FARGO (AP) - Rising home prices have outpaced household incomes in the Fargo-Moorhead area the past six years, a consultant says.

The profile done by Wisconsin consultant Linda Donnelly for the local Workforce Housing Coalition found that from 2000 to 2005, average sale prices rose 42 percent for existing homes, 31 percent for new single-family homes and 22 percent for new twin homes. During the same time, the metro area's median income increased 23 percent, from $38,113 to $47,044.

Median income means half of the region's workers made more than $47,044 and the other half made less.

Karlye and Matt Retzer thought they would get more house for their money when they moved back to Moorhead, Minn., from Las Vegas a year ago.

The couple, both elementary school teachers, gave up the 2,200-square-foot home they rented in a gated golf course community and took significant pay cuts to be closer to family. But the Fargo-Moorhead housing market was not what they expected.

"We just didn't think it would be this difficult to afford a house," Karlye Retzer said.

The disparity between housing prices and income grew even more in the past two years. Since 2004, average costs for all types of housing increased 9.5 percent per year, while wages rose only 2.2 percent per year.

"We're seeing the affordability gap widening," said Jessica Thomasson, Fargo senior planner for community development.

The Work force Housing Coalition has members from Fargo, Moorhead, West Fargo and Dilworth, Minn., as well as Cass County and Minnesota's Clay County. It commissioned the study about a year ago to assess whether housing in the region meets the affordability needs of the work force.

"The reason that we really wanted to do this study is to kind of deal with this issue before it got too far away from us," said Fargo City Commissioner Linda Coates.

A lack of affordable housing for the work force can dampen a region's economic growth, Donnelly said in her report.

Coates agreed, pointing to the "huge service sector" of the Fargo-Moorhead economy.

"We need those folks, and if they're finding it harder and harder and harder to find decent housing for their families, that's what we're trying to tackle," she said.

Donnelly identified several potential strategies for addressing work force housing needs in Fargo-Moorhead. They include developing an agreement among local governments for greater consistency on regulations, tax incentives, infrastructure financing and design standards; and streamlining procedures for work force and mixed-income developments.

"This is just the first step in what I think a lot of people hope will be additional steps and additional action by the local governments," said Wade Kline, a metro area planner.

The Retzers have second-guessed their decision to move back to the Fargo-Moorhead area, but said they will stick around.

"We go back and forth, but this is where we're supposed to be," Karlye Retzer said. "We'll make it work."