Cities where you can still buy a home for under $250,000 are becoming harder to find as housing costs continue to climb across the country. But affordable markets haven’t disappeared entirely. In parts of the Midwest, Northeast, and South, buyers can still find homes at prices that seem almost impossible compared with major coastal cities.
The exact price depends on the neighborhood and property, so $250,000 doesn’t guarantee the same type of home everywhere. These cities, however, continue to have median or typical home values around or below that threshold based on recent housing-market data.
1. Detroit, Michigan
Median Home Price: Around $100,000
Detroit remains one of the country’s striking examples of big-city affordability. The median sale price was roughly $100,000 in June 2026, according to Redfin, leaving considerable room below the $250,000 mark.
2. Toledo, Ohio
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Median Home Price: Around $140,000
Toledo offers some of Ohio’s lowest housing prices. Recent Redfin data puts its median sale price around $140,000, although prices have been rising year over year.
3. Akron, Ohio
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Median Home Price: Around $146,000
Akron remains well below the national housing market. Its median sale price was approximately $146,000 in June 2026, while Realtor.com reported similarly affordable listing prices.
4. Cleveland, Ohio
Median Home Price: Around $148,000
Cleveland combines big-city amenities with unusually affordable housing. Within the city itself, Redfin reported a median sale price of about $148,000 in June 2026.
5. Peoria, Illinois
Median Home Price: Around $180,000
Peoria’s median sold price was approximately $180,000 in June, with its median listing price even lower. Some neighborhoods remain dramatically below the citywide figure.
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6. Rockford, Illinois
Median Home Price: Around $190,000
Rockford’s median sold price was about $191,000 in June 2026. Zillow similarly places the city’s typical home value below $190,000, although values have risen noticeably over the past year.
7. Dayton, Ohio
Median Home Price: Around $170,000
Dayton continues to stand out for affordability. Realtor.com’s recent Ohio market data puts the city’s median listing price at approximately $170,000.
8. Canton, Ohio
Median Home Price: Around $169,000
Canton offers another affordable option in Ohio, with a recent median listing price around $169,000. That leaves buyers with a substantial cushion below the $250,000 threshold.
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9. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Median Home Price: Around $249,000
Pittsburgh sits much closer to the cutoff, but it remains notable for a major metropolitan area. Realtor.com reported a median listing price of $248,625 in April 2026.
10. Buffalo, New York
Typical Homes: Around the $250,000 Range
Buffalo remains one of the Northeast’s more approachable larger housing markets. Redfin previously placed its metro median at $243,000, while newer market reports continue to rank Buffalo among the country’s relatively affordable major markets.
11. St. Louis, Missouri
Typical Homes: Around the $250,000 Range
St. Louis continues to appear among America’s lower-priced major housing markets. Realtor.com included it among the handful of large markets where typical listings remained below $300,000 in spring 2026.
12. Birmingham, Alabama
Typical Homes: Around the $250,000 Range
Birmingham also ranked among the country’s major markets with comparatively inexpensive listings in 2026, giving buyers access to a metropolitan area without the price tags found in many fast-growing Southern cities.
13. Rochester, New York
Typical Homes: Around $250,000
Rochester has historically ranked among the least expensive larger U.S. metros. Redfin put its metro median at about $231,000 in 2025, although competition and price growth mean buyers shouldn’t expect every property to fall below $250,000.
14. McAllen, Texas
Typical Homes: Around the Mid-$200,000s
McAllen stands apart from the Rust Belt-heavy list. Redfin ranked the Texas metro among the country’s 10 least expensive major housing markets, with a median below $265,000 in its 2025 analysis.
15. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Typical Homes: Around the Mid-$200,000s
Louisiana’s capital has remained relatively affordable compared with many other sizable Southern markets. Redfin included the metro among its 10 least expensive major U.S. housing markets.
16. El Paso, Texas
Typical Homes: Around the Mid-$200,000s
El Paso rounds out the list as another relatively affordable Texas market. It appeared among Redfin’s least expensive major U.S. metros, giving buyers another option beyond the Midwest.
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