In Bakersfield, Calif., a teacher on an average salary can afford 86% of the homes on the market. In Salt Lake City, that number drops down to only 26%.
In a new report, Zillow analyzed the regional affordability of homes for different professions by taking into account factors beyond the price tag.
"There's a lot more to home-buying affordability than just the cost of the home. Incomes vary a lot across the country — even within the same occupation," said Zillow chief economist Svenja Gudell in a Thursday press release.
Variations in the share of income spent on housing can also contribute to stark contrasts in how a profession stacks up in the housing market in different areas of the country.
Seattle firefighters, for instance, can afford $583,000 homes, while those living in Little Rock, Ark., can only hope for a property valued at $167,000, on average.
"Many potential buyers are checking all the right boxes prior to buying a home — saving a healthy down payment, organizing finances and qualifying for a loan — only to find there are few homes available within their budget and close to their job," Gudell said.