THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT  
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Wednesday, October 11, 1995            TAG: 9510110762
SECTION: BUSINESS                 PAGE: D1   EDITION: FINAL 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   52 lines

VIRGINIA MIDDLE-OF-ROAD IN HOUSING COSTS

Although New York City's housing ranked among the least affordable in a recent national survey, New York state had more markets among the 25 most affordable than any other, including the most affordable of all.

Virginia and North Carolina fell somewhere in the middle, with no cities among the 25 most affordable or the 25 least affordable. Of 187 metropolitan areas ranked from most affordable to least, Hampton Roads placed 79th. Richmond did only slightly better, placing 40th.

Across the continent, California had 11 metropolitan areas among the 25 least affordable, including last-place San Francisco. In fact, no California city made the list of 25 most affordable.

- ASSOCIATED PRESS

The National Association of Home Builders' Housing Opportunity Index, taken during the April-June quarter, measures the proportion of homes sold in a specific market that an area family earning the median income could afford. The median is the midpoint, meaning half the families earn more and half earn less. The index also considers differences in property tax and insurance rates. The latest index was based on a survey of 513,000 sales of new and existing homes in 187 metropolitan areas. ILLUSTRATION: Color photos

NEW YORK

VIRGINIA/NORTH CAROLINA

CALIFORNIA

Graphics

MOST AFFORDABLE

LEAST AFFORDABLE

[For complete graphics, please see microfilm]

KEYWORDS: HOUSING AFFORDABILITY STATISTICS by CNB