Where Is the Best Neighborhood To Buy a Home in Your State?
These areas offer a great deal on housing costs.
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With the rising costs of big-city living, many American families are opting to move to the suburbs to get more bang for their buck. As of 2018, 175 million Americans call suburbia home, with growth happening more rapidly there than in rural and urban areas of the country. In fact, many suburbs are growing twice as fast as their neighboring cities.
Millennials, in particular, are flocking to these greener pastures thanks to unaffordable housing options in the city. This generation is currently moving into a new stage of life, with marriage, children and a white picket fence possibly coming into the picture as they decide where to lay down roots.
However, low costs aren’t the only selling point of a good neighborhood. Factors like amenities, cost of living, schools, crime rates, employment, weather and housing are understandably at the top of people’s lists. It’s important to look at all of these metrics to gain a full understanding of what makes a community thrive.
To find the best neighborhood to buy a home in every state, GOBankingRates analyzed 2019 median home values from Zillow to compile a list of neighborhoods from each state. This study looked at all neighborhoods below the national median home value and cross-referenced this list with AreaVibes’ top 50 neighborhoods from each state. GOBankingRates’ study is in alphabetical order by state, and livability scores are out of 100 total points. You can find the state-by-state overall ranking by average home value on the last slide, which is ranked from highest to lowest home value. Check if your neighborhood is the best place to buy a home in your state.
Last updated: Jan. 17, 2020
Alabama
- Best neighborhood: Brookwood
- City: Mobile
- 2019 average home value: $111,874
- Livability score: 81
Alaska
- Best neighborhood: Downtown
- City: Anchorage
- 2019 average home value: $300,135
- Livability score: 59
Arizona
- Best neighborhood: Adelanto
- City: Tucson
- 2019 average home value: $133,766
- Livability score: 83
Arkansas
- Best neighborhood: Capitol View-Stifft Station
- City: Little Rock
- 2019 average home value: $135,974
- Livability score: 68
California
- Best neighborhood: Homaker Park
- City: Bakersfield
- 2019 average home value: $109,397
- Livability score: 64
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Colorado
- Best neighborhood: Southeast Colorado Springs
- City: Colorado Springs
- 2019 average home value: $236,752
- Livability score: 65
Connecticut
- Best neighborhood: Torringford
- City: Torrington
- 2019 average home value: $160,553
- Livability score: 72
Delaware
- Best neighborhood: Robscott Manor
- City: Newark
- 2019 average home value: $229,347
- Livability score: 70
Florida
- Best neighborhood: Alcove
- City: Clearwater
- 2019 average home value: $57,938
- Livability score: 89
Georgia
- Best neighborhood: Sand Hills
- City: Augusta
- 2019 average home value: $56,917
- Livability score: 80
Hawaii
- Best neighborhood: Hawaii Kai
- City: Honolulu
- 2019 average home value: $1,042,007
- Livability score: 78
Idaho
- Best neighborhood: Pioneer
- City: Boise
- 2019 average home value: $232,104
- Livability score: 62
Illinois
- Best neighborhood: Mount Greenwood
- City: Chicago
- 2019 average home value: $237,520
- Livability score: 77
Indiana
- Best neighborhood: Blum
- City: Fort Wayne
- 2019 average home value: $118,694
- Livability score: 85
Iowa
- Best neighborhood: Waveland Park
- City: Des Moines
- 2019 average home value: $190,455
- Livability score: 84
Kansas
- Best neighborhood: Crown Heights
- City: Wichita
- 2019 average home value: $164,404
- Livability score: 75
Kentucky
- Best neighborhood: Audubon
- City: Louisville
- 2019 average home value: $190,867
- Livability score: 88
Louisiana
- Best neighborhood: Hyde Park Brookwood, Southern Hills
- City: Shreveport
- 2019 average home value: $133,352
- Livability score: 86
Maine
- Best neighborhood: Cumberland Center
- City: Cumberland
- 2019 average home value: $374,542
- Livability score: 77
Maryland
- Best neighborhood: Pulaski Industrial Area
- City: Baltimore
- 2019 average home value: $112,154
- Livability score: 65
Massachusetts
- Best neighborhood: East Forest Park
- City: Springfield
- 2019 average home value: $181,084
- Livability score: 73
Michigan
- Best neighborhood: Colony Farm
- City: Kalamazoo
- 2019 average home value: $155,797
- Livability score: 86
Minnesota
- Best neighborhood: Victory
- City: Minneapolis
- 2019 average home value: $214,754
- Livability score: 71
Mississippi
- Best neighborhood: Heatherwood
- City: Jackson
- 2019 average home value: $181,146
- Livability score: 86
Missouri
- Best neighborhood: Hi-Pointe
- City: St. Louis
- 2019 average home value: $141,001
- Livability score: 86
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Montana
- Best neighborhood: Northside
- City: Missoula
- 2019 average home value: $235,154
- Livability score: 72
Nebraska
- Best neighborhood: 40th & A
- City: Lincoln
- 2019 average home value: $159,012
- Livability score: 84
Nevada
- Best neighborhood: Townsite
- City: Henderson
- 2019 average home value: $209,166
- Livability score: 68
New Hampshire
- Best neighborhood: Somerville
- City: Manchester
- 2019 average home value: $229,004
- Livability score: 63
New Jersey
- Best neighborhood: Echelon
- City: Voorhees Township
- 2019 average home value: $223,035
- Livability score: 76
New Mexico
- Best neighborhood: Sun North Estates
- City: Albuquerque
- 2019 average home value: $85,347
- Livability score: 81
New York
- Best neighborhood: South Park
- City: Buffalo
- 2019 average home value: $132,437
- Livability score: 83
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North Carolina
- Best neighborhood: Glenwood
- City: Greensboro
- 2019 average home value: $67,017
- Livability score: 80
North Dakota
- Best neighborhood: Madison-Unicorn Park
- City: Fargo
- 2019 average home value: $149,363
- Livability score: 75
Ohio
- Best neighborhood: Northwest Akron
- City: Akron
- 2019 average home value: $173,720
- Livability score: 85
Oklahoma
- Best neighborhood: Downtown
- City: Norman
- 2019 average home value: $143,363
- Livability score: 81
Oregon
- Best neighborhood: Willamette
- City: Albany
- 2019 average home value: $216,617
- Livability score: 80
Pennsylvania
- Best neighborhood: Summer Hill
- City: Pittsburgh
- 2019 average home value: $150,157
- Livability score: 85
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Rhode Island
- Best neighborhood: Manton
- City: Providence
- 2019 average home value: $200,685
- Livability score: 72
South Carolina
- Best neighborhood: St. Andrews
- City: Columbia
- 2019 average home value: $118,320
- Livability score: 74
South Dakota
- Best neighborhood: Silver Valley
- City: Sioux Falls
- 2019 average home value: $197,783
- Livability score: 73
Tennessee
- Best neighborhood: Hermitage Hills
- City: Nashville
- 2019 average home value: $222,815
- Livability score: 81
Texas
- Best neighborhood: Northwest Crossing
- City: San Antonio
- 2019 average home value: $179,184
- Livability score: 92
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Utah
- Best neighborhood: Bridger
- City: Logan
- 2019 average home value: $205,673
- Livability score: 71
Vermont
- Best neighborhood: East Barre
- City: Barre
- 2019 average home value: $159,114
- Livability score: 65
Virginia
- Best neighborhood: Cherry Gardens
- City: Richmond
- 2019 average home value: $147,670
- Livability score: 81
Washington
- Best neighborhood: Highlands
- City: Longview
- 2019 average home value: $170,768
- Livability score: 80
West Virginia
- Best neighborhood: North Charleston
- City: Charleston
- 2019 average home value: $50,715
- Livability score: 63
Wisconsin
- Best neighborhood: Mount Mary
- City: Milwaukee
- 2019 average home value: $192,646
- Livability score: 83
Wyoming
- Best neighborhood: Rafter J Ranch
- City: Jackson
- 2019 average home value: $694,997
- Livability score: 64
Overall Ranking
The best neighborhoods in each state were ranked from highest to lowest average home value:
- Hawaii Kai, Honolulu: $1,042,007
- Rafter J Ranch, Jackson, Wyoming: $694,997
- Cumberland Center, Cumberland, Maine: $374,542
- Downtown, Anchorage, Alaska: $300,135
- Mount Greenwood, Chicago: $237,520
- Southeast Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, Colorado: $236,752
- Northside, Missoula, Montana: $235,154
- Pioneer, Boise, Idaho: $232,104
- Robscott Manor, Newark, Delaware: $229,347
- Somerville, Manchester, New Hampshire: $229,004
- Echelon, Voorhees Township, New Jersey: $223,035
- Hermitage Hills, Nashville, Tennessee: $222,815
- Willamette, Albany, Oregon: $216,617
- Victory, Minneapolis: $214,754
- Townsite, Henderson, Nevada: $209,166
- Bridger, Logan, Utah: $205,673
- Manton, Providence, Rhode Island: $200,685
- Silver Valley, Sioux Falls, South Dakota: $197,783
- Mount Mary, Milwaukee: $192,646
- Audubon, Louisville, Kentucky: $190,867
- Waveland Park, Des Moines, Iowa: $190,455
- Heatherwood, Jackson, Mississippi: $181,146
- East Forest Park, Springfield, Massachusetts: $181,084
- Northwest Crossing, San Antonio: $179,184
- Northwest Akron, Akron, Ohio: $173,720
- Highlands, Longview, Washington: $170,768
- Crown Heights, Wichita, Kansas: $164,404
- Torringford, Torrington, Connecticut: $160,553
- East Barre, Barre, Vermont: $159,114
- 40th & A, Lincoln, Nebraska: $159,012
- Colony Farm, Kalamazoo, Michigan: $155,797
- Summer Hill, Pittsburgh: $150,157
- Madison-Unicorn Park, Fargo, North Dakota: $149,363
- Cherry Gardens, Richmond, Virginia: $147,670
- Downtown, Norman, Oklahoma: $143,363
- Hi-Pointe, St. Louis: $141,001
- Capitol View-Schifft Station, Little Rock, Arkansas: $135,974
- Adelanto, Tucson, Arizona: $133,766
- Hyde Park Brookwood, Southern Hills, Shreveport, Louisiana: $133,352
- South Park, Buffalo, New York: $132,437
- Blum, Fort Wayne, Indiana: $118,694
- St. Andrews, Columbia, South Carolina: $118,320
- Pulaski Industrial Area, Baltimore: $112,154
- Brookwood, Mobile, Alabama: $111,874
- Homaker Park, Bakersfield, California: $109,397
- Sun North Estates, Albuquerque, New Mexico: $85,347
- Glenwood, Greensboro, North Carolina: $67,017
- Alcove, Clearwater, Florida: $57,938
- Sand Hills, Augusta, Georgia: $56,917
- North Charleston, Charleston, West Virginia: $50,715
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Methodology: In order to find the best neighborhood to buy a home in every state, GOBankingRates used 2019 median home values (January through November) from Zillow to populate a list of neighborhoods from each state. From there, GOBankingRates looked at all neighborhoods where homes fell below the 2019 national median home value and then cross-referenced these homes with the top 50 best neighborhoods from each state, sourced from AreaVibes. Both these factors were then scored and combined, with a lower score being best. Hawaii, Wyoming, Maine and Alaska include neighborhoods with a median home value above the national average. Only the neighborhoods that were included in AreaVibes’ top 50 for each state were given a livability score. In the final calculations, the livability factor was weighted double. All data used to conduct this study was compiled and verified on Dec. 31, 2019, and is subject to change.
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