Nearly half of homes on the market have an HOA cost – and heres where they are most expensive

Nearly half of homes for sale now come with a monthly HOA fee, according to a recent study of the U.S. housing market.

Some 43.6 percent of listed homes have homeowners association (HOA) fees, with a median monthly cost of $135, the study, from Realtor.com published Tuesday, found.

In some areas, the HOA was more than five times that amount, adding another financial stressor for average Americans. Some 54 percent believe housing costs are unaffordable, according to a recent analysis of U.S. voters by the New York Times.

HOA fees, used to fund amenities, roads, and other services, were typically for condo buildings and new communities, but have been spreading. Roughly one-third (33.4%) of single-family homes now carry HOA fees, and that share is on the rise, the study noted.

But HOAs and their practices have also garnered negative headlines. One popular Florida retirement community was embroiled in a five-year battle with a homeowner over a 12-inch decorative cross that ended in a $70,000 settlement, while another Florida woman spent a week in jail after her HOA filed a lawsuit over brown grass and a dirty mailbox.

Not only are more neighborhoods launching HOAs, but the fees are rising due to several factors, Realtor.com Senior Economist Joel Berner said in a statement.

“HOAs are no longer confined to condos or brand-new developments,” Berner said. “Rising insurance costs, stricter building safety standards and higher labor and material prices are pushing associations to raise dues, making monthly HOA fees a much more common – and more costly – feature of homeownership than they were even a few years ago.”

On a state level, Nevada had the highest percentage of listed homes with HOA fees (68.3 percent), followed by Arizona (65.1 percent), Florida (64.6 percent), Delaware (63.8 percent) and Utah (58.2 percent).

From 2019 to 2025, the median HOA fee increased from $108 to $135. The study found that median fees can be much higher in certain areas, especially those popular with retirees. Florida is home to seven of the 10 cities with the highest HOA fees as a percentage of homeowners’ mortgage payments:

Three of the 300 metro areas used in the Realtor.com study – Miami/Fort Lauderdale/West Palm Beach; Panama City/Panama City Beach; and Naples/Marco Island – had HOA fees make up at least 20 percent of the mortgage on a median-priced home. These figures signal high HOA fees, which add to the woes of retirees and others who want to move to the Sunshine State but struggle to afford its real estate prices and cost of living.

The HOA news comes as a blow to prospective buyers who already feel like the dream of homeownership is slipping through their fingers. More than three out of four homes on the market are unaffordable for the average household, a December 2025 analysis from Bankrate found.

The typical household earns around $80,000 a year, but an average income of nearly $113,000 is needed to afford a median-priced home in today’s high-priced, low-inventory market, Bankrate noted.

The median HOA fee adds another $1,620 to the yearly income required, further pushing homeownership out of reach for some Americans.

President Donald Trump has tried to attack the nation’s housing problem by signing an executive order to ban Wall Street investors from buying single-family homes, thereby opening up more inventory and possibly lowering prices. However, experts aren’t convinced the president’s plan will have a major impact on housing availability and affordability.