{"id":98918,"date":"2026-06-17T15:45:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T22:45:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/?p=98918"},"modified":"2026-06-19T13:33:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T20:33:19","slug":"most-affordable-cities-in-the-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/most-affordable-cities-in-the-us\/","title":{"rendered":"The 10 Most Affordable Cities in the U.S. in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3><b>Key takeaways<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Detroit, MI, Akron, OH, and Gary, IN, are the most affordable cities in the U.S.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, where locals need to spend just 24% of their income on housing.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Midwest and East Coast are home to a majority of the cheapest places to live, although they&#8217;re also becoming increasingly competitive.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Home prices are still rising in many parts of the country, but slower growth is helping affordability improve in most markets. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Housing affordability is one of the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bls.gov\/opub\/ted\/2026\/housing-and-transportation-accounted-for-50-percent-of-household-spending-in-2024.htm\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">biggest challenges<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for Americans in 2026. Home prices grew exponentially during the pandemic housing boom, and while growth has slowed in the last year, a majority of people are still spending an outsized share of their income on housing. The typical homebuyer today spends nearly 40% of their income on monthly housing payments, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/news\/data-center\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\">Redfin data<\/a>\u2014<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jchs.harvard.edu\/blog\/home-price-income-ratio-reaches-record-high-0\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">well above<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the traditional affordability benchmark.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, some cities are more affordable than others. In many Midwest and Northeast metros, lower home prices and relatively strong local incomes keep homeownership within reach.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, which U.S. cities are still affordable, and where is affordability improving? Let\u2019s take a look at the most affordable places to live in and buy a house in 2026, where locals can spend 30% of their income or less on housing.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"datawrapper-vis-uHvee\" style=\"min-height: 822px;\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\" defer src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/uHvee\/embed.js\" charset=\"utf-8\" data-target=\"#datawrapper-vis-uHvee\"><\/script><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/uHvee\/full.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/noscript><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>The 10 most affordable cities in the U.S.<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Detroit is the most affordable major city in the U.S., with the typical local spending just 24% of their income on housing compared to 36% nationwide. Next comes Akron, OH, and Gary, IN. Zooming out further, the nation\u2019s most affordable cities are located near the Great Lakes and in the Midwest, East Coast, and South.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>City<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Share of income required to afford a typical home<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Median household income<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Median sale price<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/5665\/MI\/Detroit\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Detroit, MI<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">23.5%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$65,687<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$211,000<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/244\/OH\/Akron\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Akron, OH<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">23.6%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$78,753<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$237,000<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/6905\/IN\/Gary\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gary, IN<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24.1%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$82,274<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$290,000<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/16661\/MO\/St-Louis\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">St. Louis, MO<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24.2%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$88,593<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$282,600<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/15702\/PA\/Pittsburgh\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pittsburgh, PA<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24.3%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$83,419<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$265,000<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/10455\/AR\/Little-Rock\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Little Rock, AR<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24.4%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$73,170<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$254,000<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/14237\/OK\/Oklahoma-City\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oklahoma City, OK<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24.6%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$78,818<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$267,496<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/5415\/IA\/Des-Moines\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Des Moines, IA<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24.7%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$77,296<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$297,000<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/20734\/MI\/Warren\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Warren, MI<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24.7%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$79,594<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$325,000<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/5413\/OH\/Dayton\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dayton, OH<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">25.0%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$65,123<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">$255,000<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><b>Cities where affordability is improving the most<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cNationally, housing affordability has actually improved over the past year, which may come as a surprise given that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/news\/housing-market-records-2021\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">soaring<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> home prices and mortgage rates are fresh in people\u2019s memory,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/news\/author\/darylfairweather\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\">Daryl Fairweather, Redfin Chief Economist<\/a>. \u201cSince mid-2025, home-price growth has cooled while incomes have grown, pushing the relative <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/news\/income-needed-to-buy-home-declines\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">cost of buying down<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in nearly every major city in the country. We <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/news\/housing-market-predictions-2026\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">expect<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> affordability to continue to improve in the years ahead.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Housing affordability is improving the most in San Jose, Chicago, and Miami. San Jose is unique because its neighbor, San Francisco, is quickly becoming <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">less<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> affordable. The localized AI boom is the primary reason for the discrepancy, with a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/news\/san-francisco-luxury-home-prices-chatgpt\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">huge amount of wealth<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> hitting the Bay Area market. Other coastal cities are becoming more affordable as their housing markets slowly reset from the pandemic boom.<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>City<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Share of income required to afford a typical home<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Year-over-year change<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/17420\/CA\/San-Jose\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">San Jose, CA<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">66.2%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-6.7 ppts<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/29470\/IL\/Chicago\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chicago, IL<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">28.1%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-6.1 ppts<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/11458\/FL\/Miami\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Miami, FL<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">54.6%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-4.7 ppts<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/16163\/WA\/Seattle\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seattle, WA<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">45.8%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-4.6 ppts<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/14141\/CA\/Oxnard\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oxnard, CA<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">53.6%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-4.3 ppts<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/29477\/IL\/Elgin\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elgin, IL<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">25.5%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-4.2 ppts<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/13136\/NJ\/Newark\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Newark, NJ<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">44.7%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-3.8 ppts<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/3478\/SC\/Charleston\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Charleston, SC<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">33.0%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-3.7 ppts<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/13654\/CA\/Oakland\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oakland, CA<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">49.6%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-3.7 ppts<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/city\/15935\/CA\/Riverside\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Riverside, CA<\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">44.0%<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">-3.6 ppts<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only four of the largest U.S. cities are becoming less affordable: San Francisco (+2.1 ppts), Dayton (+0.9 ppts), Philadelphia (+0.5ppts), and Providence (+0.2 ppts). These cities are becoming more expensive because they are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/news\/most-competitive-housing-markets-2025\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">highly competitive<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, not because incomes are dropping. Strong demand for a limited supply of housing is pushing prices up faster than incomes can handle.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Midwest and Northeast are the most affordable places to buy a house<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Midwest and Northeast are home to a majority of the cheapest housing markets in the U.S., with most clustered around the Great Lakes. These areas remain relatively affordable in large part because of their <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.minneapolisfed.org\/article\/2014\/competition-and-the-decline-of-the-rust-belt\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">economic past<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Decades of industrial decline from the 1960s through the 2010s dampened home values and slowed population growth, leading many to be labeled \u201cRust Belt\u201d cities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, as affordability has become increasingly strained nationwide, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/news\/most-competitive-housing-markets-2025\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">many homebuyers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are now flocking to these once-overlooked metros in search of lower-cost options. This shift has led to a surge in demand and renewed momentum for revitalization efforts (<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/stories\/2014\/08\/pittsburgh-rust-steel-city\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pittsburgh<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.geekwire.com\/2026\/what-we-learned-in-cleveland-about-seattles-future-advice-from-a-rust-belt-city-on-the-rise\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cleveland<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are good examples). But with demand rising against a limited and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/news\/aging-housing-inventory\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">aging housing supply<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, prices are now climbing faster than the national average in most places. <\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>How much home can you afford?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experts generally suggest spending less than 30% of your income on housing, but in today&#8217;s market, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jchs.harvard.edu\/state-nations-housing-2025\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">most households<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> spend more than that.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regardless, it\u2019s important to determine how much home you can afford so you can budget and plan ahead. Here are a few tools to help:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Redfin\u2019s <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/how-much-house-can-i-afford\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><b>Affordability Calculator<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help estimate how much house you can afford based on your income, debts, and down payment.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Redfin\u2019s <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/mortgage-calculator\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><b>Mortgage Calculator<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> helps provide a complete picture of what your monthly housing payments could be.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Redfin\u2019s <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/how-much-rent-can-i-afford\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><b>Rental Affordability Calculator<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help estimate how much rent fits your budget.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Redfin\u2019s <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/rent-vs-buy-calculator\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><b>Rent vs. Buy Calculator<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> compares the costs of renting and owning, so you can decide which makes more sense for you. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you decide you\u2019re ready to enter the housing market, make sure to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/guides\/mortgage-pre-approval\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">get pre-approved<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for a mortgage to get the ball rolling smoothly and show sellers that you\u2019re serious.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><i>&gt;&gt; Looking for more affordable options? <\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check out<\/span><\/i> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/cheapest-states-to-buy-a-house\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\">cheapest states to buy a house<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/cities-that-pay-you-to-move-there\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\">states that pay you to move there<\/a>. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><b>Methodology<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rankings expand on a May 2026 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/news\/income-needed-to-buy-home-declines\/\" data-wpel-link=\"exclude\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Redfin analysis<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of housing affordability by analyzing the 96 largest U.S. metros (\u201ccities\u201d). The analysis focused on the share of income a median-income resident needs to spend every month to comfortably afford a typical home. A home was considered \u201caffordable\u201d if its corresponding monthly payment was no more than 30% of median monthly earnings, assuming a 20% down payment, typical taxes and fees, and a 30-year mortgage. Cities with the lowest monthly income requirements ranked as the most affordable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All data came from a Redfin analysis of MLS, U.S. Census, and Atlanta Fed data.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>These cities have everything you need without breaking the bank. Discover the most affordable cities in the U.S. to live and buy a house. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":559,"featured_media":98920,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[34276],"tags":[34529,34630,559,34453],"coauthors":[34342],"class_list":["post-98918","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buying-a-home","tag-buying-faq","tag-homeownership-costs-and-benefits","tag-moving","tag-national"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.7 (Yoast SEO v27.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Most Affordable Cities in the U.S. in 2026 | Redfin<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"These cities have everything you need without breaking the bank. Discover the most affordable cities in the U.S. to live and buy a home.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.redfin.com\/blog\/most-affordable-cities-in-the-us\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The 10 Most Affordable Cities in the U.S. in 2026\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"These cities have everything you need without breaking the bank. 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