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New Report Fall 2026 Housing Affordability Report: every state is less affordable than in late August as average 30-year mortgage rates passed 7%. Read the report

National City, CA Housing Affordability Index

National City, California has an MBR Housing Affordability Index score of 62.2 (Significantly Less Affordable) as of October 30, 2026, ranking 690th most affordable of 785 scored California cities, compared with 67.5 statewide and 97.4 nationally. On a median-priced $612,200 home with 20% down, the California average 30-year fixed rate of 7.25% means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $3,341, or 60% of the city’s $66,841 median household income.

The MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) for National City is updated every night from live California mortgage rates and U.S. Census Bureau income, home value and housing cost data for the city. A score of 100 equals the national average; higher scores mean homeownership is more affordable.

National City MBR-HAI 62.2 Significantly Less Affordable
Rank in California 690 of 785 1 = most affordable
California 67.5 Statewide score
National 97.4 100 = baseline
Avg 30-yr rate 7.25% California lenders
Median home value $612,200 U.S. Census Bureau

National City is 5.3 points below the California score. Scores as of October 30, 2026. See the California index

View National City Mortgage Rates

See What You Can Afford in National City, California

Use this National City, California home affordability calculator to see how much house you can afford at today’s California average 30-year mortgage rate of 7.25%. A household earning the National City median income of $66,841, with no other debts and $122,000 down, can afford a home of about $305,798, compared with a median home value of $612,200. Buying the median priced home with 20% down takes a household income of about $169,400 once property tax and insurance are counted.

National City median (Census)
Car, student loan, card minimums
Under 20% adds PMI
California average, 30-year fixed
National City median bill (Census)
Estimate; use your quote
You can afford a home up to
$305,798
Below the National City median home value of $612,200
Loan amount$183,798
Principal & interest$1,254/mo
Property tax$178/mo
Home insurance$127/mo
PMI$0/mo
Total monthly payment$1,560/mo
Compare National City Mortgage Rates

How much house can you afford in National City?

Most lenders use two limits. Your housing payment, including principal, interest, property tax, homeowners insurance and any PMI, should stay under about 28% of your gross monthly income, and all of your monthly debt payments together should stay under about 36%. The calculator takes whichever limit is lower, then works backward from that payment to the most expensive home it covers at the current rate.

In National City, property taxes run about 0.70% of a home’s value each year, based on the Census median tax bill, which counts against the same monthly budget as the mortgage. Each quarter point move in mortgage rates changes the price you can afford by roughly $3,918 for a median income household. A larger down payment, paying down other debts, or a lower rate from a local lender all raise your budget.

What It Takes to Buy in National City

$3,341/mo
Principal & Interest
Median home, 20% down, 7.25%
$143,200
Income Needed
To keep principal and interest at 28% of income
$66,841
Median Household Income
California: $99,122
9.2x
Price-to-Income Ratio
California: 7.4x
$1,722/mo
Median Owner Costs
Mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities
$4,287/yr
Median Property Tax
0.70% of median value
47.7%
Owner Cost Burden
Owners spending 30%+ of income on housing
58.4%
Renter Cost Burden
Renters spending 30%+ of income on rent

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024) for National City, California. The rate is the California average 30-year fixed rate from MonitorBankRates, since lenders publish rates by state.

Cite the National City Score

“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, October 30, 2026. National City, California score: 62.2 (Significantly Less Affordable), ranked 690 of 785 California cities. monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/california/national-city”