Home sale prices across the country have actually decreased since their peak in 2022, according to data from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. However, home prices still remain unaffordable for many.
During the second quarter of 2020, the median sales price for a home was $317,100. Fast forward to that same timeframe in 2023, and the price jumped to $418,500. As of 2025, the amount has decreased slightly to $410,800.
Some areas continue to see increases in price, like Miami Beach’s Fisher Island neighborhood, where the median listing price for a home is $11,925,000. Other regions, like the Sun Belt, have cooled off as buyer demand has decreased.
One region that’s becoming more desirable is the Midwest. With household incomes not far off from home listing prices, there are many affordable options available below the national median of $424,200. Realtor.com highlighted the 10 most desirable metros with homes under $300,000, and a large majority of them are Midwestern cities.
While not every city listed is considered Midwestern, the metros are concentrated toward the middle of the map. East- and West-Coast elitists may (or may not) be shocked to find that no coastal cities made the cut. The farthest east city is in northeast Pennsylvania, and the most western city is in Kansas.
Here are 10 desirable metros with homes under $300,000, according to Realtor.com. Metros are in descending order of median list price. Median household income numbers come from the US Census Bureau.
10. St. Louis, MO
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9. Frankfort, KY
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8. Wichita, KS
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7. Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY
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6. Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA
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5. Cleveland, OH
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4. Pittsburgh, PA
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3. Battle Creek, MI
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2. Toledo, OH
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1. Muncie, IN
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