These 20 Cities — Including 9 with Median Home Prices Under $275,000 — Offer Young Homebuyers the Best Chance of Landing a Property, According to Point2 Housing affordability is near its lowest levels in four decades.
Key Takeaways
- With housing affordability at four-decade lows, it's a tough market for younger homebuyers.
- But according to Point2, there are cities where young buyers are finding deals.
- Some of them include Fort Wayne, Corpus Christi, and Detroit.
This article originally appeared on Business Insider.
It's a rough market out there for younger homebuyers.
Housing affordability is near its lowest levels in four decades as mortgage rates and home prices have skyrocketed relative to incomes.
But according to Point2, an online real-estate marketplace, there are still areas where young buyers are finding deals.
In a recent report, the firm looked at the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the US and ranked them based on how friendly they are to buyers under 25. In building their ranking model, they considered factors like home price-to-income ratios, the local Gen Z unemployment rates, Gen Z homeownership rates, inventory, days on the market, and more.
"Student loans and the rising cost of living means that Gen Z inherited the affordability concern from millennials," the report said. "So, when we factor in multiple metrics that might influence the attainability of homeownership for young people — such as household income among adults younger than 25 years old, Gen Z homeownership rate, and unemployment rate among this cohort — some cities emerge as homebuying pockets for America's youngest."
Below, we've listed the top 20 cities on Point2's index, along with their composite scores, local home price-to-income ratios, and Gen Z unemployment rates. We've also added median home-price data from Redfin.
1. Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana Posnov/Getty Images via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 84.2
Median home price: $201,5000
Home price-to-income ratio: 4.8
Gen Z unemployment rate: 4.1%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
2. Corpus Christi, Texas
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 80.55
Median home price: $270,000
Home price-to-income ratio: 4.5
Gen Z unemployment rate: 7.8%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
3. Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan skyline. Sean Pavone/Shutterstock via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 80.53
Median home price: $85,000
Home price-to-income ratio: 3.1
Gen Z unemployment rate: 11%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
4. Laredo, Texas
Cathedral of San Agustin on the Plaza in Laredo, Texas. Danita Delimont/Shutterstock via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 78.7
Median home price: $235,000
Home price-to-income ratio: 6.1
Gen Z unemployment rate: 7.9%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
5. Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee. Connor D. Ryan/Shutterstock via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 77
Median home price: $173,750
Home price-to-income ratio: 5.3
Gen Z unemployment rate: 8.1%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
6. Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska. Jacob Boomsma/Shutterstock via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 75.18
Median home price: $265,000
Home price-to-income ratio: 6.9
Gen Z unemployment rate: 4%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
7. Durham, North Carolina
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 73.48
Median home price: $410,000
Home price-to-income ratio: 6.4
Gen Z unemployment rate: 1.5%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
8. Fort Worth, Texas
Shutterstock via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 73.13
Median home price: $330,000
Home price-to-income ratio: 7.9
Gen Z unemployment rate: 6.1%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
9. Aurora, Colorado
A woman kayaking on the Cherry Creek Reservoir in Aurora, Colorado. David C Stephens/Getty Images via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 72.78
Median home price: $460,000
Home price-to-income ratio: 8.3
Gen Z unemployment rate: 6%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
10. Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale, Arizona. Tim Roberts Photography/Shutterstock via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 72.53
Median home price: $802,500
Home price-to-income ratio: 13.4
Gen Z unemployment rate: 3.5%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin Advertisement
11. Indianapolis, Indiana
Getty Images vi BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 72.28
Median home price: $230,500
Home price-to-income ratio: 5.9
Gen Z unemployment rate: 7.2%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
12. Orlando, Florida
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 72.23
Median home price: $395,000
Home price-to-income ratio: 8.5
Gen Z unemployment rate: 3.6%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
13. Mesa, Arizona
Tim Roberts Photography/Shutterstock via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 71.98
Median home price: $452,500
Home price-to-income ratio: 9
Gen Z unemployment rate: 5%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
14. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Shutterstock via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 71.45
Median home price: $256,990
Home price-to-income ratio: 7.5
Gen Z unemployment rate: 5.1%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
15. Jacksonville, Florida
joe daniel price/Getty Images via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 71.35
Median home price: $310,000
Home price-to-income ratio: 6.8
Gen Z unemployment rate: 7.9%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
16. San Antonio, Texas
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 70.75
Median home price: $269,000
Home price-to-income ratio: 7.1
Gen Z unemployment rate: 8.9%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
17. Garland, Texas
City of Garland, Texas Government / Facebook via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 69.88
Median home price: $327,000
Home price-to-income ratio: 5.1
Gen Z unemployment rate: 9.5%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
18. Gilbert
Gilbert, Arizona. halbergman/Getty Images via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 69.63
Median home price: $550,000
Home price-to-income ratio: 7.7
Gen Z unemployment rate: 1.6%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
19. Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado. f11photo/Shutterstock via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 68.73
Median home price: $530,000
Home price-to-income ratio: 10.2
Gen Z unemployment rate: 1.5%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin
20. Colorado Springs, CO
Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images via BI
Point2's score for young home ownership chances (out of 100): 67.73
Median home price: $435,000
Home price-to-income ratio: 10.1
Gen Z unemployment rate: 3.5%
Sources: Point2 and Redfin