A surge in demand for homes in the United States, in addition to limited housing inventory, has created a sellers market unlike anything seen in recent memory. Homes are now selling faster than ever before — and also for more money than ever before.
While rapidly rising housing prices may discourage many would-be buyers, there are parts of the country where home values are relatively low and affordable to a wider range of budgets.
Using data on median home value from the U.S. Census Bureau, 24/7 Wall St. identified the least expensive city to buy a home in every state. We included cities, towns, villages, and unincorporated communities with populations of at least 25,000 in our analysis.
Home values in a given area are often a reflection of what residents can afford, and in nearly every city on this list, incomes are lower than they are across the state as a whole. Additionally, in all but two of these cities, the median household income is below the $62,843 income that the typical American household earns annually. Here is a look at the poorest city in every state.
Despite the lower incomes, home values in these areas are often low enough to make it less likely that buyers need to rely on a mortgage. In the majority of the cities on this list, the share of homeowners who finance with a mortgage is lower than it is across the state as a whole. This is the American city with the most foreclosures.
Click here to see the cheapest cities to buy a home in every state
Click here to see our detailed methodology
Alabama: Gadsden
> Median home value: $73,600 (Alabama: $142,700)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $936 (Alabama: $1,186)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 46.3% (Alabama: 56.2%)
> Homeownership rate: 58.6% (Alabama: 68.8%)
> Median household income: $32,642 (Alabama: $50,536)
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Alaska: Fairbanks
> Median home value: $211,500 (Alaska: $270,400)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,800 (Alaska: $1,933)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 67.4% (Alaska: 62.9%)
> Homeownership rate: 35.8% (Alaska: 64.3%)
> Median household income: $62,602 (Alaska: $77,640)
Arizona: Apache Junction
> Median home value: $105,600 (Arizona: $225,500)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,069 (Arizona: $1,434)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 44.4% (Arizona: 63.8%)
> Homeownership rate: 78.0% (Arizona: 64.4%)
> Median household income: $45,653 (Arizona: $58,945)
Arkansas: Pine Bluff
> Median home value: $75,500 (Arkansas: $127,800)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $928 (Arkansas: $1,089)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 51.5% (Arkansas: 54.5%)
> Homeownership rate: 52.8% (Arkansas: 65.6%)
> Median household income: $34,723 (Arkansas: $47,597)
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California: Twentynine Palms
> Median home value: $146,400 (California: $505,000)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,194 (California: $2,357)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 65.6% (California: 70.3%)
> Homeownership rate: 32.1% (California: 54.8%)
> Median household income: $44,226 (California: $75,235)
Colorado: Pueblo
> Median home value: $141,000 (Colorado: $343,300)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,133 (Colorado: $1,744)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 62.5% (Colorado: 71.3%)
> Homeownership rate: 56.6% (Colorado: 65.2%)
> Median household income: $40,450 (Colorado: $72,331)
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Connecticut: Waterbury
> Median home value: $130,700 (Connecticut: $275,400)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,587 (Connecticut: $2,119)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 65.5% (Connecticut: 67.8%)
> Homeownership rate: 41.4% (Connecticut: 66.1%)
> Median household income: $42,401 (Connecticut: $78,444)
Delaware: Wilmington
> Median home value: $168,000 (Delaware: $251,100)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,368 (Delaware: $1,587)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 67.7% (Delaware: 65.0%)
> Homeownership rate: 43.4% (Delaware: 71.2%)
> Median household income: $45,032 (Delaware: $68,287)
Florida: South Bradenton
> Median home value: $83,900 (Florida: $215,300)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,090 (Florida: $1,503)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 30.8% (Florida: 56.8%)
> Homeownership rate: 54.0% (Florida: 65.4%)
> Median household income: $36,933 (Florida: $55,660)
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Georgia: Albany
> Median home value: $99,800 (Georgia: $176,000)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,128 (Georgia: $1,417)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 56.4% (Georgia: 65.1%)
> Homeownership rate: 40.4% (Georgia: 63.3%)
> Median household income: $36,615 (Georgia: $58,700)
Hawaii: Hilo
> Median home value: $329,200 (Hawaii: $615,300)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,570 (Hawaii: $2,418)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 58.0% (Hawaii: 65.1%)
> Homeownership rate: 60.7% (Hawaii: 58.9%)
> Median household income: $63,283 (Hawaii: $81,275)
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Idaho: Pocatello
> Median home value: $148,200 (Idaho: $212,300)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,089 (Idaho: $1,270)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 61.7% (Idaho: 64.6%)
> Homeownership rate: 62.5% (Idaho: 70.0%)
> Median household income: $46,617 (Idaho: $55,785)
Illinois: East St. Louis
> Median home value: $54,500 (Illinois: $194,500)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $985 (Illinois: $1,693)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 37.0% (Illinois: 63.3%)
> Homeownership rate: 47.1% (Illinois: 66.1%)
> Median household income: $24,343 (Illinois: $65,886)
Indiana: Gary
> Median home value: $66,100 (Indiana: $141,700)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $971 (Indiana: $1,148)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 45.1% (Indiana: 65.5%)
> Homeownership rate: 50.6% (Indiana: 69.1%)
> Median household income: $31,936 (Indiana: $56,303)
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Iowa: Marshalltown
> Median home value: $94,300 (Iowa: $147,800)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,056 (Iowa: $1,260)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 63.0% (Iowa: 60.6%)
> Homeownership rate: 64.7% (Iowa: 71.1%)
> Median household income: $52,035 (Iowa: $60,523)
Kansas: Kansas City
> Median home value: $95,600 (Kansas: $151,900)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,204 (Kansas: $1,378)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 59.1% (Kansas: 59.4%)
> Homeownership rate: 56.3% (Kansas: 66.3%)
> Median household income: $45,665 (Kansas: $59,597)
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Kentucky: Covington
> Median home value: $111,500 (Kentucky: $141,000)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,095 (Kentucky: $1,178)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 74.4% (Kentucky: 57.7%)
> Homeownership rate: 48.8% (Kentucky: 67.2%)
> Median household income: $43,437 (Kentucky: $50,589)
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Louisiana: New Iberia
> Median home value: $114,600 (Louisiana: $163,100)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,083 (Louisiana: $1,295)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 43.8% (Louisiana: 52.3%)
> Homeownership rate: 56.1% (Louisiana: 65.6%)
> Median household income: $38,221 (Louisiana: $49,469)
Maine: Lewiston
> Median home value: $140,600 (Maine: $190,400)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,265 (Maine: $1,398)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 65.1% (Maine: 61.7%)
> Homeownership rate: 50.2% (Maine: 72.3%)
> Median household income: $44,523 (Maine: $57,918)
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Maryland: Dundalk
> Median home value: $149,800 (Maryland: $314,800)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,315 (Maryland: $2,017)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 62.9% (Maryland: 72.9%)
> Homeownership rate: 63.8% (Maryland: 66.9%)
> Median household income: $55,757 (Maryland: $84,805)
Massachusetts: Springfield
> Median home value: $156,200 (Massachusetts: $381,600)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,424 (Massachusetts: $2,225)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 70.3% (Massachusetts: 69.2%)
> Homeownership rate: 46.6% (Massachusetts: 62.4%)
> Median household income: $39,432 (Massachusetts: $81,215)
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Michigan: Flint
> Median home value: $29,500 (Michigan: $154,900)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $880 (Michigan: $1,298)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 40.6% (Michigan: 60.1%)
> Homeownership rate: 56.9% (Michigan: 71.2%)
> Median household income: $28,834 (Michigan: $57,144)
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Minnesota: Austin
> Median home value: $107,800 (Minnesota: $223,900)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $994 (Minnesota: $1,580)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 60.1% (Minnesota: 66.3%)
> Homeownership rate: 66.4% (Minnesota: 71.6%)
> Median household income: $48,127 (Minnesota: $71,306)
Mississippi: Greenville
> Median home value: $78,300 (Mississippi: $119,000)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,007 (Mississippi: $1,147)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 42.3% (Mississippi: 49.4%)
> Homeownership rate: 49.3% (Mississippi: 68.2%)
> Median household income: $27,025 (Mississippi: $45,081)
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Missouri: Florissant
> Median home value: $97,600 (Missouri: $157,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,129 (Missouri: $1,277)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 70.4% (Missouri: 61.5%)
> Homeownership rate: 65.2% (Missouri: 66.8%)
> Median household income: $54,978 (Missouri: $55,461)
Montana: Butte-Silver Bow
> Median home value: $150,600 (Montana: $230,600)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,061 (Montana: $1,429)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 54.8% (Montana: 56.7%)
> Homeownership rate: 68.8% (Montana: 68.1%)
> Median household income: $45,797 (Montana: $54,970)
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Nebraska: Fremont
> Median home value: $132,700 (Nebraska: $155,800)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,209 (Nebraska: $1,386)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 58.1% (Nebraska: 60.5%)
> Homeownership rate: 56.3% (Nebraska: 66.1%)
> Median household income: $49,474 (Nebraska: $61,439)
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Nevada: Winchester
> Median home value: $162,400 (Nevada: $267,900)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,190 (Nevada: $1,524)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 53.0% (Nevada: 68.0%)
> Homeownership rate: 35.9% (Nevada: 56.3%)
> Median household income: $39,020 (Nevada: $60,365)
New Hampshire: Rochester
> Median home value: $172,300 (New Hampshire: $261,700)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,661 (New Hampshire: $1,948)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 62.6% (New Hampshire: 65.8%)
> Homeownership rate: 67.3% (New Hampshire: 71.1%)
> Median household income: $62,179 (New Hampshire: $76,768)
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New Jersey: Camden
> Median home value: $84,000 (New Jersey: $335,600)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,100 (New Jersey: $2,465)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 55.5% (New Jersey: 66.8%)
> Homeownership rate: 39.3% (New Jersey: 63.9%)
> Median household income: $27,015 (New Jersey: $82,545)
New Mexico: Roswell
> Median home value: $105,100 (New Mexico: $171,400)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,030 (New Mexico: $1,280)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 48.4% (New Mexico: 54.2%)
> Homeownership rate: 66.1% (New Mexico: 67.7%)
> Median household income: $43,372 (New Mexico: $49,754)
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New York: Jamestown
> Median home value: $63,200 (New York: $313,700)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $840 (New York: $2,155)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 53.8% (New York: 60.8%)
> Homeownership rate: 49.7% (New York: 53.9%)
> Median household income: $33,420 (New York: $68,486)
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North Carolina: Rocky Mount
> Median home value: $113,100 (North Carolina: $172,500)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,160 (North Carolina: $1,314)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 63.3% (North Carolina: 63.2%)
> Homeownership rate: 50.7% (North Carolina: 65.2%)
> Median household income: $40,633 (North Carolina: $54,602)
North Dakota: Minot
> Median home value: $208,700 (North Dakota: $193,900)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,436 (North Dakota: $1,426)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 65.2% (North Dakota: 53.5%)
> Homeownership rate: 56.7% (North Dakota: 62.4%)
> Median household income: $66,194 (North Dakota: $64,894)
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Ohio: Youngstown
> Median home value: $44,800 (Ohio: $145,700)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $765 (Ohio: $1,282)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 42.8% (Ohio: 62.9%)
> Homeownership rate: 54.9% (Ohio: 66.1%)
> Median household income: $28,822 (Ohio: $56,602)
Oklahoma: Muskogee
> Median home value: $92,300 (Oklahoma: $136,800)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $970 (Oklahoma: $1,234)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 54.6% (Oklahoma: 54.9%)
> Homeownership rate: 55.0% (Oklahoma: 65.6%)
> Median household income: $38,194 (Oklahoma: $52,919)
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Oregon: Springfield
> Median home value: $204,700 (Oregon: $312,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,327 (Oregon: $1,699)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 68.6% (Oregon: 66.2%)
> Homeownership rate: 52.6% (Oregon: 62.4%)
> Median household income: $47,695 (Oregon: $62,818)
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Pennsylvania: Chester
> Median home value: $72,400 (Pennsylvania: $180,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,002 (Pennsylvania: $1,494)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 44.7% (Pennsylvania: 60.1%)
> Homeownership rate: 36.1% (Pennsylvania: 68.9%)
> Median household income: $32,403 (Pennsylvania: $61,744)
Rhode Island: Woonsocket
> Median home value: $173,300 (Rhode Island: $261,900)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,659 (Rhode Island: $1,860)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 65.6% (Rhode Island: 68.4%)
> Homeownership rate: 36.4% (Rhode Island: 60.8%)
> Median household income: $42,595 (Rhode Island: $67,167)
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South Carolina: Spartanburg
> Median home value: $125,600 (South Carolina: $162,300)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,113 (South Carolina: $1,246)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 60.5% (South Carolina: 58.3%)
> Homeownership rate: 46.2% (South Carolina: 69.4%)
> Median household income: $40,053 (South Carolina: $53,199)
South Dakota: Aberdeen
> Median home value: $161,800 (South Dakota: $167,100)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,275 (South Dakota: $1,340)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 60.4% (South Dakota: 55.6%)
> Homeownership rate: 56.7% (South Dakota: 67.8%)
> Median household income: $52,651 (South Dakota: $58,275)
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Tennessee: Memphis
> Median home value: $101,800 (Tennessee: $167,200)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,191 (Tennessee: $1,244)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 62.0% (Tennessee: 59.2%)
> Homeownership rate: 46.6% (Tennessee: 66.3%)
> Median household income: $41,228 (Tennessee: $53,320)
Texas: Port Arthur
> Median home value: $65,800 (Texas: $172,500)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,175 (Texas: $1,606)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 28.6% (Texas: 57.4%)
> Homeownership rate: 57.7% (Texas: 62.0%)
> Median household income: $36,557 (Texas: $61,874)
Utah: Ogden
> Median home value: $170,100 (Utah: $279,100)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,185 (Utah: $1,551)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 69.2% (Utah: 70.5%)
> Homeownership rate: 57.7% (Utah: 70.2%)
> Median household income: $50,061 (Utah: $71,621)
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Vermont: Burlington*
> Median home value: $284,500 (Vermont: $227,700)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,884 (Vermont: $1,621)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 65.6% (Vermont: 62.6%)
> Homeownership rate: 35.8% (Vermont: 70.8%)
> Median household income: $51,394 (Vermont: $61,973)
*Because Burlington is the only eligible city in Vermont, it is the most affordable city to buy a home by default.
Virginia: Danville
> Median home value: $90,500 (Virginia: $273,100)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,037 (Virginia: $1,799)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 51.6% (Virginia: 68.7%)
> Homeownership rate: 51.5% (Virginia: 66.3%)
> Median household income: $37,203 (Virginia: $74,222)
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Washington: Yakima
> Median home value: $173,000 (Washington: $339,000)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,296 (Washington: $1,886)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 60.3% (Washington: 68.5%)
> Homeownership rate: 54.2% (Washington: 63.0%)
> Median household income: $44,950 (Washington: $73,775)
West Virginia: Parkersburg
> Median home value: $91,100 (West Virginia: $119,600)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $834 (West Virginia: $1,050)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 53.7% (West Virginia: 46.6%)
> Homeownership rate: 60.3% (West Virginia: 73.2%)
> Median household income: $35,778 (West Virginia: $46,711)
Wisconsin: Beloit
> Median home value: $89,900 (Wisconsin: $180,600)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,046 (Wisconsin: $1,430)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 65.7% (Wisconsin: 63.9%)
> Homeownership rate: 57.9% (Wisconsin: 67.0%)
> Median household income: $43,651 (Wisconsin: $61,747)
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Wyoming: Casper
> Median home value: $207,400 (Wyoming: $220,500)
> Median monthly housing costs with a mortgage: $1,363 (Wyoming: $1,459)
> Share of housing units with a mortgage: 63.7% (Wyoming: 58.3%)
> Homeownership rate: 64.4% (Wyoming: 70.4%)
> Median household income: $61,979 (Wyoming: $64,049)
Methodology:
To determine the most affordable city to buy a home in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed five-year estimates of median owner-occupied home values from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.
We used census “place” geographies — a category that includes 29,573 incorporated legal entities and census-designated statistical entities. Of those, 29,319 had boundaries that fell within one of the 50 states, while the rest were in the District of Columbia or Puerto Rico.
We defined cities based on a population threshold — having more than 25,000 people — and 1,774 of the places fell within this threshold.
Cities were excluded if owner-occupied median home values were not available in the 2019 ACS or if the sampling error associated with a town’s data was deemed too high.
The sampling error was defined as too high if the coefficient of variation — a statistical assessment of how reliable an estimate is — for a city’s owner-occupied median home value was above 15% and greater than two standard deviations above the mean CV for all cities’ owner-occupied median home values. We similarly excluded cites that had a sampling error too high for their population, using the same definition.
The remaining 1,773 places were ranked within their state based on their owner-occupied median home values. To break ties, we used median monthly housing costs with a mortgage.
Additional information on median monthly housing costs with a mortgage, the share of owner-occupied housing units that have a mortgage, rates of homeownership, and median annual household income are also five-year estimates from the 2019 ACS.
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