New York, NY vs San Diego, CA: Housing Market Comparison (2026)

Side-by-side Alpha Scores, affordability, momentum, supply, jobs, and rental yield · as of July 2026

New York, NY vs San Diego, CA side by side

Metric New York, NY San Diego, CA
Alpha Score4035
Price Momentum7448
Inventory Health3744
Affordability34
Economic Strength4955
Rental Yield3718
Median Sale Price$806K$925K
Price-to-Income9.28.7
Payment-to-Income54.4%51.7%
Months of Supply53
Gross Rental Yield2.7%2.9%
Overvaluation Index6080

Highlighted = the stronger read for that metric (supply, valuation, and payment burden are better when lower). Income/rent inputs lag annually.

How New York, NY and San Diego, CA compare, dimension by dimension

  • Affordability: San Diego, CA leads — New York, NY 3/100 vs San Diego, CA 4/100.
  • Price Momentum: New York, NY leads — New York, NY 74/100 vs San Diego, CA 48/100.
  • Inventory Health: San Diego, CA leads — New York, NY 37/100 vs San Diego, CA 44/100.
  • Economic Strength: San Diego, CA leads — New York, NY 49/100 vs San Diego, CA 55/100.
  • Rental Yield: New York, NY leads — New York, NY 37/100 vs San Diego, CA 18/100.

Frequently asked questions

Which has a higher Alpha Score, New York, NY or San Diego, CA?

New York, NY scores higher — 40 vs 35 out of 100. The Alpha Score is a 0-100 composite of price momentum, inventory health, affordability, economic strength, and rental yield.

Is New York, NY or San Diego, CA more affordable?

San Diego, CA is more affordable on our affordability dimension. Price-to-income is 9.2 in New York, NY and 8.7 in San Diego, CA.

Which housing market has stronger momentum, New York, NY or San Diego, CA?

New York, NY has stronger price momentum — 74/100 vs 48/100.

What is the median home price in New York, NY vs San Diego, CA?

The median sale price is $806K in New York, NY and $925K in San Diego, CA.

Want to swap in other cities, change the metrics, or chart the trend over time? Customize this comparison → in the interactive Compare tool. Or read the New York, NY market brief and the San Diego, CA brief.