25 Big Cities With the Most Affordable Housing

Housing is typically your biggest expense — whether you rent or own — and it’s become unaffordable for many in the largest cities in the U.S. The good news, though, is there are some major cities where housing is still relatively affordable.

GOBankingRates analyzed the top 250 major cities by population to find the most affordable housing. Using the Zillow Home Value Index for single family homes to find the average home values for each city, a number of factors for each city were found, including the total population, total households, median household income and cost-of-living indexes. 

Here are 25 big cities with the most affordable housing, from most expensive to cheapest. 

• Average home value: $201,798
• Mortgage: $1,211

Located in the Texas Panhandle, Amarillo has a population of 200,360. The median household income in Amarillo is $60,628, and the total monthly cost of living is $3,008. 

• Average home value: $199,233
• Mortgage: $1,195

Just east of Kansas City lies Independence, which has a population of 122,218. The total monthly cost of living is $3,154 and the household median income is $57,415. 

• Average home value: $199,229
• Mortgage: $1,195

Abilene is located on the plains in west-central Texas. Its population is 126,356 and the monthly cost of living is $3,081. 

• Average home value: $197,243
• Mortgage: $1,183

Wichita is the largest city in Kansas, with a population of approximately 396,000. The household median income is $60,712 and the total monthly cost of living is $3,286. 

• Average home value: $192,394
• Mortgage: $1,154

Mobile is considered the cultural center of the Gulf Coast. The population is 186,316 and the total monthly cost of living is $3084. 

• Average home value: $189,935
• Mortgage: $1,140

Kansas City lies where the Kansas and Missouri rivers meet. The total monthly cost of living is $3,056, and the household median income is $56,120. 

• Average home value: $188,705
• Mortgage: $1,132

Brownsville is the largest city in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. The population is approximately 187,000, and the total monthly cost of living is $2,949. 

• Average home value: $186,037
• Mortgage: $1,116

Located 40 miles northeast of Washington, D.C., Baltimore has a population of 584,548 and 247,232 households. The average monthly cost of living is $3,103. 

• Average home value: $184,080
• Mortgage: $1,104

Syracuse is the fourth-largest city in New York and has a population of 146,134. The household median income is $43,584, and the total monthly cost of living is $3,432. 

• Average home value: $183,284
• Mortgage: $1,100

Topeka is the capital city of Kansas with a population of 126,431. The city has over 54,000 households, and the total monthly cost of living is $3,226. 

• Average home value: $175,865
• Mortgage: $1,055

Located in east-central Georgia, Augusta has a population of 201,615. The city has 72,510 households, and the total monthly cost of living is $2,977. 

• Average home value: $175,179
• Mortgage: $1,051

If you move to St. Louis, you’ll live in a city of almost 300,000. Even so, the total monthly cost of living is quite reasonable at $2,972. 

• Average home value: $166,257
• Mortgage: $998

If you’re looking to keep your mortgage under $1,000, Macon is one option. This city in central Georgia has a population of 156,554 and a total monthly cost of living of $2,973.

• Average home value: $162,110
• Mortgage: $973

Columbus, located in western Georgia, has a household median income of $54,561. The total monthly cost of living is $2,944. 

• Average home value: $152,441
• Mortgage: $915

Located in northern Illinois, Rockford has a total monthly cost of living of $2,960. Its population is 148,173.

• Average home value: $149,486
• Mortgage: $897

Memphis, which has a whopping population of approximately 630,000, is known as both the “Home of the Blues” and the “Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” The total monthly cost of living in this big city is $2,830.

• Average home value: $144,245
• Mortgage: $865

Dayton, located in southwestern Ohio, has a total monthly cost of living of $2,845. The population is 137,305. 

• Average home value: $143,083
• Mortgage: $858

Montgomery is the capital of Alabama, with a population of almost 200,000. The household median income is $54,166.

• Average home value: $134,910
• Mortgage: $809

Located about 20 miles from the Texas border, Shreveport has a population of 186,183. The total monthly cost of living is $2,690. 

• Average home value: $129,479
• Mortgage: $777

Akron is in the northeastern part of Ohio and has a population of 190,273. The household median income is $46,596 and the total monthly cost of living is $2,685.

• Average home value: $126,534
• Mortgage: $759

Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama with a population of 200,431. The household median income is $42,464, and the total monthly cost of living is $2,732. 

• Average home value: $119,053
• Mortgage: $714

There are 117,618 households in Toledo, and the household median income is $45,405. The total monthly cost of living is $2,622. 

• Average home value: $107,571
• Mortgage: $645

Cleveland, located in northeastern Ohio, has a population of 370,365. The total monthly cost of living is $2,574.

• Average home value: $72,292
• Mortgage: $434

Detroit is one of the largest cities on this list, with a population of 636,787. Its household median income is one of the lowest, however, at $37,761. The total monthly cost of living is $2,333.

• Average home value: $63,656
• Mortgage: $382

Jackson ranks as the city with the largest population in the state of Mississippi, at 153,271. The household median income is $42,193, and the total monthly cost of living is $2,208.

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed the top 250 major cities by population, as sourced from the US Census American Community Survey, to find the most affordable housing. First, GOBankingRates found a number of factors for each city, including total population, total households and median household income — all sourced from the US Census American Community Survey. For each city, the cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces and using the national average expenditure costs for all residents, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Stiatistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure cost was calculated. Using Zillow Home Value Index for single family homes, the average home values from April 2024 were found for each city. By assuming a 10% down payment and the national 30-year fixed mortgage rate, the average mortgage cost was calculated for each city. Using the average mortgage and the average expenditure costs, the total cost of living was calculated. The cities were sorted to rank the cities based on mortgages. All data was collected on and is up to date as of May 17, 2024.