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Home prices have skyrocketed in recent years and it seems as though the American dream of owning a home in any town or city is out of reach. But all hope is not lost and those dreams are still well within reach. There are still many affordable options across the nation. And they even come with great vibes, you simply need to shift your focus.
Many people often look toward big cities or towns when searching for their first home and these areas are notoriously expensive. If you want a beautiful home but don't want to pay sky-high prices, college towns are the perfect place. The nation's most affordable college towns offer nice places to live for bargain-basement prices.
To uncover this list of affordable options to live, 247Tempo.com reviewed five-year data on median household value and median household income from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2022 American Community Survey. Cities, towns, and Census-designated places were ranked based on the ratio of median home value to median household income.
Only places with at least 10,000 residents where at least 15% of the population is enrolled in college or graduate school were considered. Now, let's start looking for your next hometown.
50. Cape Girardeau, Missouri
- Median home value: $177,500 (3.4 times income)
- Median household income: $51,671
- Total population: 39,795
49. Middletown, Connecticut
- Median home value: $257,800 (3.4 times income)
- Median household income: $75,120
- Total population: 48,152
48. Waterville, Maine
- Median home value: $154,400 (3.4 times income)
- Median household income: $45,208
- Total population: 15,785
47. Moorhead, Minnesota
- Median home value: $234,300 (3.4 times income)
- Median household income: $68,680
- Total population: 44,443
46. Winona, Minnesota
- Median home value: $176,600 (3.4 times income)
- Median household income: $52,500
- Total population: 26,083
45. Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
- Median home value: $220,100 (3.3 times income)
- Median household income: $66,640
- Total population: 11,805
44. Tahlequah, Oklahoma
- Median home value: $163,300 (3.3 times income)
- Median household income: $49,444
- Total population: 16,389
43. Duluth, Minnesota
- Median home value: $209,800 (3.3 times income)
- Median household income: $63,545
- Total population: 86,772
42. Maryville, Missouri
- Median home value: $162,100 (3.3 times income)
- Median household income: $49,144
- Total population: 10,691
41. Stevens Point, Wisconsin
- Median home value: $176,400 (3.3 times income)
- Median household income: $53,611
- Total population: 25,549
40. Champaign, Illinois
- Median home value: $191,200 (3.3 times income)
- Median household income: $58,273
- Total population: 88,628
39. Glassboro, New Jersey
- Median home value: $256,900 (3.3 times income)
- Median household income: $78,518
- Total population: 23,014
38. Kirksville, Missouri
- Median home value: $133,100 (3.2 times income)
- Median household income: $41,089
- Total population: 17,533
37. St. Peter, Minnesota
- Median home value: $217,400 (3.2 times income)
- Median household income: $67,255
- Total population: 12,039
36. Troy, New York
- Median home value: $177,100 (3.2 times income)
- Median household income: $54,837
- Total population: 51,268
35. Keene, New Hampshire
- Median home value: $221,400 (3.2 times income)
- Median household income: $69,381
- Total population: 22,907
34. Edwardsville, Illinois
- Median home value: $277,000 (3.2 times income)
- Median household income: $87,094
- Total population: 26,622
33. Plattsburgh, New York
- Median home value: $172,900 (3.1 times income)
- Median household income: $55,049
- Total population: 19,907
32. Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Median home value: $152,700 (3.1 times income)
- Median household income: $48,649
- Total population: 73,342
31. Indiana, Pennsylvania
- Median home value: $124,100 (3.1 times income)
- Median household income: $40,013
- Total population: 14,082
30. Lubbock, Texas
- Median home value: $181,600 (3.1 times income)
- Median household income: $58,734
- Total population: 258,190
29. Berea, Kentucky
- Median home value: $167,200 (3.1 times income)
- Median household income: $54,481
- Total population: 15,404
28. Bourbonnais, Illinois
- Median home value: $238,000 (3.1 times income)
- Median household income: $77,738
- Total population: 18,125
27. Normal, Illinois
- Median home value: $194,400 (3.0 times income)
- Median household income: $63,965
- Total population: 52,920
26. Macomb, Illinois
- Median home value: $103,800 (3.0 times income)
- Median household income: $35,064
- Total population: 15,207
25. Meadville, Pennsylvania
- Median home value: $136,200 (3.0 times income)
- Median household income: $46,157
- Total population: 12,929
24. Huntington, West Virginia
- Median home value: $114,800 (2.9 times income)
- Median household income: $39,066
- Total population: 46,637
23. Canyon, Texas
- Median home value: $198,600 (2.9 times income)
- Median household income: $67,631
- Total population: 15,089
22. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Median home value: $171,800 (2.9 times income)
- Median household income: $60,187
- Total population: 303,843
21. Williamsport, Pennsylvania
- Median home value: $136,400 (2.8 times income)
- Median household income: $48,388
- Total population: 27,755
20. Binghamton, New York
- Median home value: $117,400 (2.8 times income)
- Median household income: $42,031
- Total population: 47,617
19. Pella, Iowa
- Median home value: $240,100 (2.8 times income)
- Median household income: $86,025
- Total population: 10,556
18. Oneonta, New York
- Median home value: $170,900 (2.7 times income)
- Median household income: $62,188
- Total population: 14,097
17. Syracuse, New York
- Median home value: $117,900 (2.7 times income)
- Median household income: $43,584
- Total population: 146,134
16. Waverly, Iowa
- Median home value: $211,000 (2.7 times income)
- Median household income: $78,278
- Total population: 10,399
15. Marshall, Missouri
- Median home value: $137,100 (2.6 times income)
- Median household income: $52,171
- Total population: 13,687
14. Carnot-Moon, Pennsylvania
- Median home value: $231,900 (2.6 times income)
- Median household income: $89,573
- Total population: 13,345
13. Charleston, Illinois
- Median home value: $122,700 (2.6 times income)
- Median household income: $47,533
- Total population: 17,795
12. Tiffin, Ohio
- Median home value: $123,600 (2.5 times income)
- Median household income: $48,869
- Total population: 17,894
11. Emporia, Kansas
- Median home value: $125,200 (2.5 times income)
- Median household income: $49,661
- Total population: 24,118
10. Portales, New Mexico
- Median home value: $124,000 (2.5 times income)
- Median household income: $49,313
- Total population: 12,085
9. Brent, Florida
- Median home value: $106,500 (2.4 times income)
- Median household income: $44,053
- Total population: 22,969
4. University Heights, Ohio
- Median home value: $209,800 (2.3 times income)
- Median household income: $91,960
- Total population: 13,649
3. Atchison, Kansas
- Median home value: $113,900 (2.3 times income)
- Median household income: $50,344
- Total population: 10,834
2. Muncie, Indiana
- Median home value: $88,000 (2.2 times income)
- Median household income: $40,309
- Total population: 65,167
1. Geneva, New York
- Median home value: $123,100 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $63,602
- Total population: 12,670