"U.S. Home Buying: County-by-County Cost and Competition"
NBC News has introduced the Home Buyer Index, a monthly measure of the difficulty of buying a home in the U.S. The index, ranging from 0 to 100, considers factors like cost, competition, scarcity, and economic instability. A higher index value indicates tougher buying conditions. The national index for April was 82.4, reflecting high costs and housing shortages despite some improvements in market competitiveness and the broader economy. The index will be updated monthly.