Affordable US cities under $300k with positive momentum

Home·Best of·Affordable cities under $300k with positive momentum

Cities where the median home is under $300,000 AND the composite momentum score is positive — affordability without a declining market.

The combination of affordability and positive momentum is rare. Most truly affordable markets have demographic or economic headwinds; most hot markets are no longer affordable. This list filters for the intersection.

These are starter-home markets where first-time buyers can still get in below the national median ($355k) without buying into a structurally declining market.

1Rockford, ILRockford · pop 147,48681Hot$180,220median home$180,220median home

2Morristown, TNMorristown · pop 32,99480Hot$268,046median home$268,046median home

3Wausau, WIWausau-Weston · pop 40,26279Hot$243,982median home$243,982median home

4Warren, OHYoungstown-Warren-Boardman · pop 38,68379Hot$125,835median home$125,835median home

5Utica, NYUtica-Rome · pop 63,66078Hot$205,924median home$205,924median home

6San Luis, AZYuma · pop 40,06478Hot$237,938median home$237,938median home

7Rome, NYUtica-Rome · pop 31,99078Hot$207,413median home$207,413median home

8Janesville, WIJanesville-Beloit · pop 66,42877Rising$292,557median home$292,557median home

9Mansfield, OHMansfield · pop 47,59377Rising$150,626median home$150,626median home

10Norwich, CTNorwich-New London · pop 39,99377Rising$295,276median home$295,276median home

11Beloit, WIJanesville-Beloit · pop 36,63377Rising$202,571median home$202,571median home

12Torrington, CTTorrington · pop 35,67377Rising$297,594median home$297,594median home

13Manitowoc, WIManitowoc · pop 34,61677Rising$237,794median home$237,794median home

14Sanford, NCSanford · pop 32,97177Rising$291,935median home$291,935median home

15North Chicago, ILChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 30,63977Rising$214,837median home$214,837median home

16Belton, MOKansas City · pop 25,86177Rising$273,045median home$273,045median home

17South Bend, INSouth Bend-Mishawaka · pop 103,71376Rising$194,972median home$194,972median home

18Greenville, NCGreenville · pop 95,13876Rising$235,708median home$235,708median home

19Champaign, ILChampaign-Urbana · pop 91,96176Rising$235,121median home$235,121median home

20Racine, WIRacine · pop 78,05776Rising$215,257median home$215,257median home

21Sheboygan, WISheboygan · pop 49,62476Rising$262,047median home$262,047median home

22Jefferson City, MOJefferson City · pop 42,56476Rising$275,376median home$275,376median home

23Atlantic City, NJAtlantic City-Hammonton · pop 38,95976Rising$215,691median home$215,691median home

24Lewiston, MELewiston-Auburn · pop 38,77276Rising$296,546median home$296,546median home

25Socorro, TXEl Paso · pop 38,64276Rising$207,975median home$207,975median home

26Anderson, SCGreenville-Anderson · pop 30,93776Rising$272,913median home$272,913median home

27Austin, MNAustin · pop 26,69076Rising$189,187median home$189,187median home

28Fort Wayne, INFort Wayne · pop 273,20375Rising$245,993median home$245,993median home

29Abilene, TXAbilene · pop 130,50175Rising$214,916median home$214,916median home

30Waterbury, CTNew Haven-Milford · pop 115,90875Rising$280,921median home$280,921median home

31Warner Robins, GAWarner Robins · pop 86,19975Rising$212,565median home$212,565median home

32Wyoming, MIGrand Rapids-Kentwood · pop 78,55975Rising$292,642median home$292,642median home

33Youngstown, OHYoungstown-Warren-Boardman · pop 59,12375Rising$71,351median home$71,351median home

34Springfield, OHSpringfield · pop 58,13875Rising$190,032median home$190,032median home

35Niagara Falls, NYBuffalo-Cheektowaga · pop 47,51275Rising$170,753median home$170,753median home

36Fond du Lac, WIFond du Lac · pop 44,46975Rising$260,006median home$260,006median home

37Urbana, ILChampaign-Urbana · pop 39,83175Rising$204,276median home$204,276median home

38New Bern, NCNew Bern · pop 34,21875Rising$283,025median home$283,025median home

39Statesville, NCCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia · pop 31,69375Rising$298,935median home$298,935median home

40Xenia, OHDayton-Kettering · pop 26,06775Rising$255,623median home$255,623median home

41Belvidere, ILRockford · pop 25,32575Rising$257,971median home$257,971median home

42Syracuse, NYSyracuse · pop 146,09774Rising$215,134median home$215,134median home

43Green Bay, WIGreen Bay · pop 106,31174Rising$282,595median home$282,595median home

44Waukegan, ILChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 88,57074Rising$239,865median home$239,865median home

45Anderson, INIndianapolis-Carmel-Anderson · pop 55,85174Rising$135,908median home$135,908median home

46Elkhart, INElkhart-Goshen · pop 53,69074Rising$225,802median home$225,802median home

47Portage, MIKalamazoo-Portage · pop 49,97574Rising$298,606median home$298,606median home

48Saginaw, MISaginaw · pop 43,00174Rising$130,521median home$130,521median home

49Midland, MIMidland · pop 42,78074Rising$254,175median home$254,175median home

50DeKalb, ILChicago-Naperville-Elgin · pop 40,49174Rising$257,752median home$257,752median home

Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Zillow ZORI, US Census place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.