50 Surprising Places Where the Middle Class Likely Can’t Afford a Home

As the cost of living continues to rise in popular metropolitan areas, members of the middle class are seeking out lesser-known cities for more affordable lifestyles. The only problem is these cities are gradually becoming more expensive, leaving the middle class with negative leftover savings and the inability to afford a mortgage.

For this piece, GOBankingRates identified cities with populations between 10,000 and 50,000 and followed the finance rule that housing costs should not exceed 30% of household median income. The average mortgage was calculated using each city’s average single-family home value and assuming a 10% down payment and the most recent 30-year fixed mortgage rate. The average mortgage and average expenditure costs allowed for calculating the average total monthly and annual cost of living and the aforementioned 30% rule calculated the housing budget.

Using the housing budget and the average mortgage, the leftover savings were calculated to show how much more income a median income household needs to pay for the average mortgage cost. Households with negative leftover savings were kept to represent places that a middle class household cannot afford a mortgage. 

• Minden, Louisiana, was the city that’s closest to being affordable for the middle class. A single-family home averages $144,557, but the leftover savings for the mortgage budget after the annual mortgage cost is a negative ($1,372). Minden is one of two Louisiana cities to rank in the top 50, with the second city being Ruston (#9).
• After Minden, Somerset (KY), Nacogdoches (TX), Palatka (FL) and Cedartown (GA) rounded out the top five cities closest to being affordable for the middle class. The savings deficit for the mortgage budget ranges from  ($1,372) on the low end and ($4,099) on the high end.
• 13 Florida cities ranked as unlikely where the middle class can afford a home. They include Palatka (#4), New Port Richey (#18), Lady Lake (#20), Gladeview (#33), West Little River (#35), Lauderdale Lakes (#38), Pinewood (#39), Westview (#40), Brownsville (#44), North Miami Beach (#45), Hobe Sound (#46) Hialeah Gardens (#47) and Dania Beach (#48).

From the least to most unaffordable, here are 50 surprising places where the middle class likely can’t afford a home. 

• Total cost of living monthly: $2,863
• Total cost of living annually: $34,359
• Annual mortgage budget: $8,879
• Single family average home value: $144,557
• Annual savings deficit: ($1,372)

• Total cost of living monthly: $2,898
• Total cost of living annually: $34,776
• Annual mortgage budget: $9,873
• Single family average home value: $184,797
• Annual savings deficit: ($3,231)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,417
• Total cost of living annually: $40,998
• Annual mortgage budget: $11,657
• Single family average home value: $218,844
• Annual savings deficit: ($3,862)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,085
• Total cost of living annually: $37,026
• Annual mortgage budget: $10,088
• Single family average home value: $197,606
• Annual savings deficit: ($3,924)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,032
• Total cost of living annually: $36,384
• Annual mortgage budget: $9,619
• Single family average home value: $193,452
• Annual savings deficit: ($4,099)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,147
• Total cost of living annually: $37,763
• Annual mortgage budget: $10,444
• Single family average home value: $209,476
• Annual savings deficit: ($4,411)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,636
• Total cost of living annually: $43,634
• Annual mortgage budget: $12,592
• Single family average home value: $253,612
• Annual savings deficit: ($5,393)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,189
• Total cost of living annually: $38,269
• Annual mortgage budget: $11,118
• Single family average home value: $234,119
• Annual savings deficit: ($5,484)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,229
• Total cost of living annually: $38,753
• Annual mortgage budget: $9,830
• Single family average home value: $216,641
• Annual savings deficit: ($5,533)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,229
• Total cost of living annually: $50,752
• Annual mortgage budget: $15,169
• Single family average home value: $295,348
• Annual savings deficit: ($5,775)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,617
• Total cost of living annually: $43,402
• Annual mortgage budget: $12,674
• Single family average home value: $271,288
• Annual savings deficit: ($6,564)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,864
• Total cost of living annually: $46,373
• Annual mortgage budget: $10,331
• Single family average home value: $242,973
• Annual savings deficit: ($6,899)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,317
• Total cost of living annually: $39,802
• Annual mortgage budget: $10,206
• Single family average home value: $241,618
• Annual savings deficit: ($6,927)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,696
• Total cost of living annually: $44,346
• Annual mortgage budget: $12,988
• Single family average home value: $282,035
• Annual savings deficit: ($7,012)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,480
• Total cost of living annually: $41,756
• Annual mortgage budget: $11,925
• Single family average home value: $268,897
• Annual savings deficit: ($7,143)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,059
• Total cost of living annually: $48,705
• Annual mortgage budget: $13,949
• Single family average home value: $307,577
• Annual savings deficit: ($7,862)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,658
• Total cost of living annually: $43,892
• Annual mortgage budget: $13,064
• Single family average home value: $299,007
• Annual savings deficit: ($8,139)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,969
• Total cost of living annually: $47,631
• Annual mortgage budget: $13,848
• Single family average home value: $320,290
• Annual savings deficit: ($8,864)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,561
• Total cost of living annually: $42,733
• Annual mortgage budget: $11,348
• Single family average home value: $287,486
• Annual savings deficit: ($9,038)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,031
• Total cost of living annually: $48,378
• Annual mortgage budget: $14,178
• Single family average home value: $332,109
• Annual savings deficit: ($9,373)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,737
• Total cost of living annually: $44,841
• Annual mortgage budget: $12,644
• Single family average home value: $323,174
• Annual savings deficit: ($10,273)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,774
• Total cost of living annually: $57,287
• Annual mortgage budget: $15,302
• Single family average home value: $377,414
• Annual savings deficit: ($11,461)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,332
• Total cost of living annually: $51,981
• Annual mortgage budget: $13,776
• Single family average home value: $366,768
• Annual savings deficit: ($12,232)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,685
• Total cost of living annually: $56,218
• Annual mortgage budget: $15,105
• Single family average home value: $388,073
• Annual savings deficit: ($12,414)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,278
• Total cost of living annually: $51,337
• Annual mortgage budget: $13,197
• Single family average home value: $364,290
• Annual savings deficit: ($12,635)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,324
• Total cost of living annually: $51,890
• Annual mortgage budget: $14,914
• Single family average home value: $399,083
• Annual savings deficit: ($13,386)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,378
• Total cost of living annually: $52,531
• Annual mortgage budget: $14,140
• Single family average home value: $392,336
• Annual savings deficit: ($13,682)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,553
• Total cost of living annually: $54,635
• Annual mortgage budget: $15,701
• Single family average home value: $415,650
• Annual savings deficit: ($13,774)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,446
• Total cost of living annually: $53,352
• Annual mortgage budget: $14,149
• Single family average home value: $394,311
• Annual savings deficit: ($13,813)

• Total cost of living monthly: $5,206
• Total cost of living annually: $62,478
• Annual mortgage budget: $17,318
• Single family average home value: $440,951
• Annual savings deficit: ($13,951)

• Total cost of living monthly: $5,510
• Total cost of living annually: $66,121
• Annual mortgage budget: $19,829
• Single family average home value: $483,826
• Annual savings deficit: ($14,480)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,294
• Total cost of living annually: $51,533
• Annual mortgage budget: $15,108
• Single family average home value: $418,324
• Annual savings deficit: ($14,557)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,661
• Total cost of living annually: $55,926
• Annual mortgage budget: $13,368
• Single family average home value: $394,389
• Annual savings deficit: ($14,599)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,420
• Total cost of living annually: $53,036
• Annual mortgage budget: $14,421
• Single family average home value: $410,992
• Annual savings deficit: ($14,723)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,937
• Total cost of living annually: $59,242
• Annual mortgage budget: $15,550
• Single family average home value: $433,942
• Annual savings deficit: ($15,222)

• Total cost of living monthly: $3,963
• Total cost of living annually: $47,561
• Annual mortgage budget: $10,049
• Single family average home value: $359,002
• Annual savings deficit: ($15,409)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,329
• Total cost of living annually: $51,952
• Annual mortgage budget: $14,112
• Single family average home value: $420,959
• Annual savings deficit: ($15,739)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,683
• Total cost of living annually: $56,201
• Annual mortgage budget: $13,300
• Single family average home value: $413,871
• Annual savings deficit: ($16,049)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,873
• Total cost of living annually: $58,471
• Annual mortgage budget: $14,265
• Single family average home value: $429,109
• Annual savings deficit: ($16,164)

• Total cost of living monthly: $5,069
• Total cost of living annually: $60,832
• Annual mortgage budget: $16,152
• Single family average home value: $463,014
• Annual savings deficit: ($16,681)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,298
• Total cost of living annually: $51,580
• Annual mortgage budget: $13,529
• Single family average home value: $427,415
• Annual savings deficit: ($16,780)

• Total cost of living monthly: $5,081
• Total cost of living annually: $60,969
• Annual mortgage budget: $17,920
• Single family average home value: $496,928
• Annual savings deficit: ($17,318)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,487
• Total cost of living annually: $53,848
• Annual mortgage budget: $14,966
• Single family average home value: $456,945
• Annual savings deficit: ($17,437)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,763
• Total cost of living annually: $57,150
• Annual mortgage budget: $11,538
• Single family average home value: $411,962
• Annual savings deficit: ($17,675)

• Total cost of living monthly: $5,310
• Total cost of living annually: $63,721
• Annual mortgage budget: $17,290
• Single family average home value: $503,723
• Annual savings deficit: ($18,430)

• Total cost of living monthly: $5,307
• Total cost of living annually: $63,679
• Annual mortgage budget: $18,970
• Single family average home value: $542,083
• Annual savings deficit: ($19,470)

• Total cost of living monthly: $5,476
• Total cost of living annually: $65,716
• Annual mortgage budget: $18,257
• Single family average home value: $534,722
• Annual savings deficit: ($19,662)

• Total cost of living monthly: $5,161
• Total cost of living annually: $61,933
• Annual mortgage budget: $15,284
• Single family average home value: $495,833
• Annual savings deficit: ($19,876)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,967
• Total cost of living annually: $59,610
• Annual mortgage budget: $14,619
• Single family average home value: $486,602
• Annual savings deficit: ($19,887)

• Total cost of living monthly: $4,894
• Total cost of living annually: $58,727
• Annual mortgage budget: $14,655
• Single family average home value: $512,585
• Annual savings deficit: ($21,694)

Editor’s note: Photos are for illustrative purposes only. In many cases, the closest major city outside of the city/county mentioned in the article was used.

Methodology: GOBankingRates used the U.S. Census 2023 5-year American Community Survey to select cities with populations between 10,000 and 50,000. GOBankingRates sourced cost of living from Sperling’s BestPlaces, expenditure costs from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, home value from Zillow Home Value Index for March 2025 and mortgage costs from the Federal Reserve Economic Data. By using the finance rule that states that housing costs should not exceed 30% of household median income, the housing budget was calculated. Using the housing budget and the average mortgage, the savings deficit was calculated. All data was collected on and is up to date as of May 6, 2025.