The Biggest Cities Where You Can Get the Most Value for a Home

If you’re looking to buy a new home, turns out, you’re not alone. “We’ve found that since working from home in the pandemic, several Americans are now looking to purchase homes,” says Amanda Pendleton, Home Trends Expert at Zillow. “We’ve also seen a desire to move out of traditionally unaffordable markets like San Francisco and New York City.” Since remote work could likely be here to stay, it seems people find no need to be in these larger markets. Still, that doesn’t mean you’d have to move to the suburbs if you wanted to finally purchase a house—there are still plenty of big cities that truly offer the best value for your home-buying dollar.

According to Zillow, the median home price in the United States is $266,104, and has grown 8.4 percent over last year, as more people look to find their forever homes. The list below, however, looks at major metros where the median home price is less than the national average, but the home values have actually risen more than the national median. According to Pendleton, this is an indicator that these markets offer affordability, but they’re also primed for growth. “In these areas, the value of your home will likely grow faster than the typical U.S. home,” she explains. “So, you’ll be able to sell at a much higher price point.”Below, check out Zillow’s list of affordable major metros, which will likely increase in value substantially over time.