Where Is the Best Neighborhood To Buy a Home in Your State?
With the rising costs of big-city living, many American families are opting to move to the suburbs to get more bang for their buck. As of 2018, 175 million Americans call suburbia home, with growth happening more rapidly there than in rural and urban areas of the country. In fact, many suburbs are growing twice as fast as their neighboring cities.
Millennials, in particular, are flocking to these greener pastures thanks to unaffordable housing options in the city. This generation is currently moving into a new stage of life, with marriage, children and a white picket fence possibly coming into the picture as they decide where to lay down roots.
However, low costs aren’t the only selling point of a good neighborhood. Factors like amenities, cost of living, schools, crime rates, employment, weather and housing are understandably at the top of people’s lists. It’s important to look at all of these metrics to gain a full understanding of what makes a community thrive.
To find the best neighborhood to buy a home in every state, GOBankingRates analyzed 2019 median home values from Zillow to compile a list of neighborhoods from each state. This study looked at all neighborhoods below the national median home value and cross-referenced this list with AreaVibes’ top 50 neighborhoods from each state. GOBankingRates’ study is in alphabetical order by state, and livability scores are out of 100 total points. You can find the state-by-state overall ranking by average home value on the last slide, which is ranked from highest to lowest home value. Check if your neighborhood is the best place to buy a home in your state.
Last updated: Sept. 11, 2020
Alabama
Best neighborhood: Brookwood
City: Mobile
2019 average home value: $111,874
Livability score: 81
Alaska
Best neighborhood: Downtown
City: Anchorage
2019 average home value: $300,135
Livability score: 59
Arizona
Best neighborhood: Adelanto
City: Tucson
2019 average home value: $133,766
Livability score: 83
Arkansas
Best neighborhood: Capitol View-Stifft Station
City: Little Rock
2019 average home value: $135,974
Livability score: 68
California
Best neighborhood: Homaker Park
City: Bakersfield
2019 average home value: $109,397
Livability score: 64
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Colorado
Best neighborhood: Southeast Colorado Springs
City: Colorado Springs
2019 average home value: $236,752
Livability score: 65
Connecticut
Best neighborhood: Torringford
City: Torrington
2019 average home value: $160,553
Livability score: 72
Delaware
Best neighborhood: Robscott Manor
City: Newark
2019 average home value: $229,347
Livability score: 70
Florida
Best neighborhood: Alcove
City: Clearwater
2019 average home value: $57,938
Livability score: 89
Georgia
Best neighborhood: Sand Hills
City: Augusta
2019 average home value: $56,917
Livability score: 80
Hawaii
Best neighborhood: Hawaii Kai
City: Honolulu
2019 average home value: $1,042,007
Livability score: 78
Idaho
Best neighborhood: Pioneer
City: Boise
2019 average home value: $232,104
Livability score: 62
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Illinois
Best neighborhood: Mount Greenwood
City: Chicago
2019 average home value: $237,520
Livability score: 77
Indiana
Best neighborhood: Blum
City: Fort Wayne
2019 average home value: $118,694
Livability score: 85
Iowa
Best neighborhood: Waveland Park
City: Des Moines
2019 average home value: $190,455
Livability score: 84
Kansas
Best neighborhood: Crown Heights
City: Wichita
2019 average home value: $164,404
Livability score: 75
Kentucky
Best neighborhood: Audubon
City: Louisville
2019 average home value: $190,867
Livability score: 88
Louisiana
Best neighborhood: Hyde Park Brookwood, Southern Hills
City: Shreveport
2019 average home value: $133,352
Livability score: 86
Maine
Best neighborhood: Cumberland Center
City: Cumberland
2019 average home value: $374,542
Livability score: 77
Maryland
Best neighborhood: Pulaski Industrial Area
City: Baltimore
2019 average home value: $112,154
Livability score: 65
Massachusetts
Best neighborhood: East Forest Park
City: Springfield
2019 average home value: $181,084
Livability score: 73
Michigan
Best neighborhood: Colony Farm
City: Kalamazoo
2019 average home value: $155,797
Livability score: 86
Minnesota
Best neighborhood: Victory
City: Minneapolis
2019 average home value: $214,754
Livability score: 71
Mississippi
Best neighborhood: Heatherwood
City: Jackson
2019 average home value: $181,146
Livability score: 86
Missouri
Best neighborhood: Hi-Pointe
City: St. Louis
2019 average home value: $141,001
Livability score: 86
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Montana
Best neighborhood: Northside
City: Missoula
2019 average home value: $235,154
Livability score: 72
Nebraska
Best neighborhood: 40th & A
City: Lincoln
2019 average home value: $159,012
Livability score: 84
Nevada
Best neighborhood: Townsite
City: Henderson
2019 average home value: $209,166
Livability score: 68
New Hampshire
Best neighborhood: Somerville
City: Manchester
2019 average home value: $229,004
Livability score: 63
New Jersey
Best neighborhood: Echelon
City: Voorhees Township
2019 average home value: $223,035
Livability score: 76
New Mexico
Best neighborhood: Sun North Estates
City: Albuquerque
2019 average home value: $85,347
Livability score: 81
New York
Best neighborhood: South Park
City: Buffalo
2019 average home value: $132,437
Livability score: 83
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North Carolina
Best neighborhood: Glenwood
City: Greensboro
2019 average home value: $67,017
Livability score: 80
North Dakota
Best neighborhood: Madison-Unicorn Park
City: Fargo
2019 average home value: $149,363
Livability score: 75
Ohio
Best neighborhood: Northwest Akron
City: Akron
2019 average home value: $173,720
Livability score: 85
Oklahoma
Best neighborhood: Downtown
City: Norman
2019 average home value: $143,363
Livability score: 81
Oregon
Best neighborhood: Willamette
City: Albany
2019 average home value: $216,617
Livability score: 80
Pennsylvania
Best neighborhood: Summer Hill
City: Pittsburgh
2019 average home value: $150,157
Livability score: 85
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Rhode Island
Best neighborhood: Manton
City: Providence
2019 average home value: $200,685
Livability score: 72
South Carolina
Best neighborhood: St. Andrews
City: Columbia
2019 average home value: $118,320
Livability score: 74
South Dakota
Best neighborhood: Silver Valley
City: Sioux Falls
2019 average home value: $197,783
Livability score: 73
Tennessee
Best neighborhood: Hermitage Hills
City: Nashville
2019 average home value: $222,815
Livability score: 81
Texas
Best neighborhood: Northwest Crossing
City: San Antonio
2019 average home value: $179,184
Livability score: 92
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Utah
Best neighborhood: Bridger
City: Logan
2019 average home value: $205,673
Livability score: 71
Vermont
Best neighborhood: East Barre
City: Barre
2019 average home value: $159,114
Livability score: 65
Virginia
Best neighborhood: Cherry Gardens
City: Richmond
2019 average home value: $147,670
Livability score: 81
Washington
Best neighborhood: Highlands
City: Longview
2019 average home value: $170,768
Livability score: 80
West Virginia
Best neighborhood: North Charleston
City: Charleston
2019 average home value: $50,715
Livability score: 63
Wisconsin
Best neighborhood: Mount Mary
City: Milwaukee
2019 average home value: $192,646
Livability score: 83
Wyoming
Best neighborhood: Rafter J Ranch
City: Jackson
2019 average home value: $694,997
Livability score: 64
Overall Ranking
The best neighborhoods in each state were ranked from highest to lowest average home value:
Hawaii Kai, Honolulu: $1,042,007
Rafter J Ranch, Jackson, Wyoming: $694,997
Cumberland Center, Cumberland, Maine: $374,542
Downtown, Anchorage, Alaska: $300,135
Mount Greenwood, Chicago: $237,520
Southeast Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, Colorado: $236,752
Northside, Missoula, Montana: $235,154
Pioneer, Boise, Idaho: $232,104
Robscott Manor, Newark, Delaware: $229,347
Somerville, Manchester, New Hampshire: $229,004
Echelon, Voorhees Township, New Jersey: $223,035
Hermitage Hills, Nashville, Tennessee: $222,815
Willamette, Albany, Oregon: $216,617
Victory, Minneapolis: $214,754
Townsite, Henderson, Nevada: $209,166
Bridger, Logan, Utah: $205,673
Manton, Providence, Rhode Island: $200,685
Silver Valley, Sioux Falls, South Dakota: $197,783
Mount Mary, Milwaukee: $192,646
Audubon, Louisville, Kentucky: $190,867
Waveland Park, Des Moines, Iowa: $190,455
Heatherwood, Jackson, Mississippi: $181,146
East Forest Park, Springfield, Massachusetts: $181,084
Northwest Crossing, San Antonio: $179,184
Northwest Akron, Akron, Ohio: $173,720
Highlands, Longview, Washington: $170,768
Crown Heights, Wichita, Kansas: $164,404
Torringford, Torrington, Connecticut: $160,553
East Barre, Barre, Vermont: $159,114
40th & A, Lincoln, Nebraska: $159,012
Colony Farm, Kalamazoo, Michigan: $155,797
Summer Hill, Pittsburgh: $150,157
Madison-Unicorn Park, Fargo, North Dakota: $149,363
Cherry Gardens, Richmond, Virginia: $147,670
Downtown, Norman, Oklahoma: $143,363
Hi-Pointe, St. Louis: $141,001
Capitol View-Schifft Station, Little Rock, Arkansas: $135,974
Adelanto, Tucson, Arizona: $133,766
Hyde Park Brookwood, Southern Hills, Shreveport, Louisiana: $133,352
South Park, Buffalo, New York: $132,437
Blum, Fort Wayne, Indiana: $118,694
St. Andrews, Columbia, South Carolina: $118,320
Pulaski Industrial Area, Baltimore: $112,154
Brookwood, Mobile, Alabama: $111,874
Homaker Park, Bakersfield, California: $109,397
Sun North Estates, Albuquerque, New Mexico: $85,347
Glenwood, Greensboro, North Carolina: $67,017
Alcove, Clearwater, Florida: $57,938
Sand Hills, Augusta, Georgia: $56,917
North Charleston, Charleston, West Virginia: $50,715
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Methodology: In order to find the best neighborhood to buy a home in every state, GOBankingRates used 2019 median home values (January through November) from Zillow to populate a list of neighborhoods from each state. From there, GOBankingRates looked at all neighborhoods where homes fell below the 2019 national median home value and then cross-referenced these homes with the top 50 best neighborhoods from each state, sourced from AreaVibes. Both these factors were then scored and combined, with a lower score being best. Hawaii, Wyoming, Maine and Alaska include neighborhoods with a median home value above the national average. Only the neighborhoods that were included in AreaVibes’ top 50 for each state were given a livability score. In the final calculations, the livability factor was weighted double. All data used to conduct this study was compiled and verified on Dec. 31, 2019, and is subject to change.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Where Is the Best Neighborhood To Buy a Home in Your State?