America's 10 Most Expensive States in 2026: What SA Property Watchers Can Learn

Our take

While this ranking covers the US market, it carries useful lessons for South African landlords, buyers, and policymakers watching our own affordability crisis unfold. The 30%-of-income housing cost threshold used in the study mirrors what South African banks apply when assessing bond affordability — a useful benchmark for local tenants and first-time buyers to keep in mind when budgeting. New York's rent freeze covering only 28% of stock illustrates a familiar tension: well-intentioned rent controls can worsen supply shortages, a debate equally relevant under South Africa's Rental Housing Act. The US insurance cost crisis also resonates locally, where home insurance premiums have climbed sharply alongside load-shedding-related claims and weather events. For SA investors eyeing offshore diversification, these figures serve as a reality check — high nominal yields in expensive US metros are often eroded by soaring operating costs. Closer to home, Cape Town and Sandton are trending in a similar direction on the affordability curve, making the US data a useful early-warning reference for where SA's premium nodes may be heading.