a landable guide
Median home prices under $350,000, real cities, real quality of life. Where buying a home is still a realistic decision.
By Karol Gajda
The national median home price has crossed $400,000, and in many metros it sits well above that. But a meaningful number of US cities still have median home prices under $350,000, and several of them are genuinely good places to live, not just cheap.
This list filters to cities with a median home price under $350,000, then ranks the survivors by affordability, weather, parks, and walkability. Each card leads with the median home price; the blurbs surface it too.
01
Photo by Terrance Agar on Unsplash
AL · 412k metro
Mobile tops the list: a median home price of $194k, well under the $350k ceiling, with $1,302 rent and 225 pleasant days. Ownership that pencils out.
$194k
median home price
$1,302
median rent / month
225
pleasant days a year
02
IN · 271k metro
Evansville lands second with a $222k median home price and $1,075 rent. The down payment math is the kind that still works.
$222k
median home price
$1,075
median rent / month
184
pleasant days a year
03
LA · 962k metro
New Orleans takes third: $259k median home price, $1,612 rent, and 235 pleasant days. A real city at a buyable price.
$259k
median home price
$1,612
median rent / month
235
pleasant days a year
04
Photo by Michael Bowman on Unsplash
OH · 808k metro
Dayton pairs a $139k median home price with 171 pleasant days and $1,321 rent. Owning here is a decision, not a fantasy.
$139k
median home price
$1,321
median rent / month
171
pleasant days a year
05
Photo by Alex Reynolds on Unsplash
SC · 975k metro
Greenville earns its spot on price: $311k median home, $1,551 rent, 202 pleasant days.
$311k
median home price
$1,551
median rent / month
202
pleasant days a year
06
Photo by Jenny Gregg on Pexels
SC · 383k metro
Spartanburg is the mid-list pick where buying stays realistic: $277k median home price, $1,434 rent.
$277k
median home price
$1,434
median rent / month
191
pleasant days a year
07
Photo by Joseph Fuller on Pexels
VA · 314k metro
Roanoke clears the bar with a $296k median home price, $1,382 rent, and 179 pleasant days.
$296k
median home price
$1,382
median rent / month
179
pleasant days a year
08
Photo by Gene Maysonet on Pexels
TX · 872k metro
El Paso keeps homeownership in reach: a $231k median home price at $1,473 rent.
$231k
median home price
$1,473
median rent / month
222
pleasant days a year
09
Photo by Gage LaVergne on Pexels
LA · 414k metro
Lafayette lands near the bottom of the ten and still buys well: $200k median home price, 211 pleasant days.
$200k
median home price
$1,332
median rent / month
211
pleasant days a year
10
Photo by Jonathan Rivera on Unsplash
PA · 2.4M metro
Pittsburgh rounds out the list: $223k median home price, $1,473 rent, 161 pleasant days.
$223k
median home price
$1,473
median rent / month
161
pleasant days a year
We filter to cities with a median home price under $350,000 (Zillow ZHVI), then rank by 55% affordability, 20% weather, 15% parks, 5% things to do, and 5% walkability.
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