'Modern Family,' 'Friends,' 'Sex and the City' - could the characters have actually afforded their homes?

If it hadn't been rent-controlled, Monica Geller would likely not have been able to continue living in her grandmother's apartment given her financial situation. Image: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Television©

Monica's apartment in “Friends,” Carrie's digs in “Sex and the City” or the beautiful homes in “Modern Family” have fueled the real estate dreams of many a fan. Yet one question keeps coming up in the TV-watching community: could these characters really have afforded to live in such homes?

Who hasn't imagined living the daily life of their favorite TV series or movie character? Working a dream job, enjoying a perfect relationship and stylishly decorated home in a great location. However, many of these spots are actually quite unrealistic, judging from an assessment of the real estate market. A study conducted by Clever Real Estate, a real estate agency based in St. Louis, USA, looked at several popular TV series and movies, analyzing “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, Tax Foundation, Rocket Mortgage and Home Bay, as well as a variety of informational sources on pop-culture homes.”

What's the outcome? While Carrie Bradshaw is best known for having problems in her romantic relationships, the “Sex and the City” columnist would also have had a hard time paying for her apartment. "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," reads the report. To rent her apartment, the editor would have to earn $660,429 a year, a questionable amount given the character's activity: “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." 

Another improbable housing scenario -- given the same explanation -- is Monica Geller's purple apartment in “Friends,” whose controlled rent would have helped the two roommates afford to continue living in this large dwelling. With an estimated salary of $120,920, the chef couldn't have afforded the $321,429-salary needed to rent, according to the real estate agency's estimates.

In contrast, fans of the cult series “That '70s Show” will be happy to know that Kitty and Red Forman could well have raised their son and daughter in their home. The “Roseanne” series also respects this degree of realism, while the report finds that "maybe" the homes in the “Modern Family” series could be affordable for renters, and that Walter White's in “Breaking Bad” potentially could be affordable either as a rental or for a homeowner.

Also read: George Miller readies for 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' in 'addictive' series

The least affordable to rent

1) "The Notebook"

2) "The Goonies"

3) "Mrs. Doubtfire"

4) "Sex and the City"

5) "The Sopranos" 

The most affordable to rent

1) "That '70s Show"

2) "Roseanne"

3) "Breaking Bad"

4) "10 Things I Hate About You"

5) "Twilight"