The 10 Worst States for Homebuilding and Affordability in 2026—With New York Ranking Dead Last

New York ranked last among all 50 states and the District of Columbia for homebuilding and housing affordability in the 2026 Realtor.com® Housing Report Card, released on Monday. The state received an F grade with a score of 8.5 out of 100, attributed to slow construction and high costs. Five other coastal states—Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Hawaii, California, and Connecticut—also received failing grades, scoring only slightly better. Oregon, Montana, New Jersey, and New Hampshire performed marginally better, earning grades from D- to D+. Indiana led the rankings with a score of 76.3 out of 100 and an A grade, largely due to its strong housing affordability. The report card evaluates states on a 100-point scale, with 50% allocated to housing affordability and 50% to homebuilding activity. Affordability considers the accessibility of homeownership for typical earners, incorporating the REALTORS® Affordability Score and the percentage of median household income needed for a median-priced home. Homebuilding activity assesses whether a state is producing enough new homes to meet demand, based on the permit-to-population ratio and the premium for new construction over existing homes. According to Realtor.com senior economist Joel Berner, states at the bottom of the ranking face common issues including restrictive zoning, limited buildable land, and construction costs that exceed middle-income budgets.