2024 Data: Can Your Favorite Characters Afford Their Famous TV and Movie Houses?

Famous Movie and TV Homes By the Numbers | Famous Home Affordability Analysis | Rankings by Category | Methodology | FAQs

Many people look to TV and movies as a chance to relax and immerse themselves in another world. While most viewers have no trouble accepting a universe full of ghosts, dragons, aliens, crime empires, or other outlandish plots, there’s one factor that may seem particularly unrealistic when their mortgage or rent is due: the main characters' homes. 

Whether it’s a laugh-out-loud sitcom or a nail-biting horror flick, Hollywood’s big- and small-screen homes are overwhelmingly unaffordable for real people working the same jobs in the same cities as the supposed occupants. 

Only 2 out of the 20 homes evaluated could actually be bought by their on-screen owners when factoring in present-day prices and incomes, while just four would even be rentable. 

Clever analyzed data on salaries, home prices, property tax rates, and insurance rates from the Federal Reserve, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, Bankrate, the Tax Foundation, Rocket Mortgage, and Home Bay, as well as a variety of informational sources on pop-culture homes. 

In many cases, characters make just a fraction of the required income, including Mikey’s father from “The Goonies,” Uncle Phil and Aunt Vivian from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” and Carrie Bradshaw from “Sex and the City.” 

Read on to learn more about which TV and movie characters would be searching for alternative accommodations and just how far off many media living situations are from reality.

Famous Movie and TV Homes By the Numbers

Big City, Big Mortgage

Sex and the City

Unfortunately for wannabe relationship columnists and fans of this beloved turn-of-the-millennium series, Carrie Bradshaw’s brownstone apartment is among the more unrealistic living situations of any famous TV show. 

Located in New York City’s upscale West Village neighborhood, the mortgage payments dwarf a typical New York-area writer or columnist’s monthly salary of around $9,669 by several thousand dollars. It’s also far beyond the threshold of affordability for renting. Monthly rent would eat up roughly 60% of Carrie's pre-tax income. 

Plus, with just one weekly column, whether Carrie is pulling in a six-figure paycheck is questionable on its own. Naturally, the series explains this away by noting her unit is rent controlled, a crucial plot device for characters living beyond their means. 

The real-life address is divided into apartments, with a two-bedroom, one-and-a-half bathroom unit spanning a spacious 1,800 square feet. These would-be Carrie Bradshaws or their landlords are also responsible for property taxes with a statewide effective average of 1.4%, among the highest in the country.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

When Will moved in with his auntie and uncle in Bel-Air, he also likely moved into an overextended living situation. Although Uncle Phil is known to be successful, the average Los Angeles lawyer makes $219,740, significantly less than he’d need to buy or rent this home, even with Aunt Viv’s $132,690 professor’s salary. Plus, with four kids, Will, and a butler, expenses were likely high. 

However, with lawyers’ salaries varying significantly depending on experience and type of law, we can’t rule out that Phil pulled in a salary roughly 6x the typical one, which is what he’d need to rent the five-bedroom, five-bathroom home with a pool and three-car garage. The 12x salary he’d need to buy is far less realistic. 

Fortunately, the Banks family would benefit from California’s relatively moderate statewide effective property taxes (0.75%) and insurance rates ($1,453 for a $300,000 home).

Roommates Required

Full House

"Full House" wasn’t quite full of enough earners. Danny, Jesse, Joey, and Becky still wouldn’t be able to afford their mortgage or rent payments despite the help of four incomes. That’s even factoring in a somewhat generous income for Joey, using the average entertainer/performer's earnings. 

One of TV’s most iconic homes, the gorgeous Victorian is located in the desirable San Francisco neighborhood of Lower Pacific Heights. It was listed for sale in June 2024 at $6.5 million, offering four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and over 3,700 square feet of living space. It was renovated in 2019. 

Affordability aside, this would have been an exceptionally tight squeeze with up to nine characters living there at once. However, like the Banks family and other Golden State residents on the big and small screen, they enjoy relatively low California property taxes of 0.75%

Friends

Another much-beloved TV setting, this two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment is located in New York City’s West Village, just a few blocks from Carrie Bradshaw’s previously mentioned home. As can be common, show producers took some license with the size of the unit, which far exceeds anything in the real Bedford Street building used for exterior shots. However, others nearby give a good sense of what a similarly large apartment would cost. 

Luckily for the characters, the apartment is rent controlled on the show, something Monica reveals she lucked into via her grandmother. However, it would be next to impossible for the two to afford it at market rate in real life, with annual rent taking up about three-quarters of their household income. 

Meanwhile, it seems even more unlikely that either a chef or waitress could pull together the hefty 20% down payment of $530,000 and the sky-high monthly costs required to purchase the home.

A Family Affair

Home Alone

It may be hard to believe that a family could lose track of one of their kids when leaving home for vacation, much less do it twice. But the biggest plot hole in the “Home Alone” universe may be how the McAllisters paid for their stately, spacious property. 

Surrounded by similarly gorgeous, high-end homes, it’s easy to see why the Wet Bandits would target this suburban Chicago neighborhood for their crimes. The five-bedroom, six-bathroom house sprawls more than 9,000 square feet on a half-acre lot. It was renovated in 2018, removing most remnants of the ‘80s-heavy look from the film, but it is still recognizable in spaces like the impressive foyer. It went up for sale in summer 2024 with an asking price of $5.25 million. 

Unfortunately, that’s far beyond what a typical family like the McCallisters could afford. Even pulling in close to $400,000 between the family’s two earners, they’re over a million dollars a year short of the salary needed to buy or rent the home. There are some indications, though, that Peter is more successful than a typical executive, potentially putting the property in the realm of affordability. 

Still, the family would also face hurdles from Illinois’ hefty property taxes, which have the second-highest effective rate in the country at 2.08%. 

The Brady Bunch

Here’s the story of a family named Brady, who were living in a home they certainly couldn’t afford.

The Brady parents peaked at around $184,300 in annual income, with substantially less in the original episodes when Carol didn’t work. Like many other TV families, their mortgage payments would exceed their entire household income, and rent would take up nearly three-quarters (72%) of it. That doesn't leave much left over for six kids plus a live-in maid. 

The family home is located in the Studio City/North Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles and sold in September 2023 for $3.2 million, far lower than the asking price of $5.5 million. The five-bed, five-bath property sprawls more than 5,000 square feet, raising some serious questions about why the Brady kids slept three to a room, even with Alice under the same roof. Although the inside has been updated and remodeled several times in the five decades since the show aired, the outside remains quite close to the way it looked on the iconic series.

Modern Family

Critics and fans praised “Modern Family” for its humor and portrayal of diverse family dynamics, but the reviews would be a lot less rosy if they considered how realistic the living situations were. 

When Claire wasn’t working in the earlier seasons, the Dunphy family survived on Phil’s relatively modest real estate agent salary, which averages just $71,110 in the Los Angeles area. When she did go back to work, Claire brought in a hefty income from a mean executive salary of $301,230. Even if Phil was substantially more successful than a typical real estate agent, it would likely be tough for him to reach the half-million dollars or more the family would need to purchase the house. 

Renting is much more possible. With Claire’s executive salary, Phil would only have to earn about 2x as much as the typical real estate agent to hit the required income. 

This four-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bathroom home last sold in 2014 for $2.15 million while the show was still being produced. Since then, it has appreciated over a million dollars.

Roseanne

“Roseanne” was famous for its depiction of blue-collar, working-class America, a notable departure from many past and current sitcoms that featured unrelatable jobs and unaffordable financial situations. 

This realistic portrayal extends to the Conners’ living situation. They’re one of just two famous TV and movie homes on our list that could actually be owned by their real-life counterparts. However, it’s possible that Dan may earn less than the mean manager's salary of $74,800, potentially making the home less affordable than it might appear. 

Although the show takes place in fictional Lanford, Illinois, the home used in establishing shots is located in the real Evansville, Indiana, a decent stand-in for estimating the cost of living. It’s worth noting that the show was also created by Evansville native Matt Williams, suggesting that the location isn’t a coincidence. The four-bedroom, two-bathroom property sold in April 2024 for $230,000, well below the median home sale price of $420,800 nationwide.

That '70s Show

Like “Roseanne,” the Formans live in a fictional town closely modeled after a real one. Context clues suggest Point Place is located in eastern Wisconsin and is relatively accessible to Milwaukee, Green Bay, and Sheboygan. We used the latter town as a comparison, selecting a three-bedroom, two-bath home with enough space for Red, Kitty, Eric, and his older sister, Laurie, as well as a “large retro entertaining area” in the basement.

Although Red faces some job security issues early in the series when he’s laid off from a local auto parts plant, he also enjoys a relatively high-paying and stable job as a store manager later on. In any case, Kitty’s nurse salary would seemingly be more than enough to cover their housing expenses due to the area’s low cost of living. 

This is particularly true when it comes to the cost of insurance, which is among the more affordable nationwide ($1,154 annually on a $300,000 home), though the average statewide effective property tax rate is quite high at 1.61%.

Kid Tested, Realtor Approved

The Goonies

Just a stone’s throw from the scenic Columbia River, it’s understandable why a country club would see the neighborhood surrounding this three-bedroom, two-bathroom house as a top target for expansion. 

Although it may be less obvious than some others, Mikey’s house from “The Goonies” may be near the top of the list when it comes to unaffordability. Without outside help or an inheritance, it’s highly unlikely a museum curator could afford a similar home in Astoria. The annual payments for the million-dollar mortgage principal, interest, taxes, and insurance are roughly 3x the typical curator’s salary. That doesn’t even consider how he’d save the nearly $320,000 required for the 20% down payment. 

Even renting would be an impossibility without cashing in some of One-Eyed Willy’s treasure, requiring a salary of approximately 6x the typical curator’s to comfortably pay the rent.

At least Oregon offers cheap home insurance ($986 per year on a $300,000 property) and a modest 0.93% statewide effective property tax, on average.

10 Things I Hate About You

Overprotective Walter Stratford was capable of scheming to keep his daughters from dating for a while, but he apparently wouldn’t have been able to keep a roof over their heads. 

Despite his relatively high salary as a doctor, the family would be more than $200,000 short of where it would need to be to purchase the five-bed, four-bath Washington home. 

It last sold for around $1.5 million in 2018 but has grown in value significantly as the nationwide real estate market has spiked in recent years. Even modest home insurance rates ($1,337 annually on a $300,000 home) and statewide effective property tax rates of 0.87% aren’t enough to push the Stratfords over the line into homeownership.

This is one of the relatively rare cases where the would-be occupant could comfortably afford to rent the home but would still likely be far off from buying it on a single income. It’s possible the girls’ absent mother played some part in helping purchase the property, but without her, there are major questions about affordability.

Sixteen Candles

The home from this teen comedy classic is located in the Chicago suburbs, a favorite setting for legendary director John Hughes. Unlike some famous movie and TV homes, many scenes from Sixteen Candles were actually shot inside and around the property instead of soundstages or Hollywood backlots. 

It spans 5,000 square feet of interior space, including five bedrooms and six bathrooms. Unfortunately, that’s still not enough space to keep Sam from sleeping on the couch when her extended family arrives. It was fully renovated shortly before it was last sold in 2022 for just over $1.6 million. 

Although Jim Baker pulls in a respectable six-figure salary, it’s far short of what would be needed to pay for a nearly $2 million home, especially when he’s on the hook for his eldest daughter's $7,000 wedding – equivalent to more than $21,000 today. Even the rent would surpass his total annual income, potentially forcing them to celebrate Sam’s 17th birthday somewhere else – if they remember, of course.

Real Estate Romance

The Notebook

With a love story like this, what’s a few hundred thousand dollars here or there? Although Noah and Allie’s life in this incredible property is primarily a result of the sweat equity the former put into restoring it, it’s nevertheless somewhat unrealistic financially.

Even in the home’s unrestored, dilapidated state, it’s still not clear whether a mill worker making less than $50,000 annually would qualify for a loan. The film offers some explanation for this, with Noah’s father providing a significant contribution by selling his own home. 

On the one hand, Noah and Allie would benefit from South Carolina’s ultra-low statewide effective property tax rate of 0.57%. On the other, the Palmetto State’s low-lying, coastal location means elevated home insurance premiums, averaging $2,360 for a $300,000 home. Naturally, this spacious plantation property would also benefit from expensive flood insurance due to its waterfront location.

Twilight

There’s a big-screen switcheroo with this home, with the town of Saint Helens, Oregon, standing in for the story’s actual spooky setting of Forks, Washington, which is located about 230 miles north. Both states are relatively close when it comes to property taxes and insurance, with Oregon having slightly higher taxes and lower insurance rates. 

Homeownership can be hard to afford for single parents, even on a police chief’s salary in a relatively rural area. Charlie’s roughly $100,000 salary would likely fall a bit short of what he’d need to buy the home on his own. However, he could comfortably rent the place for himself and Bella, clearing the income threshold by more than $15,000. 

The four-bedroom, two-bathroom house last sold in 2018 for $363,000 and has appreciated significantly in price since.

Sleepless in Seattle

One of the more unique famous movie and TV homes, the floating house from “Sleepless in Seattle” is true waterfront living, offering three bedrooms and two bathrooms on the city’s Lake Union. 

Based strictly on income, Sam earns just a fraction of what he’d need to afford the home today, either as a renter or owner. However, the recent widower may have had some life insurance money from his wife, making it more plausible to own or rent. He may also have had some help from Annie if she moved in after they fell in love, considering typical reporters in the area make nearly as much as architects, $85,980 annually. 

The floating home presents a unique insurance situation, but Sam would only face moderate property taxes in Washington, with a statewide effective average of 0.87%.

More Than Meets the Eye

Breaking Bad

Despite a promising start in the scientific world, Walter White has settled into a totally unremarkable life teaching high school chemistry in Albuquerque, where he lives with his wife Skyler and son Walt Junior. 

Although Skyler works at times, finances are likely tight around the White household when she doesn’t, based on Walt’s modest $66,180 salary. However, the $44,760 she brings in as a bookkeeper after Walt is diagnosed with cancer likely provides some significant help. Whether or not the Whites could afford to buy or rent their home hinges on any contribution from Skyler, as well as any other outside income that may or may not exist.  

Like the show, the four-bedroom property includes a pool, though it's not clear if it also features a crawl space, which would be handy for discreetly storing large amounts of anything you need kept out of the way. New Mexico’s statewide effective property tax is just 0.67%, though average insurance costs are fairly high at $2,058 annually for a $300,000 property. 

Walt’s behavior has been somewhat unusual lately, but that’s not unexpected for someone dealing with an unexpected health crisis. Still, something seems a bit off about this family’s financial situation.

The Sopranos

Tony Soprano is living the American dream in northern New Jersey: a self-made man earning a respectable income from work in waste management, along with some side businesses he operates with family and friends. 

Tony, his wife Carmela, daughter Meadow, and son A.J. live in a gorgeous, sprawling six-bedroom, six-bathroom home with 6,100 square feet of living space and a swimming pool. It’s not clear exactly how they could afford such an opulent home on Tony’s salary, as Carmela doesn’t work. Looking strictly at the numbers, it would be unlikely a waste management professional would be able to buy or even rent this home unless they’re earning far more than average. 

There have always been rumors around the neighborhood that Tony’s income might not be quite on the level. But he’s such a dedicated family man that they’re hard to believe.   

Tony might not be the only Garden State resident potentially doing something illegal just to pay for his property taxes. New Jersey’s statewide effective average is 2.23%, the highest in the country. 

Mrs. Doubtfire

As laugh-out-loud funny as Robin Williams could be, San Francisco housing prices are no joke. That’s especially true for this household, which experienced varying levels of income, based on Daniel’s inconsistent earnings and Miranda’s apparently more-successful-than-average designer work. 

A 3,300-square-foot, four-bedroom, four-bathroom home in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood certainly doesn’t come cheap. It’s grown in value by more than a million dollars since it was last sold for $4.15 million in 2016. At least effective property taxes are relatively low, averaging 0.75% statewide.

In any case, it’s unlikely they could have afforded to buy or rent this property while together, and it would have been even more difficult after the two separated. Somehow, Miranda can still afford a housekeeper, who seems very qualified for the job and is great with the kids.

Scary-Expensive Homes

Poltergeist

Steven Freeling worked for the real estate developer who created the fictional community of Cuesta Verde, portrayed by real-life Simi Valley, California. An insider deal might be the only way to explain how the family could afford it — especially if the developer knows something they don’t. Annual payments as an owner would exceed Steve’s total salary, and he’d still need to make more than 2x the typical agent’s income to comfortably rent the home. 

Inside, there’s plenty of room for paranormal activities with four bedrooms and two and-a-half bathrooms spanning nearly 2,400 square feet. Somewhat chillingly, there’s also an in-ground pool, just like in the film. Although the property presents some unique challenges, it also offers the opportunity to host plenty of guests who enjoy everything from taking a swim to just watching TV.

The Conjuring 

This is a particularly terrifying example, not just because of how unaffordable the home would be for the Perrons. “The Conjuring” was based on events that supposedly happened in this actual home. 

Owning this home and supporting a family on a single truck driver’s salary may have been possible at the time of the events in the early 1970s, but it’s certainly not the case today. This might be for the best, considering this property’s unpleasant history that presents problems far bigger than a typical historic house. 

The home is built on an 8.5-acre lot and comes with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. It sold for over $1.5 million in 2022, doubtlessly earning a premium for its notoriety from a brave buyer. The property came with an unusual stipulation that it shouldn’t be lived in year-round, with the buyer explaining it’s because “the energy is so powerful.”

On a more earthly level, living in Rhode Island isn’t cheap. The statewide effective property tax rate is 1.4%, while home insurance on a typical $300,000 property costs $1,961 annually.

Rankings by Category

Methodology

Data used in the above calculations came from the Federal Reserve, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com, Bankrate, the Tax Foundation, Rocket Mortgage, and Home Bay.

To calculate the principal and interest, we assumed a 20% down payment, an interest rate of 6.87%, and no private mortgage insurance. Rent was estimated using the Zillow estimated home value and the area’s price-to-rent ratio, along with comparable rental listings when available.  

Additional statistics and details on various media properties came from Architectural Digest, Curbed Seattle, Deadline, Decider, Distractify, Duck In, Explore Georgia, ForRent.com, House Beautiful, House Digest, House Magazine, Lighter Side of Real Estate, Los Angeles Magazine, MovieMaps, New York Cliche, the New York Post, the Providence Journal, The Real Deal, Screen Rant, The Smithsonian, That '70s Show Wiki, Town and Country, Travel and Leisure, Trip Advisor, Trulia, The Velvet Rope, and Wikipedia.

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