Djimon Hounsou Hosts Annual Run In Richmond, Virginia, To Promote Preservation Of Black History
The Djimon Hounsou Foundation will hold its fourth annual 'Run Richmond' to highlight and preserve Black history.
Actor Djimon Hounsou is taking to Richmond, Virginia, to host his fourth annual run in an effort to promote the preservation of Black history.
On Sept. 27, the Djimon Hounsou Foundation will host its “Run Richmond,” featuring running and walking routes designed to honor the history of African enslavement across Europe and the Western world. Hounsou, a native of Benin and star of Steven Spielberg’s 1997 film Amistad, hopes the event will inspire greater awareness of the history linking the United States and Europe to African nations.
“It’s time for Afro descendants to know where they come from and to know who they are and how powerful their history is and how powerful they are as people,” Hounsou toldUSA Today.
Although Hounsou grew up in Benin, a central hub of the transatlantic slave trade, he says it wasn’t until starring in Amistad that he fully grasped the era’s brutality and its lasting global impact.
“It really opened my mind about who I am … the history of my continent and the history of the diaspora,” Hounsou said. “We are very cut off from our past.”
Run Richmond covers 16.19 km (10.6 miles), symbolizing 1619, the year a slave ship from Angola arrived in the English colonies. A shorter 6.19K (3.85-mile) walk/run will also take place that day. Along the route, participants can use an app to hear a tour of Black historic sites narrated by Hounsou.
The award-winning actor hopes the event will serve as a meaningful pilgrimage for African Americans and others eager to engage with this history, particularly as the teachings of Black history face increasing challenges in schools and museums.
“It’s time for Afro descendants to know where they come from and to know who they are and how powerful their history is and how powerful they are as people,” he said. “It’s our obligation as people of the land … to keep that history alive in whatever ways possible.”
Named 2025 Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders, these institutions are lauded by the program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of State and funded by the federal government.
Twenty historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are being recognized for their exceptional engagement with The Fulbright Program, the nation’s flagship international academic exchange program. Named 2025 Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders, these institutions are lauded by the program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of State and funded by the federal government.
“Being named a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader is a powerful affirmation of our commitment to expanding access and opportunity for our students,” said Spelman Interim President and alumna Rosalind ‘Roz’ Brewer, whose all-women’s institution is recognized for the sixth year. “This recognition reflects our dedication to preparing students and faculty to lead, serve, and engage across borders, and we are proud to be part of a program that transforms lives through international education.”
Since 1946, the Fulbright Program has offered nearly 450,000 students, teachers, scholars, artists, and professionals from all backgrounds and a range of institutions the opportunity to study, teach, conduct research, exchange ideas, and contribute to finding solutions to complex global challenges. Over the past six years, the program has recognized HBCU Institutional Leaders as those who demonstrate noteworthy support of Fulbright exchange participants and whose campuses highlight “the strength of HBCUs as destinations for international students and scholars.
Source: Twenty HBCUs are named as 2025 Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leaders.
Lincoln University is also being recognized for the sixth consecutive year. The Pennsylvania HBCU has three Language Teaching Assistants from Kenya, Egypt, and Argentina, respectively, teaching Swahili, Arabic, and Spanish.
“Our Fulbright programs bring global perspectives, world languages and cultures, and new ideas into our students’ classrooms, our faculty’s research, and our campus community,” said Lincoln’s Fulbright Language Teaching Assistant Coordinator Dr. Nora Lynn Gardner, who also serves as a Fulbright Program Advisor and Fulbright Scholar Liaison on campus.
North Carolina Central University is recognized for the third year in a row, with a long history of connections within the organization. Since 1961, the university notes that 27 of its professors have participated in the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. Over the past 25 years, the university has hosted visiting scholars from Ghana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine, as well as three scholars-in-residence from India and South Africa.
“Being named a Fulbright HBCU Institutional Leader isn’t just about recognition, it’s about impact,” said Ontario Wooden, Ph.D., provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Every Fulbright scholar who walks through our doors strengthens our campus, our community, and the global perspective we offer our students.”
In addition to the HBCU Institutional Leaders, the program boasts prominent Fulbright alums from HBCUs, including Dr. Oscar Barton Jr., dean of the School of Engineering at Morgan State University; Dr. Rhonda Collier, head of Global Programs at Tuskegee University; Dr. Karl Jackson, chemistry professor and science researcher at Virginia State University; Dr. Ruth Simmons, a university president emerita; and the late Dr. Frank Martin Snowden Jr., an accomplished HBCU professor and American diplomat.
Other Fulbright Program competition deadlines are swiftly approaching: faculty applications for the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program are due Sept. 15, and the deadline for graduating seniors or alumni to apply for the program is Oct. 7.
Former DEI Exec, Celeste Warren, Launches Consulting Firm As New Book Reveals ‘The Truth About Equity’
Warren's newest work, "The Truth About Equity," shares personal insight into the building of DEI practices.
Celeste Warren, a leading voice for diversity within the global corporate sector, has announced the double-launch of her consulting firm and The Truth About Equity book.
Celeste Warren Consulting LLC will fuel efforts on behalf of corporations to bolster their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Under the mission of amplifying systemic change through equitable and transformative representation, the consulting firm hopes to champion these efforts amid a political push away from diversity.
With decades of expertise as a global diversity leader, Warren has seen the challenges and successes of spearheading DEI efforts for organizations of all sizes. While under a new political ecosystem, Warren remains a pioneer for this cause that ensures all can thrive in the workplace, leading to better productivity and efficiency.
“Diversity, equity, and inclusion have the ability to transform culture, drive business results, and improve lives around the world,” wrote Warren on her website. “When people feel valued and empowered, they are able to innovate and make amazing things happen.”
The former Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at Merck offers four core services to clients, believing in the lucrative power of DEI investment. Warren’s team creates customized, evidence-based strategies that incorporate DEI frameworks into any organization’s overarching goals.
Another service implements training programs that educate professionals on actionable ways to promote inclusivity in the workplace. Additional features include speaking engagements and counseling by DEI professionals that address challenges while supporting the organizations, fostering equitable dynamics from the ground up.
Alongside her Celeste Warren Consulting LLC, the esteemed leader has released a new book, The Truth About Equity. Her second book details the journey to build sustainable DEI practices, no matter the organization. Warren’s work highlights the obstacles that may arise as companies incorporate these efforts into their workflow, while promoting long-term solutions that lead to greater success and opportunities.
“Through unflinching personal stories and real-world examples from boardrooms, classrooms, and communities, Warren dismantles the myths, exposes the systematic barriers, and offers a practical, actionable path forward for anyone in a position of leadership or influence,” detailed the author.
Her latest ventures come at a time when many corporations have taken a step back from DEI endeavors, many of which have entirely shut down departments and programming. However, Warren seeks to challenge this new mindset and reality, refocusing attention on the original mission of DEI. Now, she will continue her professional passion to drive belonging, support, and prosperity at work and beyond.
Al Roker Inspires the Next Generation with PBS KIDS ‘Weather Hunters’
Al Roker has long been a household name, best known for bringing the weather into America’s living rooms each morning on the TODAY show.
Al Roker has long been a household name, best known for bringing the weather into America’s living rooms each morning on the TODAY show. Now, he’s channeling his passion for science and education into something designed for the next generation: Weather Hunters. The new animated STEM series, premiering on PBS KIDS for children ages 5 to 8, blends adventure, comedy, and science to spark curiosity in young learners about weather, technology, engineering, and math.
BLACK ENTERPRISE sat down with Roker to talk about the inspiration behind the show, the importance of early STEM education, and how Weather Hunters is designed to empower children from all backgrounds.
BE:What inspired you to create Weather Hunters, and why do you believe early STEM education is so critical for kids today?
ROKER: I’ve always believed that weather is the most accessible form of science; every child experiences it daily, and kids are so curious about it. My children asked me about rainbows when they were kids, and my youngest wanted to package one up to give to his mom as a present.
Growing up, my true passion was animation, and I wanted to be an animator for Disney. I fell into being a weatherman with my additional fascination for all things weather, and I had this idea for a series for many years. Weather Hunters was born from the idea that if we can spark curiosity about weather, we can open the door to broader learning, and this series is loosely based on my family.
BE:How does Weather Hunters uniquely blend entertainment and education to keep young viewers engaged while teaching complex STEM concepts?
We built the show to feel like an adventure first, and a science lesson second. Storytelling, humor, and relatable characters are at the core — the science is woven seamlessly into the narrative. Kids don’t feel like they’re being lectured; instead, they’re solving mysteries, following the forecast, or joining in experiments with the characters. That blend of fun and fact is what keeps them watching while they’re learning.
The series is for children ages 5-8, but I think parents will enjoy it too. It’s designed to support kids’ learning about Earth science and meteorology through adventure and comedy to cultivate their awareness, curiosity, and caring about how weather impacts individuals, communities, and our global society. Weather Hunters centers on Lily Hunter, an intrepid and observant 8-year-old weather detective who shares her investigations with her family and friends. The Hunters’ primary goal is to learn as much as they can about weather to benefit the community and the planet.
BE: What role do you see diversity and representation playing in STEM education, especially for young children?
Representation is everything. When kids see characters who look like them, sound like them, or come from their communities, it sends a powerful message: “This is for you.” Weather Hunters makes sure every child feels included in that journey. Our team is also incredible with the series’s voice cast, which includes the actors LeVar Burton, Holly Robinson Peete, and Sheryl Lee Ralph.
BE:Can you share how your extensive career in weather reporting influenced the development and content of Weather Hunters?
My decades on TODAY have taught me that weather touches everyone. Whether it’s a snowstorm or a sunny day, people tune in because it matters to their lives. That same approach is in Weather Hunters. I wanted to translate what I’ve done for adults every morning into something children could connect with — breaking down complex ideas into clear, engaging takeaways and having some fun along the way.
BE:How do you hope Weather Hunters will impact children’s perceptions of science and technology long-term?
We want children and those who watch Weather Hunters with them to appreciate the beauty and wonder of the weather and environment around them. And this program will hopefully give them the tools to think critically about the weather in their communities and be prepared to take care of themselves and their families.
BE: What challenges did you face in adapting STEM topics for a younger audience, and how did you overcome them?
Having PBS KIDS as a partner helps our curriculum professionals work with our writing staff to make the STEM topics understandable and more easily relevant. At the same time, if it doesn’t stimulate and entertain, that information won’t resonate with our viewers, both children and caregivers alike.
BE: How can parents and educators best use Weather Hunters as a tool to foster STEM curiosity beyond the screen?
I think Weather Hunters can help parents, caregivers, and educators when they take the everyday lessons that the Hunters instill in their kids to be inquisitive, curious, and open to see the world around them and to explore that world with awe and appreciation so many of us take for granted.
BE:Al Roker Entertainment, your production company, has been behind several impactful projects. Can you share what exciting new initiatives or productions you have in the works?
This series is under WeatherHunters Inc., and we are expanding with some exciting news soon about what this world will look like beyond the series.
Al Roker Entertainment is our flagship production company and has created content for decades with offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, and at ARE, we’re not just a production company; we’re a dynamic hub of collaboration, partnering with brilliant minds — Emmy winning producers, directors, writers, and media innovators — to bring stories to life in ways that leave an indelible mark. Our mission is to create content that sparks conversations, ignites passions, and fosters connections, all while pushing the boundaries of storytelling excellence.
Most recently, Gaining Ground: The Fight for Black Land and Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn, our award-winning documentaries, have been showcasing the potential of socially impactful content. These powerful narratives delve into pressing issues, like Heirs’ Property and political representation in America, respectively. Winning several notable awards across international festivals, they join our esteemed lineup of productions that continue to shape conversations and illuminate the world.
Catch Weather Hunters weekdays on PBS KIDS, check your local listings for times.
Viral Burger King Employee Who Clocked In After Graduation Furthers Studies In Technical School
The high school graduate planned to work several jobs to afford school, but the viral scene led to others chipping in to get him through Gwinnett Technical College.
Mykale Baker, the Burger King employee from Dacula, Georgia, who went viral for clocking into work after his high school graduation, is making strides for his future months after his heartwarming act.
While still wearing his graduation cap and gown, Baker noticed his co-workers struggling to keep up with the dinner rush at the fast food chain. So he helped bag orders and serve customers.
Thousands of dollars poured in support for Baker’s efforts after another graduate’s mom, Maria Mendoza, noticed him working that June day. He amassed over $180,000 from supporters, with Burger King contributing a $10,000 scholarship to its remarkable employee.
According to his Instagram, Baker is the youngest of eight siblings raised by a single mom. Mendoza gave an update on the teen’s educational journey to 11Alive. Baker has enrolled in Gwinnett Technical College, where he studies automotive technology.
Baker and his classmates recently toured a Hyundai plant near Savannah, Georgia, one of the largest in the state. He witnessed the facility’s first-hand to get a deeper look at its operations and his potential career path.
As he matriculates through the trade school, Baker will acquire hands-on training to strengthen his skills. He will also gain real-world learning, such as diagnostics, repair and maintenance, through the automotive program.
Virginia Beach To Honor Producer Timbaland With Street Renaming
A street will be christened Timbaland Way
Virginia Beach has recently announced that it is honoring one of its own, award-winning producer Timbaland, with a street renaming in October.
The man who produced hits for countless recording artists, including Missy Elliot, Ginuwine, Aaliyah, and a host of others, will be recognized for his contributions to pop music during the weekend of Oct. 17-19 in his hometown in the Virginia city. A street will be renamed Timbaland Way.
“Virginia Beach–and the entire 757 region–shaped who I am today. I am both honored and humbled to have a weekend of events that not only highlight my accomplishments in the industry but also give me a chance to come back home to celebrate with those in the community who have supported my career for decades. Virginia’s influence on the music industry has been felt for generations, and I can’t wait to also share this moment alongside some of my other producer brothers,” said Timbaland in a written statement.
The town will not only acknowledge the greatness of the talent and business acumen of the man born Timothy Zachery Mosley, but Virginia Beach also has plans to honor other music producers from the area by awarding them a Proclamation from the City of Virginia Beach. Those music-making producers are Hannon (Rihanna, Toni Braxton, Jennifer Hudson), Bink (Snoop Dogg, Drake, Rick Ross), Nottz (Busta Rhymes, Raekwon, Rapsody), and Danja (Beyonce, Will Smith, Chris Brown).
“We are proud to call Timbaland a Virginia Beach native and are thrilled to honor his incredible contributions to the world of music, creativity, and innovation,” said Cash Green, Virginia Beach City Council member. “This weekend is a moment to both recognize his legacy and ignite the next generation of local talent, while bringing together our vibrant community and inspiring future leaders and creators.”
The weekend will consist of school visits, meet-and-greets, a parade, a conference featuring the producers being honored, and several other activities to make the weekend complete.
Most of the events during the weekend are free and open to the public. Information for the Timbaland Way Weekend can be found here.
FBI Searching For Florida Woman Involved In Alleged $34M COVID-19 Relief Fraud Scam
The FBI is searching for a woman allegedly involved in a $34 million PPP scam.
A South Florida woman is reportedly evading the FBI after allegedly orchestrating a $34 million COVID-19 relief fraud scheme.
Elaine Angene Escoe, 40, was last seen in Palm Beach County on June 3, just two days before a scheduled court hearing for her alleged fraud, NBC Miami reports.
Escoe, a native of Jamaica who has aliases “Annie” and “Annie Palmer,” is accused of conspiring with a group to submit over 90 allegedly fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF), and Shuttered Venue Operators Grants (SVOG) between May 2020 and November 2021.
The applications reportedly included false information about the number of employees, payroll expenses, and business revenues, resulting in the improper disbursement of approximately $29.1 million in PPP funds, $1.2 million in RRF funds, and $3.8 million in SVOG funds.
Once the funds were disbursed, Escoe and her associates allegedly funneled money to each other through businesses they controlled, withdrew large amounts in cash, and used blank, signed checks to hide the source and purpose of the funds. A federal arrest warrant was issued for Escoe on May 22 after she was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, wire fraud, and both concealment and transactional money laundering.
Just days before her scheduled court hearing on June 5, Escoe went missing and has not been seen since. If convicted, she would join nearly 800 others indicted for alleged COVID-19-related crimes, including Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud. As of early 2024, 373 individuals had been sentenced.
In May 2025, 14 people were arrested for allegedly defrauding COVID-19 relief programs, obtaining more than $25 million.
“These programs were established to assist individuals and businesses in need of financial assistance and instead were pilfered by the named defendants,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher. “IRS-CI is dedicated to identifying and dismantling criminal organizations that prey on assistance programs set up for the benefit of our law-abiding citizens.”
Conservatives Behind Project 2025 Plan To Hype U.S. Birth Rate Numbers Despite Being At An All-Time Low
The idea comes as data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed the fertility rate in the U.S. hit an all-time low in 2024 with under 1.6 children being born per woman.
A new report shows the conservative minds behind Project 2025, The Heritage Foundation, are scheming to boost the failing U.S. birth rate numbers with a new campaign called “We Must Save the American Family,” The Washington Post reported.
The right-wing think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C., is spearheading a “Manhattan project to restore the nuclear family” type plan for Congress to create legislation to create government-seeded savings accounts, but only for married couples. The goal of the campaign is to steer funding away from child care programs like Head Start and push it toward individual families in hopes that they would be encouraged to stay home and have babies.
In the five-page executive campaign summary, Heritage steers away from its traditional small government and free-market conservatism and pushes a different support of government intervention, calling on President Donald Trump to issue executive orders that would require proposed regulations to “measure their positive or negative impacts on marriage and family” before taking over or ending programs that allegedly perform poorly. “For family policy to succeed, old orthodoxies must be re-examined and innovative approaches embraced, but more than that, we need to mobilize a nation to meet this moment,” the document reads.
The idea comes as data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed the fertility rate in the U.S. hit an all-time low in 2024, with under 1.6 children being born per woman, according to CBS News. As more women are waiting longer to have children or add being mothers to their busy schedules, the United States was once a country that held a birth rate that would guarantee each generation would have enough children to replace itself, with an estimated close to 2.1 kids per woman.
While the Vice President JD Vance declared during his first public speech in office, “I want more babies in the United States of America,” there are a number of factors that contribute to the declining numbers. People are marrying much later in life, in addition to the growing concern over a lack of job opportunities, efficient health insurance, and the necessary resources needed to raise children. “Worry is not a good moment to have kids, and that’s why birth rates in most age groups are not improving,” Karen Guzzo, director of the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina, said.
But Republican leaders like House Speaker Mike Johnson feel the rate decline is due to Americans’ attempt to “de-emphasize the family.” “The way popular culture has developed in recent decades, they de-emphasize the family. They de-emphasize the merit of marriage, strong, steady, stable marriages between one man and one woman that produce children,” Johnson said during an April 2025 Fox News interview.
“This is part of the uphill climb that we have in working against the culture, but we’ll continue to do that, and public policy should reflect it.”
The U.S. birth rate and other ways to control women’s bodies were included in the controversial Project 2025 document, which Trump once claimed to have no ties to. The 900-plus page document listed ways to restrict and eventually eliminate access to Mifepristone, also known as the most common abortion medication.
It also has its eyes set on implementing an anti–sexual and reproductive health agenda through the government, such as changing mandates of key agencies and rearranging words within policies to stigmatize sexual and reproductive concepts.
Husband, Wife Duo Behind BUTTER Is Putting Equity And Care At The Center Of The Arts
With their cultural organization GANGGANG, Malina and Alan Bacon are building a new model for art fairs—one rooted in reparations, relationships, and joy.
Malina Simone Bacon and Alan Bacon, artists and administrators from Indianapolis, have built their careers at the intersection of creativity and service. The pair, who work within the overlap between activism and expression, founded GANGGANG, a cultural organization focused on social justice and creative equity.
Among its flagship projects is BUTTER, an annual fine art fair in downtown Indianapolis that has quickly become a model for equitable arts programming and a platform for Black artists. Alan and Malina opened up to Black Enterprise on Aug. 29 about what it meant to build upon GANGGANG’s mission and to continue putting creatives in command with the 5th Annual Butter Fine Arts Fair.
Malina “Mali” Bacon co-founded BUTTER alongside her husband, Alan Bacon, and their mission was novel from its conception. GANGGANG invests in culture and operates with an intentional reparational slant, which, in practice, looks like building a fair that puts equity and care at its core.
Alan explained, “Butter is the no commission fair. Unlike other traditional art fairs and entities and organizations, we’re not taking 30, 40, or 50% from artists’ sales. One hundred percent of the sales go to the artists, back into artists’ hands and households. That’s a different model. We’ve been able to test that and be successful.”
That success is measurable. In just five years, more than $1 million in art sales has gone directly to participating artists, including $192,247 from 104 works sold this year alone.
He continued, “We’re proud that within five years, we have over a million dollars going back into artists’ hands. So, I think as it relates to what makes BUTTER different–especially within this moment, when you talk about reparations and what is equity, in order to really achieve true equity, there needs to be a sacrifice of privilege. And when there’s not that sacrifice of privilege, then you’ve got to find other means to support. BUTTER has been that, you know, those means and that microphone to the voice of artists who you may not have heard of or hear the narrative of their stories and of their art.”
Malina added, “Reparational is that BUTTER centers care. [That’s] uncommon in the traditional fair model. We are…beginning relationships with artists when we invite them into BUTTER, and the relationships don’t end, you know? Centering care is distinct from economic justice and…it feels a lot like investing in culture.”
The results of GANGGANG investing in culture speak for themself. The numbers mark a new milestone for BUTTER, with $1,163,947 in total artwork sales to date, with every dollar going directly to the artistic creators themselves. That investment is deeply rooted in place. By hosting BUTTER annually in Indianapolis—a city with deep but often overlooked Black cultural traditions—the Bacons have redirected national spotlight toward an overlooked Midwest city and shown its anchor to culture.
“The artists here are incredible, like I said, because they’ve been doing it without anybody noticing. And so, this is an opportunity for us to show the world who we are here. We are surprisingly and beautifully more Black than people know. And so that means we’re more creative than people know, and that we have music and the arts and film more than people know. This is an opportunity to show the world, this is NAP…and to share our history,” Malina shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE.
Alan points to Indiana Avenue, once an epicenter of jazz and bebop, as proof of the city’s cultural legacy.
“We have a very rich history in the arts. Indiana Avenue was the mecca of our arts. It was the nucleus of what would have been Indiana’s Harlem Renaissance. Just having that type of history, the descendants of those individuals are still here. So we’re carrying the spirit along with us as it relates to what we’re creating and what we’re able to display today. But that’s just part of why this is important, just to be able to let people know the history that supports the now, and how this is going to help guide us for the future,” Alan concluded.
Through all of the Black excellence exemplified in the BUTTER Fine Arts fair, Alan and Mali wanted attendees to take just one thing away from the Indianapolis weekend of events. The Bacons hope attendees walk away from BUTTER with more than admiration for the art.
“There’s still light, there’s still hope, there’s still joy, there’s still love. This is what it feels like when you center beauty, equity, and culture. And this is what we are proposing to cities and to systems and to environments and to documents, to everything, that you can center beauty, equity, and culture. And it has a result on our quality of life, on our feelings, also our city’s economic bottom line, and our tourism and our narrative.”
Malina & Alan Bacon. Photo by @111lens
“Love works, you know? We just want more people to take that away as real.”
The Perfect Salary Doesn’t Guarantee Homeownership
Talker Research found that Americans consider $74,000 to be the perfect salary.
A survey conducted by Talker Research found that most Americans’ ideal annual pay still does not stretch far enough to buy a home.
Americans consider $74,000 to be the perfect salary, according to research by Talker Research and SurePayroll. After analysis, Realtor.com examined what that income can actually buy in today’s housing market; spoiler, it won’t get you far.
Factoring in a 20% down payment and a 6.56% mortgage rate, the analysis shows that this income allows a buyer to afford a median-priced home only in Louisiana and West Virginia, where the median home prices are roughly $285,000.
That number is far below the national median home price of $410,800 in the second quarter of 2025, as recorded by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Even in Louisiana’s Baton Rouge area, where housing is relatively affordable, a buyer earning $74,000 would still require four years of saving to cover just the down payment. These figures do not include closing costs, removal and moving fees, and other expenses.
Realtor.com’s study calculated the probability of homebuying with double the “ideal salary.” Even with $148,000 in earnings, homeownership remains out of reach in 13 states.
Data shows that the income needed to afford an average home today averages about $114,000—a 70% increase compared with 2019.
Redfin’s analysis puts that income requirement even higher, at roughly $117,000, making it the highest level since 2012, and noting that typical U.S. households earn around $84,000.
As the income needed for homeownership climbs, many Americans face a widening gap between hopes and reality. Seventy-four thousand may feel like the perfect salary to many. However, it no longer guarantees access to the housing market in the majority of U.S. states. Homeownership remains a lofty goal, even for earners well above the national average.
