Buying a home in today’s market feels like running an obstacle course blindfolded—and NBC News has created a new tool to measure just how challenging it really is. The NBC News Home Buyer Index, updated monthly, gauges homebuying difficulty on a 0-to-100 scale, factoring in prices, mortgage rates, competition, and housing supply across the nation and at the county level.
With home prices outpacing middle-class incomes, mortgage rates lingering above 6%, and nearly 30% of homes selling above asking price, the index aims to capture the full scope of the struggle buyers face. A score closer to 10 suggests ideal conditions—low prices, ample inventory, and manageable interest rates. Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, for example, ranks among the easiest places to buy, thanks to low scarcity and affordability.
On the other end of the spectrum, a score nearing 90 reflects bidding wars, high insurance costs, and prices climbing far beyond local wages. New Hanover County, North Carolina, has rocketed into the top 10 most difficult markets after years of soaring prices and intense competition.
The index considers four main factors: cost (home prices vs. income), competition (bidding activity and speed of sales), scarcity (available inventory), and economic instability (interest rates, unemployment, and market volatility).
For June, the national Home Buyer Index hit 81.5, signaling a still-punishing environment despite slight improvements in competition over the past year. High costs and economic uncertainty continue to keep buyers under pressure.
NBC will update the index on the last Thursday of every month, with the next report set for August 28. For anyone navigating today’s market, this new metric offers a real-time pulse on just how steep the climb to homeownership has become.
