Top Ten Small Towns That Won't Break The Bank
City life is exciting and thrilling for some. It can be full of endless opportunities, new culture, and quick access to necessities. But there are downsides like busy subways, tiny apartments and tourists if you're in a big city. Sometimes, all you want is a quiet evening on your patio without having to listen to the neighbors movie or the sirens blaring throughout the city. The good news is, you can absolutely buy a single family home in a small town without breaking the bank. The list of cities we have put together are up-and-coming with buzzing economies and lots of local services. Keep reading to learn more about the top ten small towns that won't break the bank and find the full article here.
The realtor.com® data team ranked more than 500 U.S. Census-designated micropolitan areas (i.e., communities with a population between 10,000 and 50,000) by median home price. We also factored in:
- low unemployment rates
- crime rates below the national average
- households that spend no more than 28% of their annual income on housing costs, so that they have enough left over for just about everything else. (This percentage is commonly accepted to be a healthy proportion.)
Turns out, leaving the perpetually burning city lights behind can really pay off. The median home prices of our top picks range from just $65,600 to $139,900—compared with the national median price of $250,000, or the $800,000 median price tag in San Francisco. We found the most livable small-town oases of affordability in 2017 to be clustered in the Midwest. Sorry, California beach dreamers or mavens of scenic Colorado ski towns—for the average American, homes there are way out of reach.But does this mean you have to trade excitement for enervation? As the city-dwelling comedian Lenny Bruce once said, “I hate small towns, because once you’ve seen the cannon in the park, that’s it.” So we focused on life beyond the cannons—small towns offering up rich cultures and a surprising amount of fun side diversions.So prepare yourself for the small towns you just might want to call home.