NASHVILLE, TN (RFD-TV) — The 2025 Big Mac Housing Index offers a unique view of homeownership costs by measuring how many burgers it takes to buy a median-priced house.
Nationally, it takes about 71,000 Big Macs, down nearly seven percent from 2022 and well below the 2005 peak of more than 94,000. This suggests housing is relatively more affordable when compared to consumer goods.
But the picture varies widely by state. According to a report from Investor Observer — California, buyers face the steepest hurdle at more than 149,000 Big Macs, while Louisiana leads as the most affordable at just under 47,000. Other states, such as Ohio and Alabama, also fall near the lower end of the scale, while New York and New Jersey exceed 100,000 Big Macs, underscoring metro-area pressures.
The index, originally devised by The Economist, shows how inflation in consumer goods interacts with home prices, offering a clearer sense of affordability trends. Policymakers and buyers alike can use the measure as a reminder that regional differences remain a defining feature of the U.S. housing market.
While not directly tied to agriculture, the Big Mac Index highlights how broader inflation and affordability trends affect rural communities, where land values and housing costs often shape decisions about farm succession and attracting new farmers.
In part six of his blog series,"Top 10 Developments in Ag Law and Tax in 2023,” farm legal expert Roger McEowen tackles issue #2, foreign ownership of ag land.
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In part four of his blog series, “Top 10 Developments in Ag Law and Tax in 2023,” Roger McEowen tackles issue number four, the Employment Retention Credit.
January 31, 2024 09:00 AM
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In part three of his blog series, “Top 10 Developments in Ag Law and Tax in 2023,” Roger McEowen covers the Corps of Engineers’ mismanagement of Missouri River water levels.
January 30, 2024 02:29 PM
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Two more key developments in ag law and taxation from 2023, a crackdown on biodiesel fraud and developments in self-employment taxation (#7 and #6), are the topic of today’s Firm to Farm blog post, the second in a series by RFD-TV agri-legal expert Roger McEowen.
January 18, 2024 12:44 PM
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The start of the review of the most important ag law and tax developments of 2023—that is the topic of today’s Firm to Farm blog post by RFD-TV agri-legal expert Roger A. McEowen
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If you are thinking about making substantial gifts and/or doing so in a complicated fashion, make sure to get good professional advice beforehand. In his latest Firm to Farm blog post, RFD-TV Agri-Legal Expert Roger McEowen tackles the complex rules surrounding financial gifts, charitable donations and estate transfer.
December 15, 2023 03:12 PM
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But, what does “detached and disinterested” mean? When is a transfer of funds a gift — at least in the eyes of the IRS? That is the topic of today’s Firm to Farm blog post by RFD-TV’s Agri-Legal Expert Roger A.McEowen.
December 13, 2023 11:07 AM
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Just how much are probate fees? How are they determined? That is the topic of today’s Firm to Farm blog post by RFD-TV’s Agri-Legal Expert Roger A. McEowen.
December 12, 2023 11:23 AM
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The distinction between co-tenancy and joint tenancy and why it matters — is the topic of today’s Firm to Farm blog post by RFD-TV Agri-Legal Expert Roger McEowen.
December 11, 2023 02:13 PM
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