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May 20, 2026

20 Best Midwest Cities Where You Can Buy a Home for Under $350K in 2026

Written by Heather Taylor
|
Edited by Rebekah Evans
Discover an aerial panorama of St. Louis at dusk, with the Gateway Arch curving above downtown and warm city lights glowing across the skyline

House hunting? Consider the Midwest for a comfortable lifestyle and inexpensive housing. There are 20 Midwest locales where home values are under $350,000 among the Livability study analyzing the 100 best U.S. places to live in 2026.

Though we set the bar at $350,000, it's interesting to note home values are well below this threshold. Rapid City, South Dakota, leads as the priciest locale with a median home value at $330,539. And Peoria, Illinois, at $146,629, is the cheapest city for buyers on a tight budget.

Here are 20 of the best places to live where homes can be purchased for $350,000 or less in the Midwest, ranked by LivScore.

See Next: 50 Fastest-Growing ZIP Codes That Are Still Affordable for the Middle Class

Read This: Start Growing Your Net Worth With Smarter Tracking

1. Bismarck, North Dakota

  • LivScore: 732

  • Population: 76,608

  • Median home value: $290,274

2. Bloomington, Illinois

  • LivScore: 730

  • Population: 79,439

  • Median home value: $216,436

3. Sioux Falls, South Dakota

  • LivScore: 725

  • Population: 209,839

  • Median home value: $315,740

4. Iowa City, Iowa

  • LivScore: 722

  • Population: 77,797

  • Median home value: $294,270

5. Cedar Rapids, Iowa

  • LivScore: 719

  • Population: 138,542

  • Median home value: $199,181

6. Fargo, North Dakota

  • LivScore: 716

  • Population: 135,967

  • Median home value: $282,900

7. Rochester, Minnesota

  • LivScore: 716

  • Population: 125,554

  • Median home value: $324,287

8. Aurora, Illinois

  • LivScore: 711

  • Population: 180,649

  • Median home value: $280,878

9. Lincoln, Nebraska

  • LivScore: 697

  • Population: 301,084

  • Median home value: $274,445

10. Omaha, Nebraska

  • LivScore: 694

  • Population 491,055

  • Median home value: $261,663

11. Appleton, Wisconsin

  • LivScore: 683

  • Population: 77,146

  • Median home value: $241,171

12. Champaign, Illinois

  • LivScore: 679

  • Population: 92,960

  • Median home value: $211,014

13. Columbia, Missouri

  • LivScore: 673

  • Population: 132,353

  • Median home value: $281,958

14. Rapid City, South Dakota

  • LivScore: 671

  • Population: 78,657

  • Median home value: $330,539

15. Peoria, Illinois

  • LivScore: 667

  • Population: 113,758

  • Median home value: $146,629

16. Wichita, Kansas

  • LivScore: 664

  • Population: 409,257

  • Median home value: $203,877

17. Springfield, Missouri

  • LivScore: 662

  • Population: 174,570

  • Median home value: $208,223

18. St. Louis

  • LivScore: 651

  • Population: 281,222

  • Median home value: $197,928

19. Des Moines, Iowa

  • LivScore: 647

  • Population: 216,695

  • Median home value: $211,651

20. Fort Wayne, Indiana

  • LivScore: 646

  • Population: 267,292

  • Median home value: $204,049

This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.

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Written by
Heather Taylor
Edited by
Rebekah Evans