Advertiser Disclosure

Housing Market: 10 Cities Where Your Home Gets the Most Bang for the Buck

December 21, 2023

3 min Read

Written by Vance Cariaga

Edited by Maria Concepcion

Couple buying a house with a real estate agent.

andresr / Getty Images

Commitment to Our Readers

GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.

20 Years
Helping You Live Richer

Reviewed
by Experts

Trusted by
Millions of Readers

Buying a home is the most important and expensive financial decision most Americans will ever make, and one that is easy to regret if you don’t find the right house, location and price. On the other hand, checking all the right boxes on a home purchase is one of the best ways to ensure financial security and high quality of life for what could last decades.

When it comes to buying the right home, some cities make it easier than others. The cities where you stand the best chance of getting the most bang for your buck tend to have comparatively low home prices and a variety of good neighborhoods to choose from. Cities with high home prices and limited inventory usually provide the least bang for your buck.

All Star Home, a Raleigh, N.C.-based provider of home improvement services, recently analyzed Americans’ opinions of their homes and neighborhoods in 25 U.S. cities to determine where people got the most housing bang for their buck. The findings were based on a combination of return on investment, how prices compare to median home values, and how happy homeowners are with their homes and neighborhoods.

In a survey of homeowners across the U.S., All Star Home found that nearly one in five Americans attribute half of their home’s value to their neighborhood. A desirable location is one of the “main contributing factors” to property values as buyers look to the neighborhood for a good location and certain amenities.

Many Americans took on home improvement renovations during the COVID-19 pandemic to make the desired home changes. Those upgrades had mixed results, with one-quarter of respondents saying they like their home more now than when they first bought it, while three-quarters say they like it less.

One in six respondents said their neighbors’ political views have caused them to dislike their neighborhood. A similar percentage said they moved to a new state to buy their current home. Here are the top five reasons Americans dislike their neighborhood: