a landable guide
Underrated, affordable, and more alive than the coasts give them credit for. The Midwest ranked honestly.
By Karol Gajda
The Midwest gets undersold. Several of its cities have excellent park systems, low rent, real food scenes, and winters that are cold but not oppressive. The reflexive bias toward the coasts costs people real money for not much in return.
This list covers the Midwest proper, from Ohio to Iowa, and ranks by the full Landable composite. Affordability leads, weather and things to do carry weight, and the cities that rise are the ones worth a second look from anyone tired of paying coastal rent.
01
Photo by Michael Bowman on Unsplash
OH · 808k metro
Dayton tops the Midwest: $1,321 median rent, a metro of 808k, and a Walk Score of 89 that makes the cold months easier to take.
$1,321
median rent / month
808k
metro residents
171
pleasant days a year
02
Photo by Matt Koffel on Unsplash
OH · 2.3M metro
Cincinnati lands second with $1,549 rent and 162 pleasant days. Affordable, walkable, and busier than its reputation suggests.
$1,549
median rent / month
2.3M
metro residents
162
pleasant days a year
03
Photo by DJ Johnson on Unsplash
OH · 2.2M metro
Cleveland takes third: $1,419 a month, a metro of 2.2M, and a Walk Score of 96. A real city at a price the coasts forgot how to offer.
$1,419
median rent / month
2.2M
metro residents
159
pleasant days a year
04
Photo by Abby Elpers on Unsplash
IN · 271k metro
Evansville pairs $1,075 rent with a Walk Score of 79 and 184 pleasant days. The value-per-dollar here is hard to argue with.
$1,075
median rent / month
271k
metro residents
184
pleasant days a year
05
MO · 2.8M metro
St. Louis earns its spot on cost and character: $1,411 median rent, metro of 2.8M, 174 pleasant days.
$1,411
median rent / month
2.8M
metro residents
174
pleasant days a year
06
Photo by fish socks on Pexels
MI · 473k metro
Lansing is the mid-list Midwest pick that holds up: $1,259 rent, Walk Score 80, 153 pleasant days.
$1,259
median rent / month
473k
metro residents
153
pleasant days a year
07
Photo by Stephen Leonardi on Pexels
OH · 698k metro
Akron clears the bar with $1,259 median rent, a metro of 698k, and a Walk Score of 76.
$1,259
median rent / month
698k
metro residents
152
pleasant days a year
08
Photo by Ted Balmer on Unsplash
WI · 332k metro
Green Bay keeps the Midwest case simple: $1,122 a month for a city with 146 pleasant days and real bones.
$1,122
median rent / month
332k
metro residents
146
pleasant days a year
09
Photo by Ryan De Hamer on Unsplash
IN · 2.1M metro
Indianapolis lands near the bottom of the ten and still earns it: $1,511 rent, Walk Score 99, metro of 2.1M.
$1,511
median rent / month
2.1M
metro residents
174
pleasant days a year
10
Photo by Giancarlo Rojas on Pexels
MO · 2.2M metro
Kansas City rounds out the Midwest: $1,502 median rent, 170 pleasant days, and a Walk Score of 94.
$1,502
median rent / month
2.2M
metro residents
170
pleasant days a year
We rank by 30% affordability, 20% weather, 20% things to do, 15% parks, and 15% walkability across Midwest states (OH, IN, IL, MI, WI, MN, MO, KS, NE, IA). The weather score penalizes extreme cold, which filters down the cities with the harshest winters.
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