drivers in Chicago lose the most time out of any city — 155 hours annually.👇
• The worst city for commuting is Houston, where the average commuter spends $933 on fuel just to get to work every year.👇
• New York City is the best city for public transportation with a transit score of 89 out of 100 and 27.8% of workers commuting via public transit.👇
• The worst city for public transportation is Oklahoma City, with a transit score of 17.👇

The 50 Best (and Worst) Cities for Commuters, Ranked

The 15 Best Cities for Commuters

Last year, the top three cities for commuters were Buffalo, New York; Salt Lake City; and Milwaukee. This year, Salt Lake City dethroned Buffalo, while Milwaukee dropped out of the top three, falling to sixth place behind Raleigh, North Carolina; Hartford, Connecticut; and Columbus, Ohio. 

Overall, gas prices have fallen from 2022. Last year, Salt Lake City's annual cost of fuel was $648. This year, it dropped to $582. Despite not making the top 15 best cities for commuters, New Orleans has the lowest average cost of fuel among all 50 metro areas at $3.36 per gallon. Seattle has the highest at $5.10 per gallon. 

Buffalo may have fallen to second place this year, but it still wins in affordability. Based on all financial metrics, it's the most affordable city for commuters, while Miami is the most expensive. 

1. Salt Lake City, UT

Commuters in Salt Lake City experience several advantages when it comes to their daily travel costs and time. They spend approximately $582 annually on fuel, 24% less than the national average of $763 for commuters across the U.S.

Moreover, Salt Lake City drivers lose a mere 12 hours to traffic each year, 76% fewer hours than the average U.S. driver loses (51 hours).

Salt Lake City commuters benefit from reduced vehicle maintenance expenses as well. They incur around $338 yearly – a significant 26% less than the typical U.S. commuter ($458). 

This financial advantage is complemented by the fact that 12.5% of workers in Salt Lake City have the convenience of working from home. That's 29% more remote workers than the average U.S. city (9.7%).

» Average commute time in Salt Lake City: 23 minutes

2. Buffalo, NY

Based on all finance-related metrics, Buffalo is the most affordable city for commuters. But that's not all. Buffalo also has the shortest one-way commute time in the entire study at just 22 minutes! 

Commuters in Buffalo also spend just 13% of their income on their commute every year, compared to 18% for the average U.S. commuter. That's a 28% difference. They also only shell out about $551 each year for fuel to get around. That's also 28% less than the $763 the average U.S. commuter spends. 

Meanwhile, Buffalo drivers also have an advantage when it comes to insurance costs, with an average annual premium of $1,111 — 37% less than the U.S. average ($1,759).

» Average commute time in Buffalo: 22 minutes

3. Raleigh, NC

Commuters in Raleigh spend $681 yearly on fuel, 11% less than the national average ($763). Additionally, Raleigh drivers lose a mere 14 hours to traffic annually, 73% fewer hours than average (51). 

Furthermore, drivers in Raleigh benefit from more affordable insurance premiums, paying an average annual cost of $1,159, or 34% less than average ($1,759).

Adding to the city's appeal, just 6.9% of major roads in Raleigh are in poor condition, 60% fewer than the national average of 17.4%. 

» Average commute time in Raleigh: 27 minutes

4. Hartford, CT

Hartford commuters enjoy a financial edge, spending approximately $619 annually on fuel – 19% less than the national average of $763.

The benefits don't stop there. Hartford commuters also retain more of their hard-earned dollars, losing about $4,921 in potential income each year due to their commutes. That's 6% less than the $5,209 carried by the typical U.S. commuter.

The city's roadways also paint a promising picture. Although 17.4% of major roads in urbanized U.S. areas suffer from neglect, Hartford stands apart with only 11.4% of its major roads in poor condition – a remarkable 34% less than average.

» Average commute time in Hartford: 24 minutes

5. Columbus, OH

Drivers in Columbus escape the clutches of traffic, losing a mere 18 hours per year on average. This stands as an impressive 65% fewer hours than the nationwide norm of 51 hours. 

Yet the perks of Columbus don't end there. Commuters in the city also lose less income because of their commutes than the average American — just $4,697 annually, 10% less than the U.S. average ($5,209).

The roads themselves reflect the city's dedication to smoother journeys. In a country where 17.4% of major roads in urban areas languish in poor condition, Columbus shines by having only 12.6% of afflicted roads — a notable 28% fewer stretches of potholes and uneven lanes.

» Average commute time in Columbus: 24 minutes

6. Milwaukee, WI

With an average of 32 hours lost to traffic each year, Milwaukee drivers spend 37% fewer hours stuck in traffic than the average American (51).  Not only is time conserved, but their wallets are, too. Commuters in Milwaukee spend about $385 on annual vehicle maintenance —  16% less than the typical $458 shelled out.

The daily commute in Milwaukee is also fairly streamlined, with local commuters spending a mere 23 minutes on one-way drives to work — 15% less than the U.S. average of 27 minutes. 

» Average commute time in Milwaukee: 23 minutes

7. Cleveland, OH

With an annual fuel expenditure of approximately $619, commuters in Cleveland spend 19% less than the average American getting to work ($763). As they navigate to work, drivers in Cleveland conquer time, losing just 20 hours annually to traffic — 61% less than the 51-hour norm the average U.S. driver experiences.

Cleveland drivers also enjoy cost-effective protection, boasting an average annual insurance premium of $1,522. This not only secures their journeys but also highlights a 13% cheaper premium than the average driver's ($1,759).

» Average commute time in Cleveland: 25 minutes

8. Cincinnati, OH

Cincinnati residents spend 16% of their income on their commute annually, an impressive 11% less than the U.S. average (18%).  Drivers also defy the clock, losing a mere 11 hours to traffic each year — 78% fewer hours than the nationwide average (51).

Yet, the true win lies in the dollars saved. Cincinnati commuters retain their earnings, losing only about $4,455 in potential income every year because of their commutes. This contrasts with the $5,209 burden the average U.S. driver carries. 

» Average commute time in Cincinnati: 25 minutes

9. Minneapolis, MN

With a public transit score of 55 out of 100, Minneapolis outshines the average transit score (42%) in other cities by 15%. But that's just one facet of Minneapolis's transportation landscape. In the Twin Cities area, 13.1% of workers opt for the convenience of remote work — 35% more than the average rate of 9.7%.

Minneapolis also has high-quality roads. Although 17.4% of major roads in the average U.S. metro area bear the scars of neglect, Minneapolis counters with a mere 3.7% of major roads in poor condition — a staggering 79% less. 

» Average commute time in Minneapolis: 25 minutes

10. Richmond, VA

Drivers in Richmond enjoy a remarkable advantage, losing just 23 hours annually to traffic's grip — 55% less than the average American (51). They’re also not losing out on income as much as other Americans. Their annual commute-related income loss is just $4,867. That’s 7% less than the $5,209 the average U.S. commuter loses.

As a beacon of progress, only 9.8% of major roads in Richmond are in poor condition, a stark contrast to the 17.4% total for the average American city. 

» Average commute time in Richmond: 25 minutes

11. Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh drivers savor their hours, losing just 34 hours annually to the clutches of traffic. That’s 33% fewer hours than the average American loses (51). This may be because 10.8% of Pittsburgh's workers embrace the freedom of remote work — 11% more than the average U.S. city (9.7%).

Although Pittsburgh has a reputation for having a confusing highway system, the city is at least in good shape. Only 14.7% of major roads in Pittsburgh are in poor condition, a striking 16% fewer than the average metro (17.4%).

» Average commute time in Pittsburgh: 27 minutes

12. Portland, OR

Portland is one of the more expensive cities in the country, but maintenance costs for the average driver amount to a savvy $369 annually, 19% less than the national average ($458). The city isn't just dominated by drivers, however. Another 5% of Portland's commuters embrace public transit instead — 19% more than the U.S. average (4.2%). 

Back to the roads: Only 11.1% of major roads in Portland are considered in poor condition. That’s 36% less than the national average of 17.4%. Talk about a smooth trip!

» Average commute time in Portland: 26 minutes

13. Virginia Beach, VA

Virginia Beach commuters spend a modest $629 on fuel, cruising confidently beneath the U.S. average of $763. But that's only the beginning.

With maintenance costs amounting to approximately $395 annually, drivers in Virginia Beach spend 14% less than the national average ($458). They also lose a mere $4,153 in potential income each year — 20% less than the $5,209 the average U.S. driver loses.

» Average commute time in Virginia Beach: 25 minutes 

14. Louisville, KY

Commuters in Louisville spend an average of $632 on fuel every year, which is 17% less than the national average of $763. This may be because their traffic is better than most American cities. Louisville drivers lose just 11 hours to traffic every year, 78% less than average (51).

They’re also saving more money than other Americans. In Louisville, commuters lose just $3,859 in potential income every year to their commutes — 26% less than the national average of $5,209. 

» Average commute time in Louisville: 24 minutes

15. Austin, TX

Austin commuters spend a mere $679 on fuel — 11% less than the average U.S. commuter’s $763. Yet, the city's allure extends far beyond the fuel gauge.

Austin commuters fare better than others when it comes to maintaining their vehicles, with costs of $447 annually — 2% below the national norm of $458. Its roads are kept in check, too. A mere 9.5% of major roads bear signs of wear and tear. That’s 45% less than the nation's average of 17.4%.

» Average commute time in Austin: 28 minutes

Best Cities for Commuters by Category

The 10 Worst Cities For Commuters

Every city can't be the best for workers on the go. Of the 50 most-populous metros, the following 10 are the least favorable for commuters:

1. Houston, TX
2. Chicago, IL
3. Atlanta, GA
4. Los Angeles, CA
5. Riverside, CA
6. Detroit, MI
7. Miami, FL
8. Dallas, TX
9. New York, NY
10. Philadelphia, PA

Commuters in the bottom 10 spend, on average, around 23% of their income on their commute every year. That's 26% more than the average U.S. commuter spends (18%). Commuters in the bottom 10 also spend, on average, $892 on fuel to commute every year – 17% more than the U.S. average ($763). 

They're also paying more for insurance premiums. Drivers in the bottom 10 have an average annual insurance premium of $3,038 — 73% more than the average American ($1,759). 

Interestingly, New York is one of the worst cities for commuters but the best when it comes to public transportation. NYC just isn't a great city for those commuting by car, but it is the best city for commuting by public transportation, with a transit score of 89 out of 100 and 27.8% of workers using public transit to commute to work.

The worst city for commuters overall is Houston, where the average worker spends $933 on fuel – 22% more than the U.S. average ($763). Houston roads also suffer. About 17.4% of major roads in urbanized areas across the U.S. are of "poor" quality. In Houston, however, 26.7% of major roads are in poor condition — 53% more than average. Houston also has a poor public transit score of 36 out of 100, compared to the average score of 42 among all 50 cities in our study.

Public Transit Rankings

Robust public transit systems are an important feature of a metro that is suitable for commuters. In urban areas, some commuters don't even own a vehicle and thus travel by public transit the majority of the time. 

The study's main focus is on car commuters, but it also aims to recognize metropolitan areas where the majority of workers either don't use cars or where strong public transit systems effectively serve the workforce.

We ranked cities based on two public transit-related metrics: their transit score via Walkscore.com and the percent of workers who use public transit to commute. The percentage of workers who use public transit to commute is weighted more heavily than the transit score.

New York City is the best city for public transit, not surprising to anyone who has visited or lived there. New Yorkers live in one of the few American cities where residents can get around fairly easily without a car. New York City also has a substantial bus system, but using the train system alone is sufficient for many residents.

Top 15 for Public Transit

1. New York, NY
2. San Francisco, CA
3. Boston, MA
4. Washington, DC
5. Chicago, IL
6. Philadelphia, PA
7. Seattle, WA
8. Baltimore, MD
9. Pittsburgh, PA
10. Portland, OR
11. Los Angeles, CA
12. Minneapolis, MN
13. Miami, FL
14. Denver, CO
15. Hartford, CT

On average, 7.9% of workers in the top 15 cities use public transportation, 88% more than the average American city (4.2%). These areas also showcase an average transit score of 61 out of 100, surpassing the study's metro average (42) by 45%. 

Notably, in New York City, an extraordinary 27.8% of workers use public transit for commuting, 7x more than the U.S. average (4.2%). Additionally, NYC earns an impressive public transit score of 89, which exceeds the study's metro average (42) by 112%.

Bottom 10 for Public Transit

1. Oklahoma City, OK
2. Birmingham, AL
3. Memphis, TN
4. Nashville, TN
5. Jacksonville, FL
6. Kansas City, MO
7. Indianapolis, IN
8. Virginia Beach, VA
9. Raleigh, NC
10. Charlotte, NC

On average, just 1% of workers in the lowest-ranking 10 cities for public transit actually use it, 77% less than the U.S. average (4.2%) These cities also have an average transit score of 25 out of 100, which falls 40% below the study's metro average (42). 

For instance, in Oklahoma City, our worst city for public transit, a mere 0.4% of workers use public transit for commuting, a substantial 90% drop from the U.S. average. Additionally, OKC's transit score is notably low at 17, indicating a 60% difference from the study's metro average (42).

Annual Time Spent & Cost of Commuting Calculator

Methodology

Semya-Moya compared the 50 most-populous U.S. metro areas across nine metrics, listed below. Each metric was normalized and graded on a 100-point scale. The combined weighted average of each score determined the overall “commuting city” score upon which the final ranking was based.

Data points were attributed to metropolitan areas as much as possible. For some, data attributed to the largest city in the metropolitan area was used.

The metrics used are as follows:

• Annual hours lost to traffic (15.4%)
• Public transit score (11.5%)
• Percentage of workers who work from home (11.5%)
• Annual cost of commuting as a percentage of annual income (7.7%)
• Annual fuel cost to commute (7.7%)
• Annual maintenance cost to commute (7.7%)
• Average annual insurance premium (7.7%)
• Average time to work (minutes, one way) (7.7%)
• Percentage of workers who commute by public transit, excluding taxis (7.7%)
• Average distance of a commute in miles (3.8%)
• Opportunity cost of commuting (3.8%)
• Estimated average mph achieved during commute (3.8%)
• Percentage of major road miles in "poor" condition (3.8%)

Here's how we defined our metrics:

Fuel: We estimated the cost of fuel by calculating the gallons of gas used to commute to work by dividing the average distance to work by the average miles per gallon across all light-duty vehicles (22.9 MPG) then multiplied that by the average gas price per gallon.

Maintenance: The cost of maintenance was calculated as the average cost of maintenance per mile (10 cents) multiplied by the average number of miles to work.

Opportunity: We estimated the opportunity cost of a person’s time as the amount of money they could have earned had they been working instead of commuting by multiplying the average hourly wage by the number of hours spent commuting to work.

Percent of income: We calculated the total cost to commute by adding the fuel, maintenance, insurance, and opportunity costs together. We then divided that by the median annual income to determine how much of a worker's annual income is attributable to annual commute costs.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, the U.S. Census, the American Automobile Association, the Brookings Institute, INRIX, GasBuddy, The Zebra, and Walkscore.com

About Clever

Since 2017, Semya-Moya has been on a mission to make selling or buying a home easier and more affordable for everyone. About 12 million annual readers rely on Clever's library of educational content and data-driven research to make smarter real estate decisions, and to date, Clever has helped consumers save more than $160 million on Realtor fees. Clever's research has been featured in The New York Times, Business Insider, Inman, Housing Wire, and many more.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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• 5x: Taco restaurants per 100,000 residents
• 5x: Average Yelp star rating of taco places
• 5x: Taco passion (Google Trends scores for five taco-related terms: tacos, tacos near me, taco recipe, taco truck, Taco Tuesday)
• 4x: Percentage of restaurants that are taco places
• 4x: Number of taco trucks per 100,000 residents
• 3x: Price of taco supplies (Prices for 1 pound each of cheese, chicken, lettuce, tomato, and onion)
• 3x: Affordability of taco supplies (Taco supplies cost as a percentage of average income)

The 50 Best Taco Cities, Ranked

The 15 Best Taco Cities

• Tacos also take a smaller chunk out of your paycheck in the top 15 cities. Weekly tacos for three to four people would cost just 1% of the average annual household income. That's 16.7% less than the 1.2% of the average household income in the U.S.

1. Austin, Texas

2. San Jose, California

3. San Antonio, Texas

4. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

5. Los Angeles, California

6. Las Vegas, Nevada

7. Houston, Texas

8. San Diego, California

9. Phoenix, Arizona

10. Riverside, California

11. Denver, Colorado

12. Raleigh, North Carolina

13. Milwaukee, Wisconsin

14. Dallas, Texas

15. Sacramento, California

Data Details: Top 5 Rankings by Category

Best Taco Cities	Worst Taco Cities

Show more

Data Details: Most Passionate Taco Cities

Show more

The 10 Worst Taco Cities

1. Hartford, Connecticut
2. Boston, Massachusetts
3. New York, New York
4. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
5. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
6. Baltimore, Maryland
7. Miami, Florida
8. St. Louis, Missouri
9. New Orleans, Louisiana
10. Cleveland, Ohio

• The tacos ain't it: The average taco place in the bottom 10 cities in our study has an average Yelp star rating of 3.85. That's 4.9% lower than the average Yelp rating of taco restaurants in our study (4.05).
• The tacos are pricier: Taco supplies for three to four people are more expensive in the bottom 10 cities, costing an average of $18.50. That's 20.4% more than the average city ($15.37).

• Its taco places are low-rated: Taco restaurants in Hartford have an average Yelp star rating of 3.67, 9.4% lower than average. It's not surprising that Connecticut isn't where you'd run for tacos, but interestingly enough, Virginia Beach, Virginia, has the highest-rated taco places in our entire study with an average Yelp rating of 4.5. Although visitors may not be visiting these towns for tacos, it's meaningful when the locals actually enjoy the taco places in town — and says a lot when they don't.
• The locals aren't as wild about tacos in comparison: Hartford only has an average Taco Passion score of 42.1 out of 100 based on our Google Trends research. That's 35.6% lower than the average city in our study (65.4). But what Hartford lacks in love for tacos, it more than makes up for with its love of books.

Methodology

• Number of taco restaurants per 100,000 residents (17.2%)
• Average Yelp star rating of taco places (17.2%)
• Google Trends popularity for five different taco terms: tacos, tacos near me, taco recipe, taco truck, Taco Tuesday (17.2%)
• Percent of restaurants that are taco restaurants (13.8%)
• Number of taco trucks per 100,000 residents (13.8%)
• Average price of an assortment of taco foods in each metro (10.3%)
• Affordability of taco foods: Average price of taco foods bought every week divided by the average household income of each metro (10.3%)

About Clever

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Do Americans Still Support Marriage? | Generational Splits | Gender Roles | Marriage Law | Divorce | Marriage Perks | Single Perspectives | Children | Downsides & Regrets | Methodology | FAQ

Are marriages truly on the decline? The short answer is yes. The national marriage rate has declined 60% over the last 50 years. Despite the decline, marriage is still a hot topic in American society, particularly on social media.

In a rapidly changing society, it's imperative to understand why marriage continues to hold significance. For many, marriage is a cornerstone of American society that provides stability to every household. However, there is an increasing number of Americans who view marriage as unnecessary for successful partnerships or just outright archaic.

While marriage rates decline, there are renewed debates surrounding marriage legality for same-sex and interracial couples, shaping the landscape of marriage discourse. Factors such as high inflation, escalating living costs, and an expensive real estate market contribute to the evolving narrative. As a result, financial stability is a primary purpose for marriage, as reported by 1 in 5 Americans (20%).

With so many different opinions on marriage, we surveyed 1,000 adult Americans about their views on marriage, their relationship deal breakers, and other topics related to the institution to dive into how the average American approaches marriage (or not).

Read on to learn more about how Americans feel about marriage in 2023.

To Wed or Not to Wed?

When it comes to the purpose of marriage, 73% of Americans believe it is primarily to prove commitment, highlighting the importance placed on long-term dedication.

Despite such a rosy reason, many people still view marriage as a wise financial decision. Nearly 2 in 3 married couples (66%) report improved finances after marriage. However, marrying for financial stability is not universal, and only half of married Americans (50%) experience increased savings.

Not everyone desires marriage, with 32% of unmarried Americans saying they don't want to get married. For those who do choose marriage, other motivations to tie the knot include showing love (67%), having children (29%), and seeking legal recognition (26%).

The data also reveals an intriguing trend regarding religious obligations: Millennials (16%) are 2x more likely than Gen Z (7%) to prioritize them. In fact, millennials cited this as a main purpose for marriage more than Gen X (14%) and even boomers (14%).

These differences suggest a generational shift in attitudes toward religious practices and commitments. The reasons for this shift may vary, but it could be attributed to the increasing prevalence of secularism and evolving cultural norms. Previous generations may not have felt obligated to marry because of religion if they were staunch believers and adherents. Millennials may have gotten caught in the shift toward secularism, while Gen Z feels more liberated from religion.

Nearly Half of Americans Think Mental Health Is More Important Than Marriage

Marriage is declining among Americans, in part, because they have several other, more important priorities. Nearly half of respondents (48%) ranked mental health as more important than marriage. More Americans are recognizing the importance of taking care of their mental well-being and focusing on maintaining good mental health.

Americans also ranked their physical health (44%), their personal growth (31%), their family (28%), and being debt-free (25%) over marriage.

About 1 in 5 Americans also value owning a home (20%), their friendships (20%), their job/career (19%), and their hobbies (19%) more than marriage.

Only 16% of Americans say marriage is more important than anything else.

Boomers Are Most Likely to Prioritize Marriage Before Anything Else

Boomers are 75% more likely than Gen X, 168% more likely than millennials, and 394% more likely than Gen Z to say nothing is more important than marriage. Younger generations typically view boomers as more traditional, and this observation confirms their perception of their elders.

Generational differences are evident in how people approach dating and marriage. The most common deal breakers among respondents are a partner who is rude to service workers (39%), having different views on children (30%), and having different lifestyles or hobbies (30%).

Boomers are 41% more likely than millennials to consider a partner who is rude to service workers as a deal breaker. On the other hand, Gen Z is 58% more likely than millennials to view rudeness to service workers as a dealbreaker. Additionally, Gen Z is 93% more likely than millennials to consider their friends not liking their partner as a dealbreaker.

In contrast, millennials are 52% more likely than boomers to be concerned if their partner's friends don't like them. This may indicate that millennials value harmony within their friend circles over how their partners treat strangers.

1 in 7 Married Americans Are Unhappy in Their Marriage

Although 86% of married couples report they're happy they got married, 1 in 7 couples (14%) express unhappiness with their marriage.

What's even more striking is that more than 1 in 10 Americans (11%) admit to not liking their spouse as a person. Additionally, 38% of couples report feeling obligated to stay married, while 19% describe their marriage as loveless. These figures paint a sobering picture of marital dynamics, as the highest percentage of respondents (24%) have been married for less than five years.

A decline in marriages also puts the wedding industry at risk. It's a $70 billion industry, but it’s expected to decline by nearly 1% in 2023 alone. That’s not terribly significant, but once the pandemic-induced bump in weddings subsides, Americans working in the industry may start to worry.

Weddings can be controversial, even among engaged couples, because of their potential to cost an arm and a leg. Survey respondents significantly underestimate the average cost of weddings, with most believing they fall within $10,000 to $15,000. However, the average wedding actually costs $30,000. Surprisingly, 5% of respondents report spending over $50,000 on their wedding.

About 65% of Americans express a willingness to elope and allocate the wedding budget toward a significant purchase, such as a house or a car. This reflects a shift in priorities and a pragmatic approach to finances compared to previous generations in which weddings were almost obligatory.

Gender Roles Still Exist, but Are They Enforced?

When it comes to household duties — an important aspect of marriage — women and men have different perceptions. Women are 177% more likely than men to say they do the majority of child care duties. However, men are 44% more likely to say they do an equal share.

Only 53% of respondents say they support traditional gender roles, and opinions on whether couples should have a joint bank account are similarly divided, with 46% in favor and 53% against. Many people may be against joint bank accounts because they value their financial independence. It's important to contextualize this with the fact that before the 1970s, women faced significant legal barriers to opening their own bank accounts.

It's also worth noting that women are 10% less likely than men to have control over household finances, reflecting persistent gender disparities in financial decision-making.

Cooking is still seen as a "woman’s job" by many people. However, millennials are 34% more likely than boomers to believe in equal sharing of cooking duties. This highlights a generational shift in attitudes toward household responsibilities.

When it comes to the reasons for not getting married, there are notable differences between men and women. Women are 120% more likely than men to attribute their decision to not wanting the stress of planning a wedding.

Women are also 111% more likely than men to say they haven't tied the knot because their partner isn't on the same page about marriage. Furthermore, women are 81% more likely than men to express a lack of support for the institution of marriage and 42% more likely to believe that marriage is limiting.

These findings emphasize the grim picture of marriage that many American women have. As married women carry most of the physical and emotional labor at home, it's no surprise that many women are turning away from marriage.

Women Are 65% More Likely Than Men to Say It's a Deal Breaker if Their Family Doesn't Like Their Partner

When it comes to marrying a potential partner, women seem to have more specific considerations. Women are 65% more likely than men to prioritize the approval of their family when deciding on a partner. Additionally, women are 53% more likely to consider a partner being rude to service workers as a deal breaker, highlighting the significance they place on kindness and respect.

Different views on pets are also a factor, with women being 50% more likely than men to see it as a potential dealbreaker. Furthermore, women are 39% more likely to take into account their friends' opinions about their partners.

Despite the challenges of marriage, many Americans still want to get married and are willing to end relationships if marriage is never on the table.

Men, on average, seem to be more lenient than women when it comes to how long they’re willing to date before marriage becomes a viable option. Men are 297% more likely than women to say that it would take seven years of a relationship to end it if their partner wasn't ready for marriage. Men are also 65% more likely to have a cutoff point of three years.

In contrast, women are 119% more likely to say they would consider ending the relationship after two years and 102% more likely to end the relationship after one year if marriage wasn’t on the horizon.

These findings indicate that women may have different expectations about the progression of a relationship, possibly because women experience more pressure from friends and family to get married than men.

Divorces Increase as Americans Remain Divided on Its Legality

The legality of no-fault divorces — divorces where neither spouse is required to prove the other did something wrong –— is no longer a given. Some state legislators in Louisiana recently made headlines by wanting to make no-fault divorces illegal. The idea is also gaining steam on social media. Banning no-fault divorces could lead to increased emotional distress, financial burdens, diminished autonomy, and social repercussions for ex-spouses.

We found that 67% of Americans support no-fault divorces, but a whopping one-third (33%) do not. Opponents of no-fault divorce may argue that banning it will actually preserve marriage, but taking it off the table may deter people from getting married at all.

Despite worries that the divorce rate is getting out of hand, divorced Americans seem to take marriage seriously. The majority of divorced Americans (68%) were married for more than five years before their divorce, and 12% were married for over 20 years before divorcing.

Infidelity Is the Top Reason for Divorce in America

About 37% of divorced Americans say infidelity led to their divorce, more than any other reason.

After infidelity, the most cited reasons for divorce are too many arguments (32%), falling out of love (27%), and abuse (25%). The latter is not only extremely disconcerting but also another example of a reason for divorce where someone can easily be found at fault.

Views on divorce are yet another area where the generations disagree. Boomers are 38% more likely than millennials to believe it's too easy to get divorced. Gen X, the generation right after boomers, is 132% more likely than boomers to report that they have considered divorce at some point. Younger generations just don’t feel as obligated to stay in unfulfilling — and potentially dangerous — marriages.

1 in 6 Americans Do Not Support Interracial Marriages

In 2023, it's surprising that only 83% of Americans support interracial marriages. Considering the progress made toward social equality and civil rights, the fact that 1 in 6 Americans in a population of over 257 million oppose such unions is concerning. It emphasizes the importance of continuing efforts to promote inclusivity and overcome prejudices.

In support of interracial marriage, 76% of respondents would marry someone of a different race.

Support for same-sex marriage stands at only 62%, revealing a significant disparity in societal attitudes. Following a trend toward tradition, boomers are 68% more likely than millennials to express opposition to both same-sex and interracial marriages.

Americans aren’t fully on board with interracial and same-sex marriages, and an even smaller percentage support polygamy and polyamorous relationships.

Just 27% of Americans support polygamy and polyamory. Many Americans associate polyamory with unethical polygamy or forced marriages. However, younger generations are warming up to nontraditional marriages, which are, in general, becoming more normalized.

At 42%, Gen Z is more likely than other generations to support polyamory. Just 15% of Gen X and 13% of boomers do. At 35%, millennials think more progressively about multiple marriages than older generations, but they're still not on par with Gen Z.

In terms of their own relationships, a significant percentage of respondents demonstrate an openness to differences in political and religious views. Specifically, 65% of participants would consider marrying someone with different political beliefs, and 64% of respondents would be willing to marry an individual with different religious views.

The Build-Up to 'I Do'

Although Americans are getting married at older ages than previous generations, they're still tying the knot relatively young — and quickly. The largest percentage of Americans (23%) say they got married between the ages of 25 and 29, and most couples tied the knot by at least the third-year mark in their relationship (64%).

Boomers are 55% more likely to have gotten married within one year or less of dating, suggesting a potentially quicker timeline for commitment. Younger generations tend to wait longer to get married.

More than one-third of respondents (36%) believe that the ideal time to get married is between one and two years, while only 4% consider less than six months acceptable. A small percentage (4%) believe that marriage should never be an option.

Only 30% of respondents say living together before marriage is important, but a majority of married Americans (65%) did cohabitate with their partners before getting married, a common trend amid increasing rent and home prices.

Surprisingly, 20% of respondents bought a home with their partner before getting married, and 54% of unmarried Americans would consider purchasing a home with their partner before tying the knot.

Americans Prefer Meeting Future Spouses Through Friends

Despite the increased popularity and normalization of dating apps, most Americans say they would ideally meet their future spouse through friends (24%). Surprisingly, ideally meeting future spouses out in public at places like a bar, concert, or coffee shop (23%), or at a religious service/event (13%) is even more common than wanting to meet on a dating app or online matchmaking service (6%). Just 2% of Americans ideally want to meet through an arranged marriage

Of Americans who are married, 23% said they met through friends, 14% through work, 13% while out in public, and 9% on a dating app. 11% of Americans marry people they met in primary or secondary school, with 9% of them meeting in high school.

Here's the full breakdown of how Americans actually met their spouse:

• Through friends: 23%
• At work: 14%
• A public place: 13%
• On a dating app: 9%
• In high school: 9%
• Online (e.g., social media, forum, etc.): 8%
• Something else: 8%
• In college/university: 8%
• At a religious service/event: 5%
• Through an arranged marriage: 2%
• In elementary school: 1%
• In middle school: 1%

9 in 10 Americans Say Love Is the Most Important Factor for Marriage

About 92% of married Americans say love was very important when deciding to wed, and 85% of unmarried Americans say love would be a very important factor in their decision to marry. For both groups, love is the most popular factor.

Most unmarried Americans also consider compatibility (77%) and physical attraction (53%) as important factors. On the other hand, tax breaks (14%), pressure from family (10%), and pressure from friends (8%) are considered the least important to them.

The good news for unmarried Americans who want to get married is that their top factors align with married Americans. After love, the top two factors for married Americans are also compatibility (76%) and physical attraction (62%).

Notably, Gen Z is 406% more likely than boomers to consider pressure from family as an important factor, indicating that younger generations may be more susceptible to social pressures than older generations.

1 in 5 Americans Would Marry for Money Reasons

Nearly 1 in 5 Americans (19%) would consider marrying someone solely for financial reasons. This aligns with the common perception that marriage can bring financial benefits, as argued by economists and sociologists who advocate for its preservation.

However, the financial aspect of marriage requires nuance. More than 1 in 4 respondents (28%) say a partner who has poor finances and debt is a potential deal breaker, while 65% consider it a definite dealbreaker.

Respondents say the maximum debt for a potential marriage partner to carry averages between $20,000 and $30,000, with the most common limit falling between $10,000 to $20,000. For their own sake, single adults should not accrue upward of $10,000 in non-mortgage and non-student-loan debt, no matter what potential suitors say.

Single Life Versus Married Life

Unmarried Americans don’t think their married counterparts have it better. Two-thirds of single adults (67%) are happy they’re not married.

Although 68% say they want to get married, only 43% actually think they will. Unmarried Americans have valid reasons for why they aren’t yet married. The top three responses are: they haven’t found the right person (38%), it’s not a priority (31%), and they enjoy their independence (24%). In fact, 54% don't think marriage would make them happier.

The prospect of marriage varies among partnered Americans. Among those in serious relationships, 31% believe they will tie the knot within the next two years.

For individuals not in serious relationships, 69% hope to eventually find a serious partner. Being in a serious relationship, however, does not necessarily imply that the involved parties ever wish to marry.

Married Americans Argue More than Unmarried Americans

Marriage doesn’t necessarily bring more peace. About 1 in 10 married couples (9%) argue with each other multiple times a week, whereas only 7% of single people say they argue with anyone multiple times a week. Just 10% of married couples say they never argue.

Unmarried adults are also more likely to socialize than their married counterparts. Nearly 1 in 5 married couples (19%) socialize without their partner multiple times a week, while 25% of unmarried individuals engage in regular socializing with friends.

One area where married couples may have it better, depending on your perspective, is regarding physical intimacy. About 35% of married couples, compared to 19% of unmarried individuals, have intimate encounters multiple times a week.

Just 5% of unmarried respondents say they scroll through dating apps daily, which is refreshing news for those worried that dating apps preoccupy most singles.

Both groups spend about the same amount of time taking care of their finances. Approximately 26% of married couples and 24% of unmarried individuals work on their budget and financial matters a few times a week.

For married couples, however, finances are a bit more complicated. More than half of married couples (54%) discuss finances at least once a week, but 7% never broach the topic. Worrisomely, 7% of married couples keep secrets from each other daily, and 22% have hidden financial information from their spouse at least once.

Are the Kids Alright?

Married individuals with children are more likely to view having children as a primary purpose of marriage, with 33% expressing this sentiment, compared to 25% of those without children.

Many Americans view marriage as the first step to having children, so it’s important to examine whether married and unmarried people are prioritizing having children at all. When it comes to children, our respondents reported the following:

• 57% have children
• 18% don't have children but want them
• 14% don't want children
• 11% are unsure about wanting children

The plurality of survey participants (36%) have two children. For those who want children but don't have them yet, two is the ideal number (51%).

It's a common perception that children add more stress to a marriage. Contrary to this, we found that married couples without children are not significantly less likely to argue than couples with children. Only 6% of married couples with children report arguing a couple of times a week, and just 8% of married couples with no children reported the same.

For those who never plan to have children, the most common reason is simply not wanting them (35%). After that, the most common reasons are: children are too much work (29%), children are too expensive (29%), and feeling like they wouldn’t be a good parent (27%).

Is Marriage Worth It?

About 40% of married Americans have regrets about their marriage. The top three regrets are: wishing they married someone they're more compatible with (30%), wishing they married someone better with money (24%), and marrying too young (23%).

It's worth noting that 91% of respondents say they married for love. However, as their marriages matured, they may have realized that marriage requires serious evaluation of other factors.

Despite the challenges, 35% of married Americans say their relationship is much better now that they're married. However, 9% say it's somewhat worse, and 8% say it's much worse.

Marriage is hard, and that’s why 50% of first marriages end in divorce. Forty-two percent of married Americans cite personal habits and pet peeves as the trigger for their disagreements, more than any other reason. The next most common reasons are finances (37%) and a lack of communication (35%).

Divorcees say that a lack of communication in their marriages led to disagreements more than any other reason (53%). The next most common cause was finances at 45%. Currently married couples report that 37% of them have had disagreements about finances. Notably, 1 in 6 (16%) say they got divorced because of money reasons.

Although 38% of married couples feel obligated to remain together, a notable percentage of respondents express reservations about the institution of marriage. One-fourth of all Americans (25%) view marriage as outdated, and 19% of unmarried individuals consider it too old-fashioned.

Yet 23% of Americans say they pity older people who have never married.

Americans are divided on the topic of marriage. As one of the most universal practices in the world, it's important to truly understand the motivations behind strongly supporting it and vehemently opposing it.

Methodology

The proprietary data featured in this study comes from an online survey commissioned by Semya-Moya. One thousand Americans were surveyed May 11-12, 2023. Each respondent answered up to 21 questions related to marriage.

About Clever

Since 2017, Semya-Moya has been on a mission to make selling or buying a home easier and more affordable for everyone. 12 million annual readers rely on Clever's library of educational content and data-driven research to make smarter real estate decisions, and to date, Clever has helped consumers save more than $160 million on Realtor fees. Clever's research has been featured in The New York Times, Business Insider, Inman, Housing Wire, and many more.

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The post 2023 Data: 1 in 4 Americans Think Marriage Is an Outdated Concept appeared first on Semya-Moya.

Homeowners Are Open to iBuyers | Homeowners’ Reservations About iBuying | iBuyer Prices Aren’t the Main Draw | Acceptable Selling Prices | Homeowners Expect iBuying to Become More Popular | Real Estate Agents Are Here to Stay

iBuyers ("instant buyers") are real estate tech companies that make instant cash offers to sellers and feature flexible closing timelines. When using an iBuyer, sellers don't have to pay an agent, list their home, or prep it for show.

Most iBuyers are under a decade old, so not many Americans are familiar with them. Only 27% of homeowners could correctly define what an iBuyer is when asked.

iBuyers account for just 1.3% of all homes sold in the U.S. in 2021, despite how polarizing of a topic they are.[1] Although many real estate experts aren't fond of iBuyers, homeowners themselves are open to selling their homes with these new companies.

iBuyers are also often conflated with corporate house-flipping companies that also make cash offers but pay very little for homes, such as We Buy Ugly Houses — 36% of homeowners we surveyed erroneously identified We Buy Ugly Houses as an iBuyer.

The sentiment around iBuyers is complicated because the average American homeowner isn't completely against them but also doesn't know much about them. Overall, they're open to seeing what iBuyers have to offer, though.

To learn more about the U.S. iBuyer market, we asked 994 homeowners about their perceptions or misconceptions about iBuyers to better understand how their share of the real estate market may evolve.

Read on for more insight into what matters to homeowners looking to sell their home and their attitudes toward iBuyers in 2022.

» MORE: 25 Things You Must Know About iBuyers

Two-Thirds of Homeowners Would Consider Selling Their Home to an iBuyer

A major goal of our study was to determine if the average homeowner is open to working with iBuyers. We found that 65% of homeowners would consider selling their home to an iBuyer, which is good news for the iBuying market.

Despite a majority of homeowners being open to iBuyers, some are more likely to be on board than others.

Black homeowners are less likely to work with an iBuyer than white homeowners: 46% of Black homeowners would not consider an iBuyer compared to just 1 in 3 white homeowners (33%). America's history of redlining in real estate and discoveries of racially biased AI algorithms may be reasons for the lack of trust.[2]

We also found that boomer respondents are 72% more likely to say "no" to iBuyers than millennial respondents. Millennials across the board are very comfortable using new technology, so it's not surprising that millennials would be more willing to sell their home to a tech company.[3]

About 52% of homeowners overall would consider recommending iBuyers to friends and family. Only 1 in 4 homeowners (23%), however, would recommend them without any hesitation, which suggests iBuyers have some work to do in convincing homeowners they're a worthwhile route.

iBuyers are also most popular in western states, where 74% of respondents in the region say they would consider selling to an iBuyer. iBuyers aren't available in every state, so it makes sense that they'll be more popular in certain regions over others. For example, iBuyers are least popular in the Midwest (61%), a region not yet well-serviced by a majority of iBuyers.

Only 28% of Respondents Actually Knew What iBuyers Were Before Our Survey

It may be surprising that 72% of homeowners surveyed did not know what an iBuyer is. However, the iBuyer market makes up less than 2% of the real estate market, a huge contributor to its lack of notoriety among everyday people.

We also observed that a significant portion of homeowners (19%) thought they knew what iBuyers were but were actually mistaken. This indicates that there is a prime opportunity for iBuyer companies to better educate homeowners about what they offer.

Once homeowners knew what iBuyers were, though, they were open to working with them. Generally, homeowners don't have a negative view toward iBuyers in contrast to many expert opinions.[4]

92% of Homeowners Have Reservations Toward iBuyers

When it comes to buying a house from an iBuyer, the majority of homeowners (92%) have reservations.

The top concerns home buyers have about iBuyers include:

• Being taken advantage of (42%)
• Poor quality repairs (33%)
• Inability to negotiate (32%)
• Leaving the home vacant for too long (28%)
• Lack of personal experience (26%)

iBuyers have a reputation among homeowners for lacking a personal touch. Many also believe iBuyers keep home renovations to a minimum, causing them to spend additional money on repairs after their purchase. Both are potential downsides to iBuyers' relatively quick turnarounds on buying and selling homes.

1 in 5 Homeowners Would Never Voluntarily Sell Their Home for Less Than Standard Market Rate

With housing prices still steadily rising, many homeowners are very concerned about selling prices when it comes to making a competitive offer on a future home.[5] In fact, 18% say they would never choose to sell their home for less than market rate.

The majority of homeowners, however, are open to accepting a lower selling price with some other perks involved. Many of these perks are tied to saving money in other areas:

• Selling their home with no contingencies (38%)
• Avoiding repairs and renovations (36%)
• Selling their home instantly (36%)
• Timing their sale with the purchase of a new home (31%)
• Avoiding a realtor or paying commission (31%)

For those who wouldn't sell for less, 20% of homeowners say they still trust real estate agents more than iBuyers.

2 in 3 Homeowners Correctly Believe iBuyers Don't Offer More Money Than a Traditional Sale

When asked how they think iBuyers' offer prices compare to a traditional sale, only 17% of homeowners stated that iBuyers offer "much more" in terms of selling price. We've found that while iBuyers can offer more than a traditional sale, on average, they typically offer slightly less.

About 37% of homeowners think iBuyers offer less than offer prices in a traditional sale, and 29% say iBuyers offer about the same. Overall, 66% of homeowners correctly identified that iBuyers typically don't offer more than what you'd get through a traditional sale.

In addition to a slightly lower price than a traditional sale, iBuyers charge a 5% service fee on average (but can be as high as 13% in some cases) plus typical closing costs and deductions for repairs they identify.

When it comes to what actual iBuyer fees are, nearly half of respondents (49%) correctly identified typical iBuyer service fees at 6% to 15% of the selling price.

On Average, Homeowners Would Accept $45,000 Less for Their Home to Sell Instantly and to Choose Their Closing Date

Homeowners don't think selling their home is a walk in the park, so many are willing to accept five-figure deductions in their selling price for convenience's sake.

Real estate agencies wanting to stay competitive against iBuyers should keep in mind that for many buyers, there truly is a price they're willing to pay for more convenience.

Fifty-four percent of homeowners said they'd accept a less-than-standard-market-rate offer on their home to choose their closing date and sell instantly, with homeowners willing to accept an average of $45,400 less. This shows that homeowners are well aware of the costs and hassles associated with selling their homes, such as commission, closing costs, repairs, and staging.

Using an iBuyer also helps homeowners avoid some of the biggest home-selling stressors. Homeowners say the biggest hassles when selling a home are:

• Moving (44%)
• Repairs (41%)
• Negotiating with buyers (40%)
• Paperwork (40%)
• Finding a good real estate agent (38%)

A majority of homeowners have a favorable opinion of iBuyers based on the value proposition they provide: fast and easy. Many homeowners' highest priorities when selling their homes also align with the convenience iBuyers provide.

Homeowners' biggest priorities when selling their home are:

• Earning the most money from their sale (94%)
• Being able to close on time (92%)
• Timing their home sale with their next home purchase (92%)
• Avoiding high realtor commission rates (91%)

Zillow Offers Is Considered the Most Legitimate iBuyer Among Homeowners — Despite Being Defunct

Respondents see Opendoor, the largest iBuyer at 51% of total market share, as the next most legitimate, with 11% of respondents choosing it.[7] However, an even higher percentage (19%) of homeowners weren't familiar with any iBuyer companies mentioned in the survey.

When it comes to how many homes are actually sold to iBuyers each year, homeowners were less in the know: 87% of respondents overestimated the share of homes sold to iBuyers in 2021.

Just 1.3% of homes were sold to iBuyers last year, with that percentage dipping at the start of 2022 due to Zillow's exit. Before Zillow Offers' sinking ship and the COVID-19 pandemic, the market share was doubling year over year.

Homeowners also aren't sure which big-name real estate companies are actually iBuyers. Fewer than 1% could correctly separate iBuyers from other non-iBuyer real estate companies such as Clever, Knock, and even Realtor.com.

85% of Homeowners Believe iBuyers Are Here to Stay in 2022

Despite their relatively small share of the real estate market, iBuyers are expanding their territories to even more locations and are positioning themselves to be a viable option for an increasing number of home sellers and buyers.

More than half of respondents (58%) think iBuyers will increase in popularity in the next year, while just 15% believe iBuyer popularity will decrease. Twenty-seven percent believe iBuyer popularity will remain about the same in the next year.

Overall, 85% of homeowners believe iBuyers won't decrease in popularity any time soon. When asked about the next five years, 68% of homeowners think iBuyers will become more popular than now, and 24% believe iBuyers will actually overtake traditional real estate agents.

Homeowners still feel most confident selling their home using a real estate agent (91%) rather than going it alone with an iBuyer (76%), though.

More than half of homeowners (53%) are most concerned about expensive commission rates when working with a real estate agent. Discount real estate agents who accept a lower fixed rate or percentage-based commission are one alternative to iBuyers, which don't normally charge commission but charge other fees.

Other common concerns homeowners have about realtors include:

• Drawn-out timelines (39%)
• Pushy personalities (38%)
• Pricing their home correctly (38%)
• Receiving bad advice (36%)

72% of Homeowners Still Want Professional Advice From a Real Estate Agent Even if Working With an iBuyer

Real estate agents are still considered the most popular selling option for homeowners.

Homeowners looking to sell their homes think agents provide that personal, expert advice they won't necessarily get from an iBuyer, which is why 72% of homeowners would still work with an agent even if they also work with an iBuyer.

Homeowners, however, still have realtor-related fears, which make iBuyers attractive for some, despite their lack of familiarity with iBuyers. Homeowners know that it's not always a walk in the park finding a real estate agent they like working with, and they want to avoid the longer timelines associated with traditional sales.

More Millennials Than Boomers Would Prefer Selling to an Individual Than an iBuyer

More millennials (84%) than boomers (70%) would rather sell to an individual than an iBuyer.

Despite preferring individual buyers, millennials are twice as likely as baby boomers to believe AI can outdo a real estate agent (52% vs. 26%). Some iBuyer companies use AI algorithms to determine the selling price of homes they want to buy.

This may indicate that millennials may prioritize a personalized experience a traditional sale can provide, whereas a big turnoff for boomers toward iBuyers is that it involves technology they may not be comfortable with. In turn, iBuyers can appeal to millennials more by better personalizing their services.

Real estate agents can market to individual sellers and compare prices to iBuyers'. Homeowners just need to keep in mind that they might still have to pay realtor fees, which the iBuyer companies don't always cover.

As the iBuyer market share grows, low-commission real estate agents can provide sellers with the best of both worlds and maximize clients' earning potential.

Methodology

A survey of 994 U.S. homeowners on their knowledge of and preference regarding iBuyers and other real estate options was commissioned by Semya-Moya and conducted on April 20-21, 2022.

About Clever

Since 2017, Semya-Moya has been on a mission to make selling or buying a home easier and more affordable for everyone. 12 million annual readers rely on Clever's library of educational content and data-driven research to make smarter real estate decisions—and to date, Clever has helped consumers save more than $82 million on realtor fees. Clever's research has been featured in The New York Times, Business Insider, Inman, Housing Wire, and many more.

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The post American Attitudes on iBuyer Companies: 2022 Data appeared first on Semya-Moya.

Extent of Gen X Retirement Savings | Who's Saving the Most? | Gen X Retirement Plans | Gen X Retirement Hurdles | Generational Comparisons | Gen X Financial Regrets | Gen X Retirement Calculator | FAQ

Generation X, or "Gen X" for short, is the cohort of Americans born from 1965 to 1980. They have a reputation as "the forgotten generation" between boomers and millennials. Many economic analyses of generations focus on boomers and millennials, primarily to contrast millennials with their parents’ generation.

And Gen X does feel forgotten: 55% of Gen X say they feel like the forgotten generation. Despite feeling like they are overlooked, Gen X has perhaps silently shaped popular culture as we know it. They are also the first generation to experience the level of targeted marketing that is now the norm.

With more Gen Xers approaching retirement age, it’s vital to look at how this "in-between" generation feels about retirement. They make for prime consumers, but what does that mean for their long-term finances?[1]

Our previous research found that 48% of retirees think they’ll outlive their current savings. If current retirees are feeling a financial crunch, it's important to investigate if younger generations are feeling it as well.

To find out how Gen X feels about their retirement finances and the possibility of retirement, we surveyed 1,000 Americans born from 1965 to 1980 about their personal finances and how that impacts their retirement plans. Read on to learn more about Gen X’s retirement outlook.

The Average Gen Xer Has Less Than $100,000 Saved for Retirement

A majority of Gen Xers (56%) have less than $100,000 saved for retirement. More than half (55%) believe the average worker should have more than $500,000 saved to retire comfortably, but in reality, only 9% have this much saved. It's recommended that workers have $555,000 saved before retiring. Gen X is severely behind this figure.[2]

We also found that 42% of Gen X doesn’t understand how much the average person should have saved for retirement, by their own admission. More than 1 in 4 (28%) think the average worker should actually have $1 million or more saved before retiring.

Gen X recognizes that retirement is expensive, but only 71% of them are currently saving for retirement.

To make matters worse, 22% of Gen X have nothing saved for retirement, and 20% have never actually saved for retirement. About 58% of Gen X say they have less saved at their current age than they expected. Most Americans in this generation were taught about the American Dream, but many may be realizing that the American Dream is more expensive than ever.

A Third of Gen X Contributes No Monthly Income Toward Retirement

About 29% of Gen Xers aren't putting anything toward retirement right now, and nearly two-thirds (64%) are saving 10% or less of their monthly income for retirement. For context, financial advisors suggest workers aim to save at least 15% of their pre-tax income each year for retirement, which includes any employer match.

The average employer 401(k) match is at an all-time high of 4.7%.[3] This indicates that companies will contribute up to 4.7% of an employee's income toward their retirement savings if the worker does the same. If Gen X takes advantage of employer matching, they could maximize their retirement savings.

Retirement Considered Unaffordable for Most of Gen X

Gen Xers aren't investing in retirement simply because they don’t want to. Sadly, 64% of Gen Xers who stopped saving for retirement did so because they could no longer afford to.

Additionally, 73% of the Gen Xers who have never saved for retirement did so because they couldn't afford to.

Many Gen Xers stopped saving for retirement primarily because of debt. Credit cards, loans, and pay-now-save-later plans are common ways for Americans to survive inflation. However, each of these financial assistance programs involves some form of interest.

The average interest rate for credit cards in the U.S. is around 24.15% to date.[4] High interest rates mean Americans who borrow money get bogged down with even higher balances, which they struggle to pay off. Throw in late fees, and it’s apparent why Gen X would prioritize paying off debt over retirement savings.

Gen X Women Less Likely to Save for Retirement

We found that Gen X women are 53% more likely to have never saved for retirement than Gen X men. This may be because women tend to earn less than men over the course of their lifetimes.[8] The more income you earn, the easier it is to save for retirement.

Women earners, particularly those in Gen X, are also more likely to be strapped with caring for children and other family members, which significantly impacts their earning potential and capacity to save for retirement.

We also found that Gen Xers who are married or in long-term partnerships are 20% more likely to currently save for retirement than their single peers. Gen X is more likely than previous generations to have dual-income households. This makes it easier for couples to save for retirement, whereas single individuals largely have to rely on themselves to keep their household running.

More Than 1 in 10 Gen Xers Think They'll Never Be Able to Retire

About 11% of Gen Xers believe they will never be able to retire, while 53% worry they’ll never retire.

About 69% of Gen Xers want to retire by age 65, but only 37% think they'll actually be able to retire by then. Most believe they'll actually be able to retire sometime after 65.

However, retiring after 65 isn’t looking too possible for a significant swath of Gen X. More than one-fourth of Gen X (27%) aren't confident they'll be able to retire before age 70. Another 1 in 5 Gen Xers (19%) aren't confident they'll be able to retire before 80.

Just 4% of Gen Xers don't want to ever retire, ideally. Some popular positive reasons for not retiring are that they enjoy working (17%) and work gives them purpose (13%). Ten percent say they would actually get bored in retirement.

Nearly 40% of Gen X Aren't Confident They'll Be Able to Afford Retirement

Nearly 40% of Gen X (39%) aren't confident they'll be able to afford retirement.

Of Gen Xers who believe they will never be able to retire, 73% say they won’t retire because they can’t afford to. Nearly two-thirds of Gen X (64%) also believe their income isn’t high enough to adequately save for retirement.

Nearly three-quarters of Gen Xers (72%) say they have reduced or sacrificed their retirement savings at some point to pay for other things, and 35% report having to sacrifice saving for retirement to cover basic necessities.

Other expenses cutting into their retirement savings are credit card bills (26%) and medical bills (21%). The latter is often a non-negotiable that cannot be put off in favor of saving for retirement.

Gen X Supports Universal Basic Income Despite Uncertainty

About 59% of Gen Xers support Universal Basic Income (UBI), but only 30% of Gen Xers believe it will be a reality in their lifetime. UBI is a financial support program provided by a government in the form of standard, recurring payments to individuals without the need for pre-qualification.

Many proponents of UBI suggest that it could be an alternative to our current retirement model for American workers. UBI would remove much of the stress associated with saving for retirement because income would be provided regardless of whether one remains in the workforce.

Despite assurances that Social Security is stable in the country, Gen X is worried this isn’t really the case. Nearly 60% of Gen X believe Social Security benefits will run out during their retirement. This makes initiatives such as UBI all the more appealing.

Although more than half of Gen Xers (58%) say they understand how much they need to save for retirement, they may not be as informed as they think. Only 38% say they have a complete understanding of personal finance, and even fewer (29%) say they have a complete understanding of retirement savings.

More than half of Gen Xers (57%) have no understanding of Bitcoin or cryptocurrency in general. Fewer than 10% claim full understanding.

Bitcoin and cryptocurrency have been touted as ways for the average American to take control of their finances and invest in new opportunities. However, it’s also proven to be a volatile marketplace and, ultimately, more popular among millennials than other generations.[5]

A Large Majority of Gen X Is in Debt

Almost 80% of Gen Xers report carrying some form of debt, and 52% of that group are carrying at least $10,000 in non-mortgage debt. Nearly half of all Gen Xers (47%) say they do not have their finances under control.

Only 9% of Gen Xers have never had debt. About 62% of this group say they've stayed out of debt by living within their means, 51% say they don’t borrow money in general, and 41% say they always pay off their credit card balances monthly. A significant portion admits that part of their ability to avoid debt is because they earn enough income (28%).

For those not so lucky, the most common form of non-mortgage debt among Gen X is credit card debt. Nearly half (49%) of Gen X has credit card debt.

Of Gen Xers with credit card debt, a majority (55%) carries at least $5,000 in credit card debt. The most common amount they carry is somewhere between $1,000 and $4,999 (29%). Research indicates that Gen X has more credit card debt than other generations, primarily because of the rising costs associated with raising children and caring for elders.[6]

The majority of Gen Xers (63%) say it will take 5 years or less to pay off their debt, but 10% don't think they will ever pay off their debt.

Although there are ways to pay off debt, even in retirement, they are daunting. Experts recommend actions such as ceasing to take on more debt, getting an additional job, or downsizing one’s home.[7] However, each of these can be difficult when you’re approaching retirement age or managing a multiperson household like most of Gen X.

Gen X Blames Boomers for Financial Woes

Gen X thinks it was easier for boomers to save money for retirement. More than three-fourths of Gen X respondents (76%) feel that their financial journey was as hard as, if not harder than, the financial journey of boomers.

What’s more, 44% of Gen X blames boomers for the poor economic state of the U.S.

Younger generations see boomers as out-of-touch bosses who underpay employees while they earn pensions. This stereotype about boomers becomes more interesting when we look at how Gen X feels about their own employers’ roles in helping them retire. A whopping 62% of Gen X doesn’t believe their employer does enough to help them with retirement savings.

Overall, a majority of Gen X (54%) doesn’t see themselves as more fiscally conservative than other generations, and many may even appreciate being the forgotten generation if it keeps the heat on boomers.

Inflation Is a Major Impact on Gen X Retirement

More than two-thirds of Gen Xers (69%) report that inflation has negatively impacted their retirement plans, and 29% say they’re quite nervous about the impact inflation is having on their everyday cost of living.

More than half of Gen Xers (52%) say recent inflation is the most significant global financial event in their lifetime, surpassing the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2008 recession.

With inflation impeding Gen X's ability to save for retirement, it’s no wonder they are resentful toward boomers about the current economic climate.

60% of Gen X Feel Stressed About Retirement

Americans continuously experience stress over their finances. Gen X is no exception. About 60% of Gen X say they are stressed about their retirement savings, and 62% also worry they may outlive their savings.

Even more sobering, 68% of Gen X worries they will have to reduce their standard of living in retirement. More than half (54%) are also concerned they won't be able to afford housing in retirement amid rising home prices without a significant dip in sight.

One thing Gen X isn’t worried about is AI or other forms of technology making them "obsolete" as workers before they’re able to retire. About 67% of Gen X don’t see the promotion of AI as a threat to their job before they're able to retire. They are much more concerned with rising costs than their employability.

Part of the financial stress Gen X experiences is related to regret. Nine in 10 Gen Xers (90%) have financial regrets. Their biggest regret? Not saving enough (43%).

Gen X's top top five financial regrets are:

1. Not saving enough (43%)
2. Getting into debt (34%)
3. Not investing enough (33%)
4. Spending too much on nonessentials (26%)
5. Not living within their means (20%)

Gen X isn't alone in their regrets. Most Americans have some form of financial remorse.[9] However, learning more about Gen Xers' regrets can prevent future generations from experiencing the same.

80% of Gen Xers Wishes They Saved Sooner

About 80% of Gen Xers wish they started saving earlier for retirement. Although it’s ideal to start saving for retirement in your 20s, most of Gen X (67%) started saving after age 30. A large segment of Gen X (34%) actually didn’t start saving until they were over 40.

More than half of Gen Xers (58%) have less saved for retirement than they thought they would when they were younger. More than 1 in 3 (34%) have much less.

Growing up in homes with parents who received pensions and other stability-building retirement plans may have duped Gen Xers into thinking that saving for retirement would be a breeze. However, 14% of Gen X says they wish they had asked for more financial help, but that begs the question: Was Gen X offered the financial help they deserve?

How Can Gen X Relieve Retirement-Related Stress?

Financial planning can help Gen Xers prepare for retirement and maintain their standard of living. Those who haven't done so should consider starting now. Gen X is in their prime earning years and nearing retirement, with unique financial pressures, such as having to support parents and children.

Although there is some uncertainty about what the future holds for Social Security and retirement reform, Gen X can find some peace of mind by focusing on what they can control regarding their financial future.

Use our calculator to find out how much you will need to start saving for a comfortable retirement. Our calculator provides insight into how much you’ll need to realistically save as well as the influence inflation could have on your retirement plans.

Methodology

The proprietary data featured in this study comes from an online survey commissioned by Semya-Moya. One thousand people born during the years 1965 through 1980 were surveyed March 8-9, 2023. Each respondent answered up to 21 questions related to their personal finances and retirement plans.

About Clever

Since 2017, Semya-Moya has been on a mission to make selling or buying a home easier and more affordable for everyone. 12 million annual readers rely on Clever's library of educational content and data-driven research to make smarter real estate decisions, and to date, Clever has helped consumers save more than $160 million on Realtor fees. Clever's research has been featured in The New York Times, Business Insider, Inman, Housing Wire, and many more.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The post 2023 Data: Only a Third of Gen X Think They'll Retire by Age 65 appeared first on Semya-Moya.

When properly installed, exterior insulation finishing systems (EIFS) are considered more durable and energy-efficient than traditional stucco.

EIFS is a synthetic type of stucco with built-in insulation. It was developed in the 1970s as a more affordable way to control a building's temperature.

When improperly installed, EIFS can be expensive to repair and can even threaten your health. Due to widespread bad installations during the '70s and '80s, EIFS has a less-than-stellar reputation in the U.S.

Should you buy a home with EIFS?

Whether or not you should buy a home with EIFS depends on a few factors:

• When was the home built?
• Does it already have damage?
• What is the climate like where the house is located?

If the home you want was built after 1999 and passes inspection, it's an easy YES! After 1999, EIFS installation standards greatly improved, so there's not much to worry about with these newer builds.

If the home you're buying is older than 1999, you should hire an EIFS-certified inspector. They will be the most qualified to let you know if the home is in good condition. You can also request a warranty from the owner for more peace of mind.

If the inspection does find damage related to EIFS, you have some options:

• Ask the seller to cover the repairs
• Negotiate a lower purchase price so that you can pay for repairs yourself
• Walk away from the deal

» LEARN: How much does a specialized home inspection cost?

EIFS is better suited to more arid climates and desert regions. If you live in a rainy area, EIFS probably isn't the best choice for you as it can be prone to water damage.

How do I find out the quality of a home with EIFS?

Hiring an inspector with EIFS certification is a must for older homes.

If a home with EIFS was built between 1970 and 1999, that can be a red flag. EIFS was still new to the U.S. then, and bad installations were common.

EIFS installed after 1999 adhered to higher standards and is generally considered safe.

What's the difference between EIFS and traditional stucco?

These days, EIFS and stucco are equally common and hard to tell apart just by looking at a home's exterior.

What is EIFS?

An exterior insulation finishing system (EIFS) is a type of exterior siding made of insulation and synthetic materials. It's also sometimes called "synthetic stucco."

Unlike traditional stucco, EIFS has several layers. Notably, it binds a layer of insulation to the siding itself, protecting the insulation — as well as the framing, plumbing, electrical, and foundation — from water damage.

What is traditional stucco?

Traditional stucco is a type of exterior siding made out of cement, lime, sand, and water. Given that it uses natural materials, it's cheaper to install than EIFS.

Unlike EIFS, traditional stucco is applied OVER insulation. There are two varieties: one-coat (which is cheaper) and three-coat (which is more durable).

Advantages of EIFS

The biggest advantage of EIFS is its high energy efficiency, especially in warmer climates.

EIFS stucco is also more materially efficient, thanks to its 3-in-1 advantage: insulation, exterior, and design of the exterior.

Another advantage to EIFS is its durability. You can expect:

• Impact resistance
• Fire resistance
• Waterproofing

Because its top layer is malleable and versatile, EIFS is easier to patch and repaint — or replace altogether — should you need any repairs down the line. And since it's so cost-effective, EIFS is becoming more common, especially in warmer climates, so reputable contractors are easier to find.

Problems with EIFS

Poorly installed EIFS typically leads to water damage, which can cause a host of problems for homeowners:

• Wood damage
• Pest infestation
• Mold growth

The major problem areas for damage are anywhere where water can pool:

• Joints (like windows or door frames)
• Horizontal surfaces (like flat roofs or porches)

Including a drainage system within the EIFS can prevent moisture accumulation on the off chance water does get inside the siding.

Poor installation is the biggest risk with EIFS, though that's not an issue with the material itself. Before buying a house with EIFS, get it inspected by a certified professional to find any potential damage.

EIFS repair costs

EIFS typically costs $30–50 per square foot to replace — more expensive than $8–20 for stucco.

But it's relatively easy to repair since it can be removed and replaced in sections.

Plus, you'd usually only need to repair damaged sections, rather than the entire home's exterior.

Water damage repairs are the most expensive, as they may call for a complete replacement of the EIFS — and that can cost around $3,000.

Frequently asked questions about EIFS stucco

New York has several programs to help first-time home buyers fund their purchase. The State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA), which is the main agency in the state for home purchases, offers several programs for a wide variety of buyers, including first-time home buyers. Nonprofit and local programs are also available in addition to SONYMA's offerings.

First-time home buyers in New York state can get assistance with:

• Mortgage loan approvals
• Down payments
• Closing costs
• Remodeling costs
• Tax credits
• General buyer education

What are first-time home buyer requirements in New York?

To qualify for most first-time home buyer assistance programs in New York, you must:

• Not have owned a property in the past three years
• Be purchasing your future primary residence within the state of New York

Local programs are typically limited to city or county limits. Most programs will also have financial requirements.

Credit score | Debt-to-income ratio | Residency

What shape do my finances need to be in?

To purchase a home, you'll need enough money to cover your down payment, closing costs, and monthly mortgage. First-time home buyer programs are designed to help you get into a quality home affordably.

For your down payment, you'll need anywhere from 1% to 20% of your home's cost. Lenders traditionally want 20%, but SONYMA loans require just 1%.

Your down payment ultimately impacts your monthly mortgage payment. The larger your down payment, the lower your monthly payment. Additionally, down payments below 20% are subject to private mortgage insurance (PMI), which also increases the amount of your monthly payment.

At the median listing price in New York, $639,444, a 20% down payment will be $127,188.

Expect to pay 2–5% toward closing costs, which can be rolled into your mortgage. New York has closing cost assistance programs available if you need further funding.

» LEARN: Tools lenders use to evaluate home buyers

What credit score does a first-time home buyer need?

Most assistance programs require a credit score of 620. SONYMA requires a good credit score, typically defined as 670–739.

Federal programs typically accept a credit score as low as 580. Veteran Affairs loans don't have a minimum credit score requirement, but individual lenders offering VA loans may reject someone for having too low of a credit score.

Your credit score lets lenders know how likely you are to repay on time. The lower your credit score, the less likely. If your credit score is relatively low right now, you can improve your credit score in just a few months before entering the housing market.

What debt-to-income ratio do you need?

First-time buyers generally need to have a max debt-to-income (DTI) ratio between 33% and 46% or lower.

Programs have max DTI ratios to prevent buyers from purchasing a house they can't afford. Maximum DTI ratios are usually determined by buyers' credit scores as well.

What are the residency requirements?

For SONYMA, your house needs to be your future primary residence and within New York state.

City-level or county-level programs may have more restrictions. Typically, the house must be within the city or county limits. Similar to SONYMA, most of these programs require that the home you're purchasing be your future primary residence.

What are first-time home buyer programs in New York state?

New York's main government-sponsored program, SONYMA, offers a variety of assistance programs to buyers:

• Mortgages
• Down payments
• Closing costs
• Repairs

In many cases, you can combine one SONYMA program for mortgage and down payment assistance with another for closing costs or tax credits. This allows you to maximize the amount of assistance you receive toward your home.

Tools lenders use to evaluate home buyers

What are first-time mortgage assistance programs in New York state?

SONYMA runs two main mortgage assistance programs in the state of New York. By getting a loan through SONYMA, you can take advantage of add-on programs for a down payment, closing costs, and repair assistance.

While national loan programs (FHA, USDA, VA) are more commonly used, they don't offer the additional assistance that comes with SONYMA mortgages.

Government programs

SONYMA's mortgage programs, Achieving the Dream and Low Interest Rate, provide 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages to several groups:

• First-time home buyers throughout New York
• Eligible military veterans
• Buyers purchasing a home a SONYMA target area

For Achieving the Dream, you'll need to contribute either 1% or 3% of the purchase price (depending on which type of property you’re purchasing) in cash or other assets.

You can combine Achieving the Dream assistance with one of SONYMA's other programs for down payment assistance, closing costs, and remodeling.

Co-ops and condos have special eligibility requirements.

For Low Interest Rate mortgages, you'll need to contribute a minimum of 1% of the home's purchase price (3% for co-ops). The mortgage will then allow for a lower down payment and a lower interest rate for the mortgage.

You can combine a Low Interest Rate mortgage with other grants or subsidies to fund your purchase, including other SONYMA programs.

What are first-time down payment assistance programs in New York state?

For down payment assistance, you can go through SONYMA or receive a grant from the New York State Association of Realtors (NYSAR). You can combine assistance from both programs toward your home purchase.

Government programs

If you're taking advantage of SONYMA's mortgage program, you can combine it with one of five down payment programs:

• Down Payment Assistance Loans (DPAL)
• Down Payment Assistance Loans Plus (DPAL Plus)
• Homes for Veterans
• Give Us Credit
• Energy Star

» JUMP: Closing cost assistance programs in New York

DPAL offers a 0% interest rate loan with no monthly payments for buyers also securing a mortgage through SONYMA to use toward a down payment. The loans will be forgiven after 10 years unless you sell or refinance before that time.

You must contribute 1% of the property value — or 3% for co-ops and multifamily properties — toward the down payment. DPAL will loan an additional $3,000 or 3% of the home purchase price, up to $15,000, whichever is higher.

If you pair DPAL with a first-time mortgage from SONYMA, the interest rate on your mortgage will be .375% higher.

DPAL Plus offers up to $30,000 for down payment and closing costs until mortgage amount is 80% LTV (loan to value). It can also be used to pay single premium mortgage insurance for transactions over 80% LTV.

With DPAL Plus, you can also use other forms of financial assistance to fund your purchase.

The maximum household income for this program is 60% of the area median income (AMI) where your future home is located.

Homes for Veterans is exclusively for active service members, honorably discharged veterans, and their spouses or co-borrowers. Down payment assistance loans are available with this program for up to $3,000 or 3% of the purchase price (not to exceed $15,000).

Mortgage interest rates with Homes for Veterans are .375% lower than with other SONYMA programs. This works out to approximately 5% savings each month on your monthly mortgage payment with a 30-year loan — 2.5% savings on a 15-year loan.

You can contribute as little as 1% through Homes for Veterans, and the remaining 2% can come from gifts, retirement accounts, stocks, bonds, and similar sources.

Give Us Credit is designed for home buyers who are self-employed or rely on family members for financial assistance.

Under Give Us Credit, you can have a more flexible credit review and still demonstrate responsible financial management. Give Us Credit has several looser restrictions:

• No open credit accounts or rental history
• Some late payments, under certain circumstances
• Shorter post-foreclosure and post-bankruptcy waiting periods
• Fluctuating income sources

You can receive assistance from other programs on top of Give Us Credit to help fund your down payment.

The Energy Star program offers down payment assistance in the form of $3,000 or 3% of the home purchase price, up to $15,000, whichever is higher. To qualify, you must be purchasing a newly constructed single- or two-family home in an Energy Star–certified target area.

When you buy an Energy Star–certified home using a SONYMA mortgage, you also get a .375% lower interest rate on your loan.

Nongovernment programs

The Housing Opportunities Foundation (HOF) from the New York State Association of Realtors offers a grant of up to $2,000 to use toward a down payment and closing costs. The grant is a good option if you don't want to take out a loan for a down payment or you just need help with closing costs,

To qualify for HOF assistance, you must meet some requirements:

• Be a first-time home buyer
• Work with a NYSAR realtor
• Fall within 110% of SONYMA's purchase limits (SONYMA mortgage not required)

» JUMP: Assistance programs for buyers in New York City

With so many options available, it may be difficult to decide which program is best for you. A real estate agent is not only useful for finding a home, but they can also help you find the best assistance program for your needs.

What are first-time home buyer tax credit programs in New York state?

A Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) allows home buyers to claim a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for up to $2,000 of mortgage interest paid per year. In New York, you can request your MCC when applying for your loan, regardless of lender or provider.

There's a one-time MCC fee due at application, typically $250 for loans up to $100,000 and $500 for loans over $100,000. Rates may vary by lender.

To qualify, you must be a first-time home buyer of an eligible property that you'll occupy within 60 days of closing.

You must also satisfy SONYMA's income and purchase price limitations, but you don't have to take a mortgage out through SONYMA. Your mortgage must also not be considered a high-cost home loan as defined under New York state law. This voids buyers with mortgage loans with interest rates higher than 9%.

What are first-time home buyer grant programs in New York state?

New York has two statewide grant programs for home buyers who are still hesitant to take out forgivable loans for assistance:

• SONYMA's Neighborhood Revitalization program grants up to $20,000 for remodeling and repair costs. This is not the same as RemodelNY, which allows buyers to include projected repair costs in their mortgage loan.
• NYSAR's Housing Opportunities Foundation grants up to $2,000 for down payment and closing costs.

VA home loans also have a Special Adapted Housing (SAH) and Special Home Adaptation (SHA) grant option for veterans with service-connected disabilities. SAH and SHA grants provide home buyers with disabilities with grant money to buy, build, or change their permanent home.

As of 2022, you can receive up to $101,574 for a SAH grant and $20,376 for a SHA grant. The specific disability housing grant amount depends on the type of injuries sustained while in service.

What are first-time home closing costs assistance programs in New York state?

Any of SONYMA's mortgage programs can be combined with a 0% interest loan for up to $15,000 for down payment and closing costs. SONYMA mortgages WITH down payment or closing cost assistance add-ons may have higher interest rates than those without.

» JUMP: Down payment assistance programs in New York

What assistance is available for first-time home buyers with low income?

All of SONYMA's assistance programs are designed for low-income and first-time home buyers. Overall, the agency has the most comprehensive of services available to low-income buyers.

Through SONYMA, a low-income buyer could get assistance with a mortgage, down payment and closing costs, and future repairs — all through one agency.

» FIND: Local homeownership buyer programs in New York

What assistance is available for New York City buyers?

The NHSNYC mortgage program provides affordable loans for both purchasing and refinancing homes within the New York City metropolitan area. It requires a minimum credit score of 620 and can't be combined with other mortgage programs. Buyers through this program can receive a "gap loan" to assist with closing on a purchase for up to $65,000.

The HomeFirst Down Payment Assistance Program is for first-time home buyers looking to be within NYC limits. It's provided in the form of a forgivable loan and requires buyers make a minimum down payment of 3%, of which 1% must be sourced from buyer's own funds. Buyers must live in the home for at least 10 years if the loan received is less than or equal to $40,000, 15 years if the loan is greater than $40,000.

Maximum household income for this program cannot be more than 80% of the area median income (AMI) within New York City. Through this program, buyers can receive up to $100,000 toward their down payment in conjunction with a SONYMA mortgage.

Housing in New York City

Buying a house in New York City can be intimidating to many first-time buyers given its expensive reputation. However, New York City has higher income and purchase price limits for first-time home buyers compared with other regions in the state to accommodate for its more expensive home prices.

The median first-time home buyer income in NYC is $95,136.

You can combine mortgages from SONYMA with its grant and subsidy programs to maximize your funding for purchasing a home in expensive areas.

Buying vs. renting in New York City

Despite the higher upfront costs, buying a home is more affordable than renting in the long term. The average monthly mortgage payment in NYC is $2,709, compared with the average monthly rent of $3,050.

Certain boroughs may be more affordable than others. For example, median home prices in the Bronx and Staten Island are lower than those in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Buying in NYC is a good investment if you decide to stay in the city. However, many NYC residents like the flexibility of renting and the opportunity to live in more in-demand parts of the city like Manhattan, which has expensive purchase prices.

What's the process of buying a house for the first time in New York?

Step 1: Evaluate your financial situation

A credit score of 620 is best even if a program doesn't require it. Your credit score will impact your mortgage's interest rate potentially. For a conventional loan, you'll need a down payment of at least 20% to avoid paying a higher monthly payment.

You'll want to spend less than 36% of your income on debt (including your future mortgage payment) each month, so factor this in when determining your budget for a home.

Be prepared to pay 2–5% of the home's price in closing costs in New York. The median listing price in New York is $639,444, so closing costs for that would be around $12,788–31,972.

Another important aspect to consider are maintenance costs. In New York, homeowners typically spend $3,705 in maintenance costs annually, but this can vary widely based on the house. In general, you should save 1% of the house's value each year for repairs.

Step 2: Choose the right neighborhood

Think about where you'd like to live. What are your favorite areas of the city? How do those neighborhoods impact your daily commute, where you'd like to go out to eat or for entertainment, and the potential schools your children will attend if you're a parent?

Next, consider home values in the neighborhood you're considering. Historical trends in property appreciation will also show you if buying in the area will pay off in the future.

Step 3: Find a great real estate agent in New York

Working with a real estate agent can diminish much of the stress that comes with buying a home for the first time. Be sure to consider these important attributes for agents:

• Years of experience (the more the better)
• Number of transactions in the last year (the more the better)
• Experience in your price range and chosen neighborhood
• Overall review score
• Individual reviews and complaints

» FIND: Top Real Estate Agents in New York (February 2022 Rankings)

Step 4: Get pre-approved for a mortgage

Assistance programs can assist buyers with getting approved for a mortgage. Whether you're going with a conventional loan or mortgage through an assistance program, consider these factors:

• Interest rates. The state of the economy, your financial health, the length of your mortgage, and many other factors can impact your interest rate. Over the years, having a lower rate can save you thousands of dollars.
• Lenders. Your mortgage lender will play a huge part in closing on your home. Make sure you choose one with a proven record of happy customers.
• Your finances. Any changes to your finances or credit score after you've been pre-approved can void your approval. If you need to make a big purchase or have your credit checked, make sure to do it before you're pre-approved.

We recommend having at least 1% of your down payment already saved. The State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA) requires a minimum 1% buyer contribution.

Step 5: Start house hunting in New York

Before you really enter the market, identify your "must haves" vs. "nice to haves." Decide which of your priorities are non-negotiable by making a list of what you need.

Also find out how current housing inventory fits in with the type of home you desire. Depending on the time of year you're looking for a home, you might have fewer options from which to choose. If there are fewer houses on the market, you might have to adjust your expectations.

Step 6: Make offers

Move fast when making offers. Know how quickly homes are going off the market so you don't wait too long to make an offer.

In New York, homes spend an average of 101 days on market. If your dream house has been listed for that long, you shouldn't wait to submit an offer.

When making an offer, sometimes a higher price isn't your best option for getting a seller to accept your offer, so don't be too tempted to go over your budget just to seal a deal. Additionally, you can write in different benefits — like no contingencies — to create a deal that works for you and the seller.

Step 7: Inspections and appraisals

Real estate agents can help you find a reputable inspector. With inspections, a licensed professional checks the house for any unseen, unexpected, or potential issues. With appraisals, an appraiser hired by your lender will examine the house and determine how much it is worth. You can hire your own appraiser on your dime to compare values, but it's not required.

Step 8: Final walkthrough and closing

During the walkthrough, be very thorough, as missed items will end up needing to be fixed on your dime. Bring a checklist with you so you don’t miss giving anything a once over. Be thorough and invite a real estate agent along to cover your bases.

FAQs for first-time home buyers in New York

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The post First-Time Home Buyer Guide for New York appeared first on Semya-Moya.

As a first-time home buyer in Texas, you have access to programs that can be good alternatives to conventional loans for buyers who have low income, don’t have a down payment saved up, have a low credit score, or live in an expensive area.

First-time home buyers in Texas can get assistance with:

• getting approved for a mortgage loan
• down payment costs
• closing costs
• general buyer education
• purchasing affordable housing allocated for families with low income

What are first-time home buyer requirements in Texas?

A first-time home buyer is usually someone who is purchasing a home for the first time, or who hasn’t owned a home during the past three years. Many programs have additional financial and residency requirements.

Credit score | Debt-to-income ratio | Residency

What shape do my finances need to be in?

First-time home buyer programs are designed to help people get into a quality home affordably.

One of the most important financial factors is your credit score, as it can affect the interest rate of your loan: the lower your credit score, the higher your potential rate. Aim for a credit score of 620 or higher when you’re ready to purchase if you can!

Most down payment assistance programs don't offer the full 20% of the loan that lenders recommend buyers supply, so you'll need to budget enough to cover the difference out of pocket.

Buyers who pay less than a 20% down payment may be subject to pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI), which is usually an additional 0.55% to 2.25% of the mortgage each year.

Don't forget about closing costs, which usually include an inspection fee and appraisal fee among other items. Closing costs are typically 2–6% of the total cost of your home, so be sure to account for that when determining your budget.

» LEARN: Tools lenders use to evaluate home buyers

What credit score does a first-time home buyer need?

Most assistance programs require a credit score of 620, which is recommended for conventional loans to get the best interest rates. However, you can qualify for a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan with a credit score as low as 580.

Your credit score lets lenders know how likely you are to repay on time. The lower your credit score, the less likely. If your credit score is relatively low right now, you can quickly improve your credit score before entering the housing market.

What debt-to-income ratio do you need?

First-time buyers generally need a debt-to-income (DTI) ratio between 29% and 55%.

Some programs set maximum DTI ratios to keep first-time home buyers from getting in over their heads on a big mortgage — and monthly mortgage payments.

Your maximum DTI ratio can also depend on your credit score.

Residency requirements

For state-level programs like TSAHC and TDHCA, you need to buy your home in Texas. You’ll also need to move there within 60 days of purchasing to qualify for TSAHC assistance.

City- or county-level programs may have more restrictions. However, as long as your future home will be within individual programs’ jurisdiction, you’ll typically meet residency requirements.

What are first-time home buyer programs in Texas?

The two state-level first-time home buyer programs are administered by Texas Affordable Housing Association Corporation (TSAHC) and Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs (TDHCA), two state government agencies.

In addition, the Southeast Texas Housing Finance Corporation (SETH FC) is a statewide non-profit that helps buyers with each step of the buying process.

Mortgage | Down payment | Tax credit programs | Closing costs

While not explicitly for first-time home buyers, national government programs like the FHA, USDA, and VA loans are great options. City-level governments also offer assistance that doesn’t typically come with national programs, such as with down payments and closing costs.

In some cases, you can combine one program for mortgage or down payment assistance and another for closing costs or tax credits.

Tools lenders use to evaluate home buyers

What are first-time down payment assistance programs in Texas?

For down payment assistance, there are state-level government programs through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) and Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC) as well as some city-level programs.

A non-profit organization called SETH FC also helps with down payments, but it isn’t available in every city.

Government programs

My First Texas Home Program, offered by TDHCA, provides first-time home buyers and veterans with down payment assistance at 2–5% of their mortgage amount. This assistance is in the form of a three-year lien at 0% interest.

Unless you sell or refinance your home, or you pay off your original lien, your second lien will be forgiven after three years — that is, you won't need to pay back the money.

Check out the TDHCA's Readiness Calculator to see if you're eligible.

If your household income is below $123,625, check out one of TSAHC's programs.

Home for Texas Heroes and Home Sweet Texas both provide down payment assistance for up to 5% of your mortgage loan amount. This assistance could be as a grant, which doesn’t need to be repaid, or a second lien that only has to be repaid if you sell or refinance your home within three years.

• Home Sweet Texas is open to all first-time buyers, regardless of profession.
• Home for Texas Heroes is specifically for public school staff, emergency personnel, corrections officers, and veterans. This program has a slightly higher income threshold, so it's your best bet if you’re a qualifying professional.

Income and price limits are higher if you live in one of TSAHC's target areas.

City- and county-level programs

You might still get assistance from a major Texan metro if TDHCA and TSAHC programs aren’t right for you.

• Dallas Homebuyer Assistance Program (DHAP) assists with down payment and closing cost funds, based on need. Buyers must use a DHAP-approved lender, and the future home must be within Dallas city limits.
• Fort Worth Homebuyer Assistance Program (HAP) provides down payment and closing cost assistance up to $20,000. Buyers must use an HAP-approved lender, and the home must be within Fort Worth city limits.
• Hill Country Home Down Payment Assistance (DPA) Program for Travis County provides closing cost and down payment assistance for buyers looking to purchase a home within Travis County (including Austin). These buyers must be receiving FHA, Freddie Mac HFA Advantage, USDA-RD, or VA mortgage loans.
• Houston’s Harvey Homebuyer Assistance Program provides up to $30,000 toward down payments, homeowner’s insurance, mortgage interest, property taxes, or closing costs. Homes must be in areas that pay taxes to the city of Houston.
• San Antonio Homeownership Incentive Program (HIP 80) provides up to $15,000 toward down payment and closing costs for homes within San Antonio city limits.

Even if you live outside a major city, it's worth contacting the municipal office where your future home is to check if it offers any down payment or closing costs assistance.

» JUMP: Closing costs assistance programs in Texas

Nongovernment programs

SETH FC is a non-profit organization that provides down payment assistance through its SETH GoldStar and SETH 5 Star programs. While SETH 5 Star has a grant option, SETH GoldStar provides assistance as a second lien only.

What are first-time mortgage assistance programs in Texas?