In order to do that, we ranked all on cost of living data from Moody's Economy.com and home affordability figures from the National Association of Home Builders and Wells Fargo.
We took the job-growth and cost-of-living rankings, and added to the mix a housing affordability index from research firm Moody's Economy.com and a salary index from Seattle-based compensation collection firm PayScale.
In March this year, Nationwide increased the income multiplier that forms part of its affordability criteria from 3.25 times income for both joint and single buyers to 4.25 times.
The study, which graded each state in five categories, gave the nation's colleges a D in affordability, down from a C-minus when the center issued its first state-by-state report card two years ago.
He proposes, instead, redefining "affordability" down from 80 per cent of market value, setting up a housing agency – "with as much power as Transport for London" – to work with local authorities and developers, and forcing landlords to sign up to a register.
Mortgage brokers have claimed that Mr Cable's views are behind the times, owing to recent regulations that ensure tighter affordability checks from lenders.
The employer's coverage would have to be "affordable," which the Finance Committee defines as consuming 12% or less of an employee's incomeunless the employee gets an "affordability waiver" from the government.
Conventional thinking on affordability proceeds from the misguided premise that anything well-designed will be, and look, expensive so it follows that design should not be a priority.
And that affordability comes from under-paying the people who make and sell the stuff -- as was embarrassingly highlighted this season by a sign at a Canton, Ohio Walmart inviting "associates" to donate to co-workers who can't survive on their pay.
