Housing Market: 10 Top Cities for Those Buying a Home for the First Time

Core Insights - High home prices and elevated mortgage rates present challenges for first-time homebuyers in the US, but certain cities offer better opportunities for deals according to Realtor.com's ranking [1][2] Group 1: Analysis Methodology - Realtor.com analyzed over 10,000 Census-designated places in the largest 100 metro areas, focusing on cities with at least 500 active home listings in the past year [2] - The ranking considered factors such as housing availability, the presence of young homeowners, average commute times, and affordability, with affordability being a key factor [2] Group 2: Current Market Conditions - Affordability is a significant barrier for first-time homebuyers, with the 30-year mortgage rate around 6.15% as of the last week of 2025, which is high compared to the pandemic period when rates were below 3% [3] - The median sales price of a US home was approximately $410,800 in Q2 of the previous year, nearing record highs [4] Group 3: Recommended Cities for First-Time Buyers 1. Rochester, NY - Median listing price: $139,900 - Estimated share of young homeowners (ages 25 to 34): 21.3% - Average commute: 21 minutes - Available inventory per 1,000 households: 23 [5][7] 2. Harrisburg, PA - Median listing price: $151,999 - Estimated share of young homeowners: 19.9% - Average commute: 23 minutes - Available inventory per 1,000 households: 37.9 [8][10] 3. Granite City, IL - Median listing price: $119,000 - Estimated share of young homeowners: 13.0% - Average commute: 25 minutes - Available inventory per 1,000 households: 47.8 [10][11] 4. Birmingham, AL - Median listing price: $148,950 - Estimated share of young homeowners: 18.9% - Average commute: 24 minutes - Available inventory per 1,000 households: 43.5 [12][13] 5. North Little Rock, AR - Median listing price: $170,000 - Estimated share of young homeowners: 17.4% - Average commute: 23 minutes - Available inventory per 1,000 households: 39.2 [14][17] 6. Syracuse, NY - Median listing price: $169,900 - Estimated share of young homeowners: 20.4% - Average commute: 20 minutes - Available inventory per 1,000 households: 21.0 [18][20] 7. Baltimore, MD - Median listing price: $223,900 - Estimated share of young homeowners: 19.1% - Average commute: 31 minutes - Available inventory per 1,000 households: 52.6 [21][22] 8. St. Louis Park, MN - Median listing price: $375,000 - Estimated share of young homeowners: 25.2% - Average commute: 22 minutes - Available inventory per 1,000 households: 42.4 [23][25] 9. Pittsburgh, PA - Median listing price: $249,000 - Estimated share of young homeowners: 23.5% - Average commute: 25 minutes - Available inventory per 1,000 households: 33.7 [26][28] 10. Garfield Heights, OH - Median listing price: $140,000 - Estimated share of young homeowners: 12.4% - Average commute: 24 minutes - Available inventory per 1,000 households: 50.2 [30][31]