In 2020, Hong Kong had the most expensive residential property market worldwide, with an average property price of 1.25 million U.S. dollars. The government of Hong Kong provide public housing for lower-income residents and almost 45 percent of the Hong Kong population lived in public permanent housing in 2018.

Telluride, CO, was the most expensive market for luxury single-family home market in the United States in 2025. In February that year, the median sales price of a single-family home in Telluride was 4.5 million U.S. dollars. Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and Park City, UT were other locations that fetched prices over four million U.S. dollars.

Graph and download economic data for Median Sales Price of Houses Sold for the United States (MSPUS) from Q1 1963 to Q4 2024 about sales, median, housing, and USA.

The average monthly rent for all apartment types in the U.S. soared in 2021 and 2022, followed by a slight decline in the next two years. In January 2025, the monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment amounting to 1,356 U.S. dollars. That was an increase from 1,136 U.S. dollars in January 2021 but a decline from the peak value of 1,427 U.S. dollars in August 2022. Where are the most expensive apartments in the U.S.? Apartment rents vary widely from state to state. To afford a two-bedroom apartment in California, for example, a renter needed to earn an average hourly wage of nearly 42 U.S. dollars, which was approximately double the average wage in North Carolina and three times as much as the average wage in Arkansas. In fact, rental costs were considerably higher than the hourly minimum wage in all U.S. states. How did rents change in different states in the U.S.? In 2024, some of the most expensive states to rent an apartment only saw a moderate increase in rental prices. Nevertheless, rents increased in most states as of January 2025. In West Virginia, the annual rental growth was the highest, at seven percent.

The median house price in 94027, Atherton, California, was about 8.3 million U.S. dollars. This made it the most expensive zip code in the United States in 2023. 11962 Sagaponack, N.Y., was the runner-up with a median house price of about 8.1 million U.S. dollars. Of the 10 most expensive zip codes in the United States in 2026, six were in California.

In 2024, San Francisco, was the most expensive metro area for buying a luxury property. The median sale price of the single family homes in the top five percent of the market by market price was 4.8 million U.S. dollars. In Detroit, on the other hand, the median sales price of a luxury housing unit was approximately 620,000 U.S. dollars.

The U.S. housing market has slowed, after 13 consecutive years of rising home prices. In 2021, house prices surged by an unprecedented 18 percent, marking the highest increase on record. However, the market has since cooled, with the Freddie Mac House Price Index showing more modest growth between 2022 and 2024. In 2024, home prices increased by 4.2 percent. That was lower than the long-term average of 4.4 percent since 1990. Impact of mortgage rates on homebuying The recent cooling in the housing market can be partly attributed to rising mortgage rates. After reaching a record low of 2.96 percent in 2021, the average annual rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage more than doubled in 2023. This significant increase has made homeownership less affordable for many potential buyers, contributing to a substantial decline in home sales. Despite these challenges, forecasts suggest a potential recovery in the coming years. How much does it cost to buy a house in the U.S.? In 2023, the median sales price of an existing single-family home reached a record high of over 389,000 U.S. dollars. Newly built homes were even pricier, despite a slight decline in the median sales price in 2023. Naturally, home prices continue to vary significantly across the country, with West Virginia being the most affordable state for homebuyers.

In 2019, Hong Kong had the most expensive residential property market worldwide, with an average price per square foot of 1,987 U.S. dollars.

Hong Kong

Hong Kong, an autonomous special administrative region of China, has one of the least affordable housing markets in the world. A region with an estimated 7.49 million people, it has become increasingly difficult to purchase a home in Hong Kong. The spoken languages in Hong Kong are Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.

Hong Kong housing market

The housing market in Hong Kong has seen an increase in prices in the past couple years. There are two types of housing unit offers in Hong Kong, private and public. The number of public rental housing units has been consistently rising since 2008. Nearly half of the public rental apartments in Hong Kong as of March 2018 were between 30 and 39.9 square meters. Not only has the number of public rental housing units increased since 2008, so have the private ones. However, there are more private housing units than public ones in Hong Kong. Additionally, the Home Ownership Scheme exists in Hong Kong. It is a government sponsored program that subsidizes public housing in Hong Kong. First created in the late 1970s, it was instituted with two targets in mind. The first was to persuade the richer tenants of these apartments to leave so families in greater need could live there. The second was to allow these families to become home owners, since they did not have enough money to buy in the private sector. Under this program, the government sells apartments to qualified low-income tenants at prices below the market value.

Rents for industrial real estate in the U.S. have increased since 2017, with flexible/service space reaching the highest price per square foot in 2024. In just a year, the cost of, flex/service space rose by nearly five U.S. dollars per square foot. Manufacturing facilities, warehouses, and distribution centers had lower rents and experienced milder growth. Los Angeles, Orange County, and Inland Empire, California, are some of the most expensive markets in the country. Office real estate is pricier Industrial real estate is far from being the most expensive commercial property type. For instance, average rental rates in major U.S. metros for office space are much higher than those for industrial space. This is most likely because office units are generally located in urban areas where there is limited space and thus higher demand, whereas industrial units are more suited to the outskirts of such urban areas. Industrial units, such as warehouses or factories, require much more space because they need to house large, heavy equipment or serve as a storage unit for future shipments. Big-box distribution space is gaining in importance Warehouses and distribution may currently command the lowest average rent per square foot among industrial space types, but the growing popularity of the asset class has earned it considerable gains over the past years. In 2021 and 2022, high occupier demand and insufficient supply led to soaring taking rent of big-box buildings. During that time, the vacancy rate of distribution centers fell below six percent. The development of industrial and logistics facilities has accelerated since then, with the new supply coming to market causing the vacancy rate to increase and the pressures on rent to ease.

Luxury home prices grew by more than 10 percent year-on-year in 10 of the 50 most populous metros in the United States in the first quarter of 2024. The average sales price of luxury homes in Providence, RI increased by over 16 percent in that period, making it the metro with the fastest growing luxury home prices. The luxury market is defined by the source as the most expensive five percent of the market.

Portugal, Canada, and the United States were the countries with the highest house price to income ratio in 2023. In all three countries, the index exceeded 130 index points, while the average for all OECD countries stood at 117.5 index points. The index measures the development of housing affordability and is calculated by dividing nominal house price by nominal disposable income per head, with 2015 set as a base year when the index amounted to 100. An index value of 120, for example, would mean that house price growth has outpaced income growth by 20 percent since 2015. How have house prices worldwide changed since the COVID-19 pandemic? House prices started to rise gradually after the global financial crisis (2007–2008), but this trend accelerated with the pandemic. The countries with advanced economies, which usually have mature housing markets, experienced stronger growth than countries with emerging economies. Real house price growth (accounting for inflation) peaked in 2022 and has since lost some of the gain. Although, many countries experienced a decline in house prices, the global house price index shows that property prices in 2023 were still substantially higher than before COVID-19. Renting vs. buying In the past, house prices have grown faster than rents. However, the home affordability has been declining notably, with a direct impact on rental prices. As people struggle to buy a property of their own, they often turn to rental accommodation. This has resulted in a growing demand for rental apartments and soaring rental prices.

According to Cognitive Market Research, the global Home Furniture market size will be USD 642514.2 million in 2024. It will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.00% from 2024 to 2031.

North America held the major market share for more than 40% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 257005.6 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.2% from 2024 to 2031.
Europe accounted for a market share of over 30% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 192754.2 million.
Asia Pacific held a market share of around 23% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 147778.2 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.0% from 2024 to 2031.
Latin America had a market share of more than 5% of the global revenue with a market size of USD 32125.7 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.4% from 2024 to 2031.
Middle East and Africa had a market share of around 2% of the global revenue and was estimated at a market size of USD 12850.2 million in 2024 and will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7% from 2024 to 2031.
The Beds and Mattresses category is the fastest growing segment of the Home Furniture industry

Market Dynamics of Home Furniture Market

Key Drivers for Home Furniture Market

Increasing the Use of Biodegradable and Compostable Materials to Boost Market Growth

The global real estate market is experiencing growth, with many governments promoting affordable housing initiatives and private developers launching new residential projects. This has led to a rise in demand for home furniture to furnish these new homes. According to the National Association of REALTORS, 4.09 million existing homes were sold in 2023. In May 2024, new single-family home sales reached a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 619,000, as the U.S. Census Bureau reported. The Federal Reserve's 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances indicated that 66.1% of families owned their primary residence. Additionally, over 360,000 real estate brokerage firms are operating in the U.S. The booming rental housing market, particularly in metropolitan areas, is also driving demand, with renters seeking affordable, durable, and easily transportable furniture to furnish temporary homes, boosting sales in certain home furniture categories.

Increased Consumer Spending and Urbanization to Drive Market Growth

As disposable incomes rise, particularly in emerging economies such as India, China, and Brazil, consumers increasingly invest in high-quality home furniture. This shift is motivated by the desire to improve living conditions, aesthetics, and comfort. The trend of rapid urbanization is also driving demand for modern homes, which in turn fuels the need for contemporary furniture. People relocating to urban areas are more likely to furnish their homes according to modern styles. Globally, a growing portion of the population resides in cities. In 2012, 52.5% of the population lived in urban areas, and by 2022, this was projected to rise to 56.9%. The urban population share is generally higher in developed regions (79.7% in 2022) than in developing ones (52.3%). In least-developed countries (LDCs), urban residents remain the minority at 35.8%. In the U.S., among cities with populations of 1 million or more, Austin, TX, saw the fastest growth at 32.8%, followed by Raleigh, NC, at 25.1%, and Orlando, FL, at 22.7%. Austin, TX, also led in land conversion from rural to urban, with an 18.5% increase.

Restraint Factor for the Home Furniture Market

Fluctuating Raw Material Prices, will Limit Market Growth

The cost of key raw materials like wood, metal, foam, and fabrics is often highly volatile, directly affecting production costs for manufacturers. This can lead to higher prices for consumers, which may dampen demand. As the furniture market is global, with manufacturers sourcing materials and shipping products internationally, rising freight and shipping costs can significantly impact pricing—particularly for large, bulky items like sofas, beds, and dining tables, where transportation forms a major part of the overall cost structure. Additionally, the furniture manufacturing industry in developed countries faces labor shortages due to an aging workforce and rising wages. These labor challenges drive up production costs, especially in regions with high labor expenses like the U.S., Canada, a...

This statistic shows the price per square foot in selected prime residential markets worldwide in 2018. Hong Kong was the most expensive residential market globally with average prime residential values of 4,670 U.S. dollars per square foot.

The most expensive home put on the market in 2020 in the United States was The One in Bel Air, California, which was listed for 500 million U.S. dollars. This property has 20 bedrooms and takes up an impressive 100,000 square feet, making it twice the size of the White House.

West Virginia and Kansas had the lowest cost of living across all U.S. states, with composite costs being half of those found in Hawaii. This was according to a composite index that compares prices for various goods and services on a state-by-state basis. In West Virginia, the cost of living index amounted to 84.8 - well below the national benchmark of 100. Nevada - which had an index value of 100.1 - was only slightly above that benchmark. Expensive places to live included Hawaii, Massachusetts, and California Housing costs in the U.S. Housing is usually the highest expense in a household’s budget. In 2023, the average house sold for approximately 427,000 U.S. dollars, but house prices in the Northeast and West regions were significantly higher. Conversely, the South had some of the least expensive housing. In West Virginia, Mississippi, and Louisiana, the median price of the typical single-family home was less than 200,000 U.S. dollars. That makes living costs in these states significantly lower than in states such as Hawaii and California, where housing is much more expensive. What other expenses affect the cost of living? Utility costs such as electricity, natural gas, water, and internet also influence the cost of living. In Alaska, Hawaii, and Connecticut, the average monthly utility cost exceeded 500 U.S. dollars. That was because of the significantly higher prices for electricity and natural gas in these states.

Telluride, CO, was the most expensive market for luxury single-family home market in the United States in 2024. In February that year, the median sales price of a single-family home in Telluride was 6.3 million U.S. dollars. Park City, UT, Paradise Valley, AZ, and the Los Angeles Beach Cities, CA, were other locations that fetched prices over 4.3 million U.S. dollars.

California and Florida were some of the states with the most expensive luxury attached homes in the United States. The median sales price of luxury homes in Ft. Lauderdale, FL was over 2.9 million U.S. dollars in July 2024, while in San Francisco, CA, it was 2.3 million U.S. dollars. Nevertheless, Manhattan, NY, registered the highest median price at 4.05 million U.S. dollars.

The median house prices in the most expensive zip codes in New England, United States ranged from 1.9 to 2.8 million U.S. dollars. Boston (zip code 02199) was the most expensive in New England with a median house price of 2.8 million U.S. dollars. Nevertheless, that was more affordable than in the ten zip codes with the highest median house price in the entire United States.

The median house prices in the most expensive zip codes in California reached as high as 8.3 million U.S dollars. Atherton (94027), had the most expensive median house price, followed by Santa Barbara (93108), and Beverly Hills (90210). Six of the ranked zip codes were among the top ten most expensive zip codes in the United States in 2023.

The median sales price of an existing single-family home in the United States reached almost 389,300 U.S. dollars in 2023 – the highest price on record. The sales price has risen year-on-year since 2011, increasing by over 100,000 U.S. dollars between 2019 and 2023. Location, location, location Regional differences in the median sales prices of existing single-family homes were evident across the United States. The cheapest region is the Midwest; the most expensive region is the West. An existing home in the West cost over 100,000 U.S. dollars more than in the Midwest. Prices surge due to housing shortage A lack of properties on the market is one reason why the prices of existing single-family homes are rising across all regions of the United States. The shortage in housing comes despite increases in both the number of new single-family units being authorized by building permits and new single-family housing unit starts. Homebuyers in the United States will have to pay top dollar should they want a new single-family home.