Many working-class jobs in Westchester are held by people who fall well short of these numbers and wind up commuting from more affordable areas.

Boston, with a housing wage of $25.83 an hour, now ranks fifth on the list of least affordable metropolitan areas.

The couple feel lucky to have found such a well-appointed rental in a quiet, affordable area.

London had no affordable areas for first-time buyers at all, on this measure.

All to often, he said, artists move into affordable areas that become unaffordable.

It was also a more affordable area and traditionally the home for many lower-income working class.

More affordable areas, mostly in Suffolk County, saw greater increases in median prices.

"Generally cottages are $1,500 a week" in the more affordable areas, Ms. Clarry said.

Mr. Scarano noted that all too often artists move into affordable areas that soon become unaffordable.

The new families and the elderly would have to make tracks for some more affordable area elsewhere.