Housing market ranking · September 2026 data

What are the cheapest places to buy a house in the U.S.?

150 of 796 liquid U.S. housing markets have a median listing price under $250,000 as of September 2026. Canton, IL is the cheapest at $99,900, followed by Macomb, IL at $116,250. The typical liquid market sits at $341,900. Liquid means at least 100 active listings, so buyers have homes to choose from.

WBBy WealthyBud Research Team
WealthyBud editorial and data team

Published October 5, 2026 · Updated October 5, 2026

RankingsBest places to buy rental property Best appreciation markets 2026 Best first-rental markets 2026 Where prices are falling Income needed to buy Price-to-income ratio Buyer's vs seller's market Inventory above 2019 Cheapest places to buy Market screener All dashboards

What counts as a cheap housing market on this list?

This ranking lists metros whose median asking price is under $250,000 and that have at least 100 active listings, so a handful of homes cannot swing the result. As of September 2026, 150 of 796 liquid markets (19%) clear that bar. Prices are Realtor.com medians, not closed sales.

The national median for liquid markets is $341,900, so every market on this page sits well below the middle of the distribution. For income-adjusted affordability, see the price-to-income ranking.

Which metros have the lowest median home prices?

Canton, IL posts the lowest median list price among liquid markets at $99,900, then Macomb, IL at $116,250 and Johnstown, PA at $119,975. The median market under $250,000 sits at $215,488 See the tables and sources on this page See the tables and sources on this page.

50 cheapest U.S. housing markets by median list price (at least 100 active listings, September 2026)
#	Metro	Median list price	List price YoY	Active listings	Days on market	Price-to-income	Gross yield
1	Canton, IL	$99,900	-16.7%	117	67	1.7×	n/a
2	Macomb, IL	$116,250	+18.6%	112	83	2.3×	n/a
3	Johnstown, PA	$119,975	+6.0%	245	53	2.1×	10.35%
4	Danville, IL	$127,000	-0.2%	150	53	2.3×	n/a
5	Pampa, TX	$142,000	+13.6%	155	90	2.5×	n/a
6	Pine Bluff, AR	$143,700	+6.4%	277	76	3.0×	n/a
7	Arkansas City, KS	$149,949	-10.3%	124	61	2.6×	n/a
8	Decatur, IL	$149,975	-1.6%	236	44	2.4×	8.51%
9	Burlington, IA	$150,000	+2.4%	184	53	2.4×	n/a
10	Galesburg, IL	$151,150	-8.9%	122	47	2.8×	n/a
11	Ottumwa, IA	$154,000	-9.9%	128	54	2.6×	n/a
12	Carbondale, IL	$156,778	+74.4%	144	56	3.4×	n/a
13	Fort Madison, IA	$159,225	+23.7%	136	62	2.7×	n/a
14	Pottsville, PA	$159,900	+0.9%	418	54	2.4×	n/a
15	New Iberia, LA	$160,000	-10.6%	165	70	2.8×	n/a
16	Marion, IN	$160,700	+1.4%	160	45	3.0×	n/a
17	Greenville, MS	$161,125	-0.9%	105	92	4.0×	n/a
18	Saginaw, MI	$165,000	-7.0%	520	54	2.8×	8.12%
19	Pittsburg, KS	$166,175	-2.7%	106	57	3.3×	n/a
20	Sterling, IL	$169,200	+14.2%	116	52	2.6×	n/a
21	Bradford, PA	$169,675	-3.7%	132	68	2.8×	n/a
22	Weirton, WV	$169,900	+6.2%	246	62	3.0×	6.87%
23	Kingsville, TX	$170,000	-21.7%	105	73	3.0×	n/a
24	Sunbury, PA	$172,450	-2.8%	215	67	2.9×	n/a
25	Altoona, PA	$175,000	+0.2%	261	52	2.9×	7.80%
26	Blytheville, AR	$177,450	+0.5%	118	63	3.3×	n/a
27	Camden, AR	$179,000	-1.9%	111	105	3.4×	n/a
28	Peoria, IL	$179,300	-0.4%	658	35	2.5×	6.95%
29	Elmira, NY	$179,450	+2.6%	236	57	2.8×	8.58%
30	Wheeling, WV	$179,450	+1.4%	342	58	3.1×	6.63%
31	Plainview, TX	$180,475	+8.1%	105	77	3.4×	n/a
32	Morgan City, LA	$181,425	+5.0%	133	106	3.5×	n/a
33	Muncie, IN	$181,500	-1.3%	293	50	3.2×	6.90%
34	Muskogee, OK	$182,925	-8.3%	253	59	3.5×	n/a
35	Fort Dodge, IA	$184,400	+13.2%	112	58	2.7×	n/a
36	Clinton, IA	$184,700	+1.9%	103	52	2.8×	n/a
37	Bay City, MI	$184,950	-10.3%	248	48	3.1×	6.68%
38	McComb, MS	$185,725	-6.4%	162	98	4.4×	n/a
39	Richmond, IN	$186,000	+9.5%	177	63	3.3×	n/a
40	Sikeston, MO	$186,000	+6.3%	155	61	3.4×	n/a
41	Ponca City, OK	$186,200	+17.3%	132	70	3.3×	n/a
42	Oil City, PA	$187,450	+2.0%	140	58	3.0×	n/a
43	Kokomo, IN	$188,175	-3.5%	235	47	3.0×	7.16%
44	Kirksville, MO	$188,750	-2.9%	137	74	3.3×	n/a
45	Charleston, WV	$189,325	+20.6%	416	49	3.3×	6.46%
46	Terre Haute, IN	$189,625	-5.2%	418	44	3.4×	6.87%
47	Olean, NY	$189,900	-14.6%	230	71	3.3×	n/a
48	Salem, OH	$189,900	+4.2%	226	53	3.2×	n/a
49	Miami, OK	$191,563	-13.4%	126	75	3.9×	n/a
50	Beckley, WV	$192,425	+6.3%	338	60	3.7×	5.82%

Which larger cities are still under $250,000?

Most of the cheapest markets are small. Only 52 of the 150 under-$250,000 markets have at least 100,000 residents in the Census ACS. Among those larger metros, Johnstown, PA is the cheapest at $119,975, with 132,355 people See the tables and sources on this page.

Cheapest markets with at least 100,000 residents (ACS population)
#	Metro	Median list price	Population	Active listings	List price YoY
1	Johnstown, PA	$119,975	132,355	245	+6.0%
2	Decatur, IL	$149,975	102,591	236	-1.6%
3	Pottsville, PA	$159,900	143,259	418	+0.9%
4	Saginaw, MI	$165,000	189,210	520	-7.0%
5	Weirton, WV	$169,900	115,566	246	+6.2%
6	Sunbury, PA	$172,450	109,004	215	-2.8%
7	Altoona, PA	$175,000	121,854	261	+0.2%
8	Peoria, IL	$179,300	365,773	658	-0.4%
9	Wheeling, WV	$179,450	138,015	342	+1.4%
10	Muncie, IN	$181,500	112,109	293	-1.3%
11	Bay City, MI	$184,950	103,235	248	-10.3%
12	Charleston, WV	$189,325	207,456	416	+20.6%
13	Terre Haute, IN	$189,625	168,850	418	-5.2%
14	Salem, OH	$189,900	101,203	226	+4.2%
15	Beckley, WV	$192,425	113,653	338	+6.3%
16	Massena, NY	$196,900	107,796	433	+3.7%
17	Albany, GA	$197,000	146,768	579	+2.7%
18	Hermitage, PA	$200,000	109,852	275	+17.7%
19	Lima, OH	$201,200	101,685	258	+10.7%
20	Lawton, OK	$207,900	127,174	478	+5.4%
21	Youngstown, OH	$208,438	428,430	978	-0.7%
22	Springfield, IL	$212,200	207,386	322	+4.0%
23	Huntington, WV	$212,450	372,801	730	-5.6%
24	Wichita Falls, TX	$216,000	148,978	479	+8.0%
25	Flint, MI	$217,375	404,087	1,196	+3.6%

Do cheap markets also offer high rental yields?

A low list price does not automatically mean high rental yield. HUD fair-market rents cover 48 of the 150 cheap markets; where they do, Johnstown, PA leads at a 10.35% gross yield. Compare the cash-flow dashboard for a yield-first ranking.

Johnstown, PA: 10.35% gross yield at $119,975
Elmira, NY: 8.58% gross yield at $179,450
Decatur, IL: 8.51% gross yield at $149,975
Saginaw, MI: 8.12% gross yield at $165,000
Altoona, PA: 7.80% gross yield at $175,000
Kokomo, IN: 7.16% gross yield at $188,175
Peoria, IL: 6.95% gross yield at $179,300
Muncie, IN: 6.90% gross yield at $181,500

For a yield-first ranking of large metros, see best places to buy rental property and the cash-flow dashboard. For the cash needed to break even on a first rental, see best markets for a first rental.

How is the cheapest-places list calculated?

Universe: 796 markets with at least 100 active listings and a published median list price. Ranked by that median, ascending. Year-over-year change, days on market and price-to-income come from the same September 2026 Realtor.com and Census ACS fields used across WealthyBud rankings.

Keep every market with at least 100 active listings and a published median list price.
Keep markets whose median list price is under $250,000.
Sort by median list price, ascending, and show the top 50.
Build a second table limited to markets with ACS population of at least 100,000.

74 of these 150 markets also show a year-over-year list-price decline. Pair this page with where home prices are falling and buyer’s vs seller’s markets.

Frequently asked questions

What are the cheapest places to buy a house in the U.S. right now?

Among markets with at least 100 active listings, Canton, IL has the lowest median list price at $99,900 as of September 2026. Macomb, IL and Johnstown, PA follow. 150 liquid markets sit under $250,000 See the tables and sources on this page.

How many U.S. housing markets have homes under $250,000?

150 of the 796 liquid markets WealthyBud tracks (19%) had a median listing price under $250,000 in September 2026. The typical liquid market's median was $341,900. Listing prices are asking prices, not closed-sale prices See the tables and sources on this page.

Which larger cities are still cheap to buy in?

Only 52 of the 150 under-$250,000 markets have at least 100,000 residents. Johnstown, PA is the cheapest of those at $119,975, then Decatur, IL at $149,975 See the tables and sources on this page See the tables and sources on this page.

Are cheap housing markets good for rental investors?

Not automatically. Gross yield needs a HUD fair-market rent, which exists for 48 of these 150 markets. Where it does, Johnstown, PA leads at 10.35%. Use the cash-flow and first-rental rankings for investor screens See the tables and sources on this page.

Are home prices falling in these cheap markets?

74 of the 150 under-$250,000 markets had a lower median list price than a year earlier in September 2026. Low prices and falling prices are different filters; see the falling-prices ranking for the largest year-over-year declines See the tables and sources on this page.

How is the cheapest-places list built?

Markets need at least 100 active listings and a median list price below $250,000. They are sorted by that median. Population for the large-metro table comes from the Census ACS. No estimates fill missing yields or incomes See the tables and sources on this page.

Key takeaways

150 of 796 liquid markets (19%) have a median list price under $250,000 as of September 2026.
Canton, IL is the cheapest at $99,900.
The typical liquid market sits at $341,900; the typical cheap market sits at $215,488.
Only 52 cheap markets have at least 100,000 residents.
Gross yield is available for 48 of the 150 cheap markets; low price alone is not an investor screen.

For education only, not real-estate or investment advice. Asking prices are not closed-sale prices.