U.S. home prices have surged in recent years, putting the idea of a home out of reach for many first-time buyers and middle-income buyers generally.

Still, pockets of affordability remain, particularly in mid-sized cities and suburbs, where smaller homes in up-and-coming neighborhoods can be found for less than $250,000.

Realtor.com recently ranked the 10 best markets for buying a first home, based on affordability, supply, projected price growth and job availability, as well as quality of life factors like commute times and access to amenities such as daycares and shopping.

Here are the top 10 cities for first-time buyers, each with a median home price below $250,000:

1. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: $140,000
2. Rochester, New York: $129,900
3. Villas, Florida: $236,950
4. Lauderdale Lakes, Florida: $154,850
5. Altamonte Springs, Florida: $229,400
6. Lansing, Michigan: $135,000
7. North Little Rock, Arkansas: $160,000
8. Baltimore, Maryland: $210,000
9. Tonawanda, New York: $229,900
10. Wilmington, Delaware: $222,000

All cities in this list have median priced homes that are well below the U.S. median of $402,502, per Realtor.com's most recent data.

Several cities in Florida still offer affordable homes

Three cities in Florida make the list, which shows that homeownership is still within reach in a state that continues to see a strong influx of movers from other parts of the country.

While home prices in major cities like Miami and Fort Lauderdale are higher than the U.S. median, smaller areas like Villas, Lauderdale Lakes, and Altamonte Springs offer more affordable options.

The capital of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, tops the list of the 849 real estate markets ranked by the study for affordability and livability. With a home price-to-income ratio of 2.6, homes are well within reach for local buyers. For context, that ratio is closer to 10 in big cities like Los Angeles or New York City, where many younger buyers have been shut out of the housing market.

Other regional hubs on the list include Rochester, New York, which has benefited from a rebounding economy and offers one of the lowest median home prices in the country at $129,900, and Lansing, Michigan, a state capital with affordable homes and ample job opportunities in government, education, and manufacturing.

For the study, Realtor.com analyzed cities with at least 5,000 residents and 500 homes for sale, using data from December 2023 to November 2024. Home prices and inventory came from Realtor.com, while location factors like amenities were assessed with Local Logic data. Population, income, and commute times were based on Claritas estimates and unemployment projections relied on Moody's Analytics forecasts.

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