46 US Cities Running Out of Jobs and Cheap Housing in 2026

California is running out of jobs and cheap housing faster than any other state in America. The Golden State dominated in a new MoneyLion study analyzing the top 46 U.S. cities where jobs and affordable housing are disappearing the fastest. Thirty-two California cities were recognized in the ranking and swept the top five and first place mentions.

To find which U.S. cities are running out of jobs and cheap housing, MoneyLion researchers studied the top 250 biggest housing markets in America (via Zillow) and reviewed each city's average home value and monthly rent for September 2026 as well as the metro statistical area (MSA) unemployment rate. The final ranking features 46 cities, which were scored on these three factors. These cities were then ranked against each other with the average home value and monthly rent carrying half as much weight as the MSA unemployment rate.

MoneyLion also analyzed each city's median household income and its labor force participation rate, referring to the rate of the working-age population ages 16+ either working or actively looking for work.

California accounted for nine of the top 10 cities quickly running out of jobs and housing. The cities and their ranks are Irvine (#1), Modesto (#2), Fontana (#3), Huntington Beach (#4), Rancho Cucamonga (#5), Corona (#7), Stockton (#8), Glendale (#9) and Salinas (#10).

Florida is also starting to feel the pinch on available jobs and housing. Six Florida cities appeared in the ranking including Naples (#27), Port Saint Lucie (#31), Sarasota (#39), Saint Petersburg (#44), Tampa (#45) and Clearwater (#46).

The labor force participation rate is greater than 70% in three ranking cities: Seattle (#30); Renton, Washington (#34); and Gilbert, Arizona (#42).

Only four ranking cities have average home values under $400,000 – and they're all in Florida. From most to least expensive, they are Tampa ($396,946), Port Saint Lucie ($390,325), Clearwater ($386,221) and Saint Petersburg ($377,514).

Scroll down to find out where it's getting harder to find jobs and cheap housing in America.

Average home value (August 2026): $1,778,505

Average monthly rent (August 2026): $3,527

Average home value (August 2026): $446,375

Average monthly rent (August 2026): $2,021