Flint, Detroit Offer Best Housing Deals In The U.S.

With a shortage of homes and skyrocketing prices, it's certainly a difficult time for anyone looking to buy a house right now. There's a new study on the most affordable places to buy in the country — and two Michigan locations top the list.

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According to Wallethub, the median home sale price has jumped from $313,000 in the first quarter of 2019 to $416,900 in the first quarter of 2025. The personal finance website says that while prices may be starting to lower in some parts of the U.S., higher interest rates are making things even more challenging for many would-be buyers.

To find out where homes are still within reach, Wallethub compared 300 U.S. cities based on a variety of factors — from home prices and maintenance costs to taxes and vacancy rates.

At No. 1 on their list? Flint, Michigan. And right behind it at No. 2 — Detroit.

Why Flint Is the #1 City for Affordable Housing

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According to Wallethub's report:

Flint, MI, is the most affordable city for home buyers, boasting the lowest cost of living index (COLI) in the country and the most affordable home prices relative to residents’ income. It also has the lowest median home price per square footage, at only $61. To put that in perspective, the price in the most expensive cities is over $1,000 per square foot. Flint also has a very high rent-to-price ratio, which means that it’s actually cheaper to buy property than it is to rent it. To top things off, nearly 21% of all houses in the city are vacant, meaning buyers have a lot of choices. Part of this is likely due to the city’s water crisis, but Flint’s drinking water has now been in compliance with EPA standards for six years.

Detroit Ranks Second for Homebuyer Value

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Here's what Wallethub had to say about Detroit:

Detroit is the second-most affordable city for homebuyers, with a median house price only being slightly over twice the median household income, the second-lowest rate in the country. The median price per square foot is also very low, at roughly $87. Due to people moving out of Detroit during past financial crises, over 22% of housing in the city is vacant, which makes it a buyers’ market compared to other cities where available houses are scarce. Detroit is also a city where you’ll benefit more from buying a home compared to renting.

👇KEEP READING TO SEE WHERE MORE MICHIGAN CITIES RANK IN HOME AFFORDABILITY👇

Full List: Top 10 Most Affordable Cities in 2025

Here's the rest of top ten most affordable cities to buy a house in 2025:

Flint, Mich.
Detroit, Mich.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Surprise, Ariz.
Akron, Ohio
Yuma, Ariz.
Memphis, Tenn.
Augusta, Ga.
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Indianapolis, Ind.

How Other Michigan Cities Rank in Home Affordability

Curious how other Michigan spots stack up? Here’s how other Mitten State cities ranked in Wallethub’s affordability breakdown:

Warren — No. 13
Grand Rapids — No. 37
Livonia — No. 46
Sterling Heights — No. 68
Dearborn — No. 78
Lansing — No. 91
Ann Arbor — No. 177

On the flip side, the most expensive places to buy a home in 2025 are dominated by California — with nine cities in the top ten — and New York City rounding out the list.

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