TL;DR
Utah jumped 12 spots to No. 17 in Realtor.com's 2026 housing affordability report, earning a C+ grade.
The state's permit-to-population ratio of 1.82 ranks among the highest in the country, driving the climb.
Affordability still lags: the median home price of $589,911 keeps Utah's REALTORS® Affordability Score at just 0.57.
Realtor.com released its 2026 State Report Cards for Homebuilding and Affordability this week, ranking all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. Utah moved from No. 29 to No. 17, earning a C+ grade.
The Numbers
Utah's climb came from one thing: building. The state's permit-to-population ratio sits at 1.82, almost double its population share. That's one of the strongest building rates in the country.
Affordability tells a different story. The median home listing price in Utah is $589,911. A typical household needs to spend a big chunk of monthly income to cover that mortgage, and Utah's REALTORS® Affordability Score of 0.57 lands well below top-ranked states like Iowa (0.96) and Indiana (0.89).
Newly built homes in Utah carry a 4.7% price premium over existing homes, a smaller gap than many states see.
How Utah Ranks Nationally
Rank | State | Grade | Median Price |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Indiana | A | $295,810 |
2 | Iowa | A | $282,886 |
17 | Utah | C+ | $589,911 |
51 | New York | F | $668,173 |
Indiana took the top spot this year, climbing from No. 4. The state combines low prices with strong building activity, the formula Realtor.com says separates winners from losers nationally.
Every A and B grade in the report went to a Southern or Midwestern state. Western states, including Utah, average a C grade. The Northeast fared worst, with six F grades.
What This Means for Utah
Utah's economist data shows the same pattern playing out for years: prices climbing faster than wages, with construction trying to keep pace. The 12-spot jump signals Utah is building enough new supply to matter. It just hasn't been enough to bring prices down to where median earners can comfortably buy.
Colorado saw a similar pattern, climbing 9 spots on the strength of construction numbers while staying in the C+ range overall.
For Utah homebuyers, the report confirms what's already obvious at the closing table: the market remains tight, even as more units come online.