50 Best Places To Buy a Home for Under $250K
Gone are the days when you could buy a house on a single income for under five, let alone six, figures. However, as impossible as it may feel to become a homeowner in today’s real estate market, there are still pockets where you can purchase a home for under $250,000 without sacrificing quality of life.
After this revelation, you can now pick your jaw up off the floor, dust off your loan application and check out the surprising number of budget‑friendly housing markets across the U.S. that offer low home prices, strong job growth and the chance to build long‑term equity without stretching your budget. Whether you’re a first‑time homebuyer looking for cheap homes in safe, livable cities, or a family searching for more space, these locations stand out as some of the best places to buy a home right now.
Here, MoneyLion has researched and highlighted 50 cities where the average home price falls below $250,000, as well as given you a breakdown of other factors like income level, livability scores and crime rates that helped land each city a place in this ranking. From thriving mid‑sized cities to lesser‑known hidden gems, these destinations offer the rare combination of affordability, amenities and long‑term investment potential. Who says you need to compromise to find a home you love? Because it’s not MoneyLion.
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Key Findings
Fifteen out of the 50 cities found with average home values under $250,000, including Pittsburgh, Des Moines and San Antonio, have a livability score of 80 or above.
All but eight cities on this list have an average total cost of living of less than $3,000 per month.
The U.S. overall median full-time salary sits at approximately $61,702 per year. Half of the cities on this list have median household income above the national average.
The two cities with the lowest annual cost of living are both in Texas. Abilene comes in at $27,604 per year on average, whereas Waco residents can expect to pay about $28,931.
The city with the lowest violent crime rate is also MoneyLion’s No. 1 ranking for best places to buy a house for under $250,000. Parma, Ohio, is No. 1 for several reasons, but having a violent crime rate of 1.25 (per 1,000 residents) makes it a pretty great area to buy if safety is high on your priority list.
1. Parma, Ohio
Average home value: $208,205
Average monthly mortgage: $1,143
Median household income: $73,861
Livability: 81
Violent crime rate: 1.25
Property crime rate: 6.57
2. Sioux City, Iowa
Average home value: $191,226
Average monthly mortgage: $1,050
Median household income: $74,972
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate: 5.69
Property crime rate: 35.38
3. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Average home value: $211,472
Average monthly mortgage: $1,161
Median household income: $69,917
Livability: 76
Violent crime rate: 2.99
Property crime rate: 28.81
4. Waterloo, Iowa
Average home value: $151,752
Average monthly mortgage: $833
Median household income: $61,737
Livability: 80
Violent crime rate: 5.72
Property crime rate: 20.78
5. Temple, Texas
Average home value: $248,496
Average monthly mortgage: $1,364
Median household income: $71,931
Livability: 76
Violent crime rate: 3.8
Property crime rate: 19.64
6. Champaign, Illinois
Average home value: $234,165
Average monthly mortgage: $1,285
Median household income: $58,903
Livability: 83
Violent crime rate: 4.27
Property crime rate: 18.14
7. Springfield, Illinois
Average home value: $161,681
Average monthly mortgage: $887
Median household income: $72,889
Livability: 81
Violent crime rate: 8.01
Property crime rate: 47.63
8. Fort Wayne, Indiana
Average home value: $235,170
Average monthly mortgage: $1,291
Median household income: $61,436
Livability: 84
Violent crime rate: 2.71
Property crime rate: 25.3
9. Independence, Missouri
Average home value: $202,770
Average monthly mortgage: $1,113
Median household income: $58,535
Livability: 82
Violent crime rate: 2
Property crime rate: 13.26
10. Oklahoma City
Average home value: $205,183
Average monthly mortgage: $1,126
Median household income: $70,040
Livability: 81
Violent crime rate: 6.37
Property crime rate: 29.48
11. Davenport, Iowa
Average home value: $187,043
Average monthly mortgage: $1,027
Median household income: $64,686
Livability: 77
Violent crime rate: 6.88
Property crime rate: 37.94
12. Odessa, Texas
Average home value: $243,411
Average monthly mortgage: $1,336
Median household income: $79,531
Livability: 74
Violent crime rate: 3.96
Property crime rate: 17.69
13. San Angelo, Texas
Average home value: $226,425
Average monthly mortgage: $1,243
Median household income: $67,498
Livability: 73
Violent crime rate: 2.83
Property crime rate: 26.26
14. Des Moines, Iowa
Average home value: $204,792
Average monthly mortgage: $1,124
Median household income: $67,297
Livability: 83
Violent crime rate: 7.04
Property crime rate: 33.38
15. Abilene, Texas
Average home value: $200,025
Average monthly mortgage: $1,098
Median household income: $60,605
Livability: 75
Violent crime rate: 4.42
Property crime rate: 17.41
16. El Paso, Texas
Average home value: $230,660
Average monthly mortgage: $1,266
Median household income: $59,932
Livability: 81
Violent crime rate: 3.38
Property crime rate: 16.33
17. Tyler, Texas
Average home value: $247,590
Average monthly mortgage: $1,359
Median household income: $70,101
Livability: 74
Violent crime rate: 4.43
Property crime rate: 22.28
18. Westland, Michigan
Average home value: $209,113
Average monthly mortgage: $1,148
Median household income: $61,390
Livability: 76
Violent crime rate: 5.35
Property crime rate: 16.58
19. Pittsburgh
Average home value: $231,083
Average monthly mortgage: $1,268
Median household income: $66,954
Livability: 84
Violent crime rate: 5.28
Property crime rate: 32.88
20. Brownsville, Texas
Average home value: $193,907
Average monthly mortgage: $1,064
Median household income: $59,491
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate: 3.95
Property crime rate: 20.71
21. Kansas City, Kansas
Average home value: $194,318
Average monthly mortgage: $1,067
Median household income: $63,917
Livability: 75
Violent crime rate: 4.84
Property crime rate: 23.64
22. Conway, Arkansas
Average home value: $244,657
Average monthly mortgage: $1,343
Median household income: $65,896
Livability: 69
Violent crime rate: 5.5
Property crime rate: 25.34
23. Laredo, Texas
Average home value: $217,622
Average monthly mortgage: $1,195
Median household income: $61,519
Livability: 73
Violent crime rate: 4.24
Property crime rate: 13.64
24. Corpus Christi, Texas
Average home value: $218,483
Average monthly mortgage: $1,199
Median household income: $66,967
Livability: 80
Violent crime rate: 8.57
Property crime rate: 31.67
25. Lubbock, Texas
Average home value: $206,069
Average monthly mortgage: $1,131
Median household income: $62,360
Livability: 78
Violent crime rate: 8.61
Property crime rate: 32.18
26. Waco, Texas
Average home value: $191,238
Average monthly mortgage: $1,050
Median household income: $56,548
Livability: 73
Violent crime rate: 5.11
Property crime rate: 26.89
27. Scranton, Pennsylvania
Average home value: $190,145
Average monthly mortgage: $1,044
Median household income: $48,762
Livability: 85
Violent crime rate: 3.1
Property crime rate: 14.12
28. Longview, Texas
Average home value: $227,328
Average monthly mortgage: $1,248
Median household income: $57,259
Livability: 72
Violent crime rate: 4.17
Property crime rate: 24.89
29. McAllen, Texas
Average home value: $228,258
Average monthly mortgage: $1,253
Median household income: $60,907
Livability: 75
Violent crime rate: 1.49
Property crime rate: 19.58
30. Akron, Ohio
Average home value: $133,130
Average monthly mortgage: $731
Median household income: $48,521
Livability: 81
Violent crime rate: 7.83
Property crime rate: 30.15
31. Wichita Falls, Texas
Average home value: $169,295
Average monthly mortgage: $929
Median household income: $63,835
Livability: 68
Violent crime rate: 4.98
Property crime rate: 25.12
32. Mission, Texas
Average home value: $219,880
Average monthly mortgage: $1,207
Median household income: $55,857
Livability: 74
Violent crime rate: 2.03
Property crime rate: 11.3
33. Dearborn, Michigan
Average home value: $239,883
Average monthly mortgage: $1,317
Median household income: $59,786
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate: 3.18
Property crime rate: 21.86
34. Racine, Wisconsin
Average home value: $203,149
Average monthly mortgage: $1,115
Median household income: $55,458
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate: 3.33
Property crime rate: 9.57
35. Hammond, Indiana
Average home value: $171,492
Average monthly mortgage: $941
Median household income: $58,647
Livability: 70
Violent crime rate: 6.6
Property crime rate: 33.69
36. Indianapolis
Average home value: $230,309
Average monthly mortgage: $1,264
Median household income: $66,900
Livability: 76
Violent crime rate: 10.5
Property crime rate: 36.06
37. Lansing, Michigan
Average home value: $156,994
Average monthly mortgage: $862
Median household income: $55,366
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate: 14.17
Property crime rate: 28.56
38. Erie, Pennsylvania
Average home value: $193,169
Average monthly mortgage: $1,060
Median household income: $47,733
Livability: 82
Violent crime rate: 5.08
Property crime rate: 18.65
39. Waukegan, Illinois
Average home value: $231,299
Average monthly mortgage: $1,270
Median household income: $66,302
Livability: 73
Violent crime rate: 3.64
Property crime rate: 10.99
40. Amarillo, Texas
Average home value: $200,858
Average monthly mortgage: $1,102
Median household income: $67,187
Livability: 66
Violent crime rate: 7.22
Property crime rate: 30.84
41. Peoria, Illinois
Average home value: $126,626
Average monthly mortgage: $695
Median household income: $65,078
Livability: 73
Violent crime rate: 12.09
Property crime rate: 38.38
42. Montgomery, Alabama
Average home value: $146,342
Average monthly mortgage: $803
Median household income: $59,292
Livability: 64
Violent crime rate: 5.7
Property crime rate: 26.13
43. Warren, Michigan
Average home value: $201,137
Average monthly mortgage: $1,104
Median household income: $56,281
Livability: 74
Violent crime rate: 5.69
Property crime rate: 18.48
44. San Antonio
Average home value: $247,776
Average monthly mortgage: $1,360
Median household income: $66,176
Livability: 80
Violent crime rate: 6.95
Property crime rate: 54.05
45. Mobile, Alabama
Average home value: $193,736
Average monthly mortgage: $1,063
Median household income: $55,307
Livability: 73
Violent crime rate: 8.69
Property crime rate: 24.63
46. Kansas City, Missouri
Average home value: $244,236
Average monthly mortgage: $1,341
Median household income: $69,958
Livability: 78
Violent crime rate: 14.76
Property crime rate: 50.02
47. Columbia, South Carolina
Average home value: $228,241
Average monthly mortgage: $1,253
Median household income: $55,233
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate: 7.55
Property crime rate: 35.4
48. Edinburg, Texas
Average home value: $212,376
Average monthly mortgage: $1,166
Median household income: $59,851
Livability: 63
Violent crime rate: 3.02
Property crime rate: 22.68
49. Warner Robins, Georgia
Average home value: $209,553
Average monthly mortgage: $1,150
Median household income: $69,011
Livability: 64
Violent crime rate: 6.55
Property crime rate: 34.82
50. St. Joseph, Missouri
Average home value: $173,446
Average monthly mortgage: $952
Median household income: $57,010
Livability: 59
Violent crime rate: 7.45
Property crime rate: 37.26
Methodology: MoneyLion found the 100 most populous cities with home values under $250,000, as sourced from Zillow Home Value Index. Assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage was calculated for each city. The cost-of-living indices were sourced from Sperling's BestPlaces and the 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey was used to calculate the average expenditure cost for each city. The violent crime rate per 1,000 and property crime rate per 1,000 were sourced from NeighborhoodScout. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes and included to determine the quality of life in each location. Median household income was sourced from the U.S. Census 2024 1-year American Community Survey 2024. Using the average expenditure cost and mortgage cost, the total cost of living was calculated for each city. The median household income, livability, cost of living, crime rates, unemployment rate and percent of the population below the poverty line were all scored. All the scores were weighted at 1.00, summed and sorted to show the best places to buy a home for under $250,000.
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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