Buying a house is expensive, but a recent study reveals that the most affordable option is in the midwest, specifically in Illinois, where houses’ median monthly sale price is $133,750.
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Four Cheapest States to Buy a House
Studio City realtors analyzed Zillow’s 2022 data on the median sale price of homes per state to find the cheapest state to buy a house.
Their finding shows that out of the 50 states, the four cheapest states to buy a house are Illinois,
Ohio, Oklahoma, and Michigan. The housing costs in these locations range from $133,750 to $179,125.
Tony Mariotti, a Studio City realtor, says that the study is helpful for first-time home buyers or those looking to relocate.
Illinois
Taking the crown for the cheapest state to buy a house is Illinois, where the median sale cost is $133,750. It is, however, worth noting that The Prairie State has the highest household income of $79,253. This gives Illinoisans more purchasing power, clocking in a sale price ratio of 1.69
The cheapest city is Galesburg at $90,000, and the most expensive is Chicago at $282,750.
Ohio
Despite the lower household income in Ohio, $16,564 less than in Illinois, to be more precise, The Buckeye State snags second place for the most affordable state to buy a house at $155,000.
Ohio’s cheapest and most expensive cities are Portsmouth and Wooster, where the median sale is at $120,000 and $355,000, respectively.
Oklahoma
The third cheapest state where you can get a house is Oklahoma. Situated in the south-central region of the U.S., The Sooners State’s houses cost a median sale of $175,063 or $20,063 more than Ohio.
The state’s household income versus Ohio is close, with just a $2,593 difference. Still, the cheapest house in Oklahoma is in Ponca City, where housing costs $126,000.
The state’s capital, Oklahoma City, is the most expensive location at $236,000, which is $119,000 cheaper than Ohio’s most expensive city Wooster.
Michigan
In the fourth spot is Michigan at $179,125, which costs $45,375 more than Illinois.
The upper midwestern state, which is also one the best states to raise kids, has a higher household income at $64,488 versus Oklahoma’s $60,096 and Ohio’s $62,689.
The cheapest city is Alma, which clocks at $136,250, and the most expensive is Traverse City at $347,450.
Compared to the most expensive cities of the four cheapest states, Michigan’s Traverse City takes the second spot, with Ohio’s Wooster in the first place.
Other Cheap States to Buy a House
The following states are more expensive than the mentioned top four. However, these locations still offer housing from over $180,000 to as much as $200,000.
- Missouri: $182,100
- Indiana: $184,725
- Arkansas: $188,713
- West Virginia: $191,500
- New York: $192,500
- Alabama: $200,000
Most Expensive States to Buy a House
In addition to discovering which states have the most affordable housing, the study also concluded that Hawaii, Colorado, California, and Utah are the most expensive states to purchase a home, with prices ranging from half a million dollars to over $800,000.
Hawaii
Hawaii tops the most expensive state to purchase a house, with a median sale of $805,775. For comparison, homes in Hawaii are six times more costly than in Illinois, or $672,025 more.
The $805,775 price tag is not the highest in Hawaii. If you specifically want to move to Kahului, which is on the northern side of the island of Maui, houses are $62,500 away from reaching the one million mark or $937,500, to be more precise.
The cheapest city in Hawaii is Hilo, at a staggering $551,500 — more than half the price of houses in Kahului.
Colorado
Colorado is the second state to offer the most expensive housing in the U.S. It’s less exuberant than Hawaii. However, the state in the Rocky Mountain region still commands a whopping $537,125.
Surprisingly, Colorado’s Breckenridge City is more expensive than Hawaii’s Kahului. Based on the study, houses in Breckenridge cost $972,500 —$35,000 more than in Kahului.
California
California’s San Jose tramples Kahului and Breckenridge with its $1,370,000 median sale price of houses. As a whole, The Golden State only clocks in $537,000, which is significantly cheaper than Colorado and Hawaii. Still, the most affordable home in California is at Red Bluff, amounting to $320,000.
Utah
Utah, home to five national parks that offer the best scenic road trips in the U.S., takes fourth place. Although $297,400 cheaper than Hawaii, Utah houses can set you back over half a million dollars, or $508,375, to be more precise.
The cheapest that you can get is in Vermal at $244,550.
Other Expensive States to Buy a House
The following states are less expensive than Hawaii, Colorado, California, or Utah, but these locations still command a premium price tag.
- Washington, D.C.: $487,500
- Montana: $467,000
- Nevada: $403,725
- Washington: $402,900
- Oregon: $400,000
- Rhode Island: $398,500