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Mapped: Most Affordable U.S. Cities to Buy a Home in 2025
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Key Takeaways
- Detroit tops the list with a score of 73.42, reflecting the highest affordability in the country.
- Rust Belt cities dominate the list, with Pittsburgh, and Cleveland also offering strong value for homebuyers.
- Southwestern cities are gaining ground, with Las Vegas, Henderson, Mesa, Tucson, and Phoenix all making the top 20.
This map shows the 20 most affordable U.S. cities to buy a home in 2025, according to data from WalletHub.
WalletHub analyzed 300 U.S. cities of varying sizes across ten metrics, including real estate tax rate, cost per square foot, median home price, and median household income. Each metric was scored on a 100-point scale, with 100 indicating the most favorable conditions for home affordability. For this map, only cities with a population over 100,000 were considered.
Detroit Tops the List for Home Affordability
Detroit leads the list, with a median price per square foot of around $87. The city has faced significant challenges over the decades, including financial crises and the decline of the auto industry, prompting many residents to leave.
Today, more than 22% of homes in Detroit are vacant, creating a strong buyer’s market. According to WalletHub, Detroit is also one of the top cities where buying a home offers greater long-term value than renting. The city was also considered the most affordable large American city in 2025, according to another study.
| Rank | City | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit | 73.42 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh | 73.30 |
| 3 | Memphis | 70.33 |
| 4 | Indianapolis | 69.83 |
| 5 | Cleveland | 69.36 |
| 6 | Philadelphia | 68.40 |
| 7 | Baltimore | 68.33 |
| 8 | Henderson | 67.70 |
| 8 | Las Vegas | 67.70 |
| 10 | Mesa | 67.69 |
| 11 | Louisville | 67.22 |
| 12 | Atlanta | 67.11 |
| 13 | Columbus | 66.75 |
| 14 | Tucson | 66.41 |
| 15 | Cincinnati | 65.90 |
| 16 | Charlotte | 65.85 |
| 17 | Colorado Springs | 65.05 |
| 18 | Raleigh | 65.03 |
| 19 | Phoenix | 64.88 |
| 20 | Aurora | 64.82 |
Also in the Rust Belt, Pittsburgh, PA, ranks as the second-most affordable city for homebuyers, with a median home price approximately 3.8 times higher than the median household income.
Like Detroit, Memphis, TN—ranked third—has also been highlighted as one of the most affordable large cities in the country for working families.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
If you enjoyed this map, check out this map on Voronoi about the income needed to buy a home in every U.S. state.