The median house value in San Francisco has risen 557 percent since 1986, which translates to just less than $897,520. The jump is roughly $270,000 more than the increases of 10 other major U.S. metros combined.
Trulia reports that strong income growth and a lack of available housing has made the housing market unequal. The home values in the most expensive U.S. metros, like Denver, Seattle, and San Jose, are drastically diverging from the rest of the country.
Among the many metros that don’t stack up to San Francisco’s gains are Oklahoma City, Dallas, and Memphis, Tenn.
The price appreciations mean that long-time homeowners in expensive markets earn a significantly better return on investment than homeowners in the least expensive markets.