Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) has called out the federal government, blaming Congress for the affordability crisis in the U.S., after a new report indicates that U.S. “starter homes” across hundreds of cities have skyrocketed in price.
$21,000 Home in 1970 vs. $1 Million Home in 2026
The Florida Senator highlighted the stark difference in home prices between 1970 and 2026, sharing an anecdote about his best friend, who purchased a suburban three-bedroom, one-bathroom house for $21,000 when Scott was enrolled in junior college.
“$1 million vs. $21,000... You know who did this to you?… Government,” Sen Scott claims.
“Year after year, decade after decade, deficit after deficit – that’s what’s causing the cost of everything to go up – “education, housing, cars,” Scott further argues.
The Florida Senator is calling out Congress for failing to “live within its means,” which in turn has caused Americans to do so.
“This has to stop. We need to balance our budget and get the cost of living down so people can afford a car, a house, [and] education.”
Zillow Reports $1 Million Starter Homes Across 242 Cities
Sen. Scott’s comments come after American tech real-estate marketplace company Zillow released a report finding that across 242 U.S. cities, entry-level homes or “starter homes” are now worth at least $1 million.
According to Zillow, the COVID-19 Pandemic “reset the cost of buying a home,” expanding million-dollar entry-level homes from a concentrated number of coastal states to more than 24 across the nation.
The number of cities across the U.S. containing these expensive “starter homes” went from 80 in February 2020 to 242 in 2026, tripling in just half a decade.
Florida & Miami in the Top 5
Florida, with 11 cities, is the fourth state with cities having $1 million entry-level homes. In February 2020, the state reportedly only had 4 cities meeting these criteria.
The Miami metropolitan area includes 8 cities alone, making it the fifth metro area to meet these criteria, tying with the Seattle, Washington metro area.
