Dallas-Fort Worth Middle-Income Home Buyers Face Shortage

The Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, metro area is experiencing a notable shortage of homes accessible to middle-income earners, according to the May 2026 Housing Mismatch Report. This report, a joint effort by Realtor.com® and the National Association of Realtors®, highlights persistent challenges for buyers struggling to find properties within their budgets, even as the broader housing market shows signs of improvement.

Nationally, buyers earning approximately $75,000 can afford homes up to about $261,140. However, properties priced below this threshold constitute only 23% of available listings, a substantial deficit compared to the 44% seen in a balanced market. This imbalance translates to an effective shortage of roughly 311,000 listings nationwide for this income bracket. The report further indicates that 36% of metropolitan areas have an alignment score below 70%, signifying a widespread lack of affordable housing options for lower- and middle-income households.

In the specific case of the Dallas-Fort Worth metro, the situation for middle-income buyers is particularly acute. In March 2026, only 10.20% of available listings were affordable for buyers earning around $75,000, a marginal increase from 8.20% in March 2025. This leaves an estimated deficit of 11,472 affordable listings within the metro area. The Dallas-Fort Worth metro's Listing-Income Alignment Score currently stands at 72.80%, suggesting a moderate shortage of homes suitable for middle-income earners.