A new report highlights just how far out of reach home ownership is for many in the Denver metro area. An individual or household needs to make at least $81,349.82 a year in order to afford the median home in the Denver metro area. Compare that to the Denver metro area’s median household income, which was $71,146 in 2015, the latest year for which data are available. The analysis used median single-family home price data from the second quarter of 2017, which amounted to $424,500. That price encompasses the entire metro area and not just the city of Denver. In calculating the salary required, We assumed a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 4.11 percent interest rate and a 20 percent down payment, which would mean a monthly payment of $1,898.16. That includes the principal, interest and estimated taxes and insurance. A 20 percent down payment isn’t always necessary, but putting down less money upfront will lead to higher monthly payments. With a 10 percent down payment, one would nee...
