Starter homes are getting harder to find. These 20 cities are bucking the trend.

As mortgage rates continue to reach new heights, options for first-time buyers are dwindling. Even starter homes — affordable properties that entice first-time homebuyers get their foot in the door — are jumping in price.

Realtor defines starter homes as homes listed at or below 80% of the median list price in that metro. A recent report from Realtor analyzing 8,300 ZIP codes in the largest 100 metros found that only 18.3% of those ZIP codes were starter-home dominant.

"Affordability is only part of the story. What matters as much is whether affordable homes are actually for sale in the places where buyers want and need to live," Realtor senior economist Hannah Jones said. "For first-time buyers, the search is increasingly shaped by the geography of opportunity, not simply a metro's headline price. Keeping homeownership within reach will require more entry-level homes at attainable price points."