Flint, Mich., is the most affordable U.S. city to buy a home, according to a recent ranking from personal finance website WalletHub.
Median home sales prices jumped from $313,000 in the first quarter of 2019 to $403,200 in the first quarter of 2026, according to a May 19 WalletHub ranking.
At hospitals and health systems, some employers in areas with high housing costs have taken a more direct role in supporting employees and boosting recruitment and retention through new housing projects.
To create the ranking, WalletHub analyzed 300 U.S. cities using 10 metrics, including home purchase and maintenance costs, tax rates and vacancy rates. Each metric was weighted on a 100-point scale, and each city’s weighted average determined its overall score.
Here are the 10 most and least affordable cities to buy a home, per WalletHub:
Most affordable
1. Flint, Mich.
2. Detroit
3. Surprise, Ariz.
4. Yuma, Ariz.
5. Akron, Ohio
6. Pittsburgh
7. Memphis, Tenn.
8. Augusta, Ga.
9. Indianapolis
10. Cleveland
Least affordable
291. Westminster, Calif.
292. San Francisco
293. New York City
294. Pasadena, Calif.
295. Los Angeles
296. Berkeley, Calif.
297. Glendale, Calif.
298. Costa Mesa, Calif.
299. Santa Monica, Calif.
300. Santa Barbara, Calif.
Read the full list and ranking by city size here.
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