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

Side-by-side Alpha Scores, affordability, momentum, supply, jobs, and rental yield · scores computed September 2026

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

Metric● New York, NY● San Diego, CA
Alpha Score3543
Price Momentum7547
Inventory Health—94
Affordability22
Economic Strength4946
Rental Yield44
Median Sale Price$847K$937K
Price-to-Income9.68.8
Payment-to-Income58.4%53.5%
Months of Supply53
Gross Rental Yield2.6%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: New York, NY and San Diego, CA score the same (2/100).
  • Price Momentum: New York, NY leads — New York, NY 75/100 vs San Diego, CA 47/100.
  • Economic Strength: New York, NY leads — New York, NY 49/100 vs San Diego, CA 46/100.
  • Rental Yield: New York, NY and San Diego, CA score the same (4/100).

Frequently asked questions

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

San Diego, CA scores higher — 43 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?

Affordability is comparable in both markets. Price-to-income is 9.6 in New York, NY and 8.8 in San Diego, CA.

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

New York, NY has stronger price momentum — 75/100 vs 47/100.

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

The median sale price is $847K in New York, NY and $937K 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.