Cities Where Homes Cost Under $300K

In lots of big cities, the cost of a new home has ballooned beyond the point of affordability for many. It's still possible, though, to buy for under $300,000 in places around the country, and the real estate brokerage firm Redfin is out with a ranking. It turns out that Detroit might be the best bargain out of the 91 most populous metro areas:

1. Detroit, Michigan, median home price of $180,950
2. Cleveland, Ohio, $227,000
3. Dayton, Ohio, $229,500
4. Rochester, New York, $230,750
5. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, $235,000
6. Buffalo, New York, $243,000
7. McAllen, Texas, 250,000
8. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, $258,815
9. St. Louis, Missouri, $263,850
10. El Paso, Texas, $264,000

An assessment at WalletHub, meanwhile, also puts Detroit up high in terms of affordability for homebuyers—at No. 2. One big reason for that: Roughly 20% of housing in the city is vacant because people have moved out. Ahead of it in the ranking (which looks at a broader range of factors beyond price) is nearby Flint, Michigan. Others in the top five are Pittsburgh; Surprise, Arizona; and Akron, Ohio. (Check out other lists.)