Buying a home for the first time is an exciting and important milestone for many Americans. Their purchases make up a sizable chunk of the market, too. In 2024, a historic low of 24% of home purchases were made by first-time buyers, down from 32% the previous year.
For people willing and able to invest in a house this year, the search for a first home requires careful consideration of a number of factors. Buyers must balance what they want and need with what they can afford. Often, people begin searching for their dream homes without a realistic idea of market prices, interest rates or even their eligibility to get a mortgage.
Where a home is located is just as important as what features it has. If the neighborhood is unpleasant, it can sour the experience of a great home. Potential buyers may want to narrow their search down to an area with a good reputation before getting into housing details.
To simplify the process, WalletHub compared 300 cities of varying sizes across 22 key indicators of market attractiveness, affordability and quality of life. Our data set ranges from cost of living to real-estate taxes to property-crime rate.
Chip Lupo, WalletHub Analyst
Main Findings
Best Places for First-Time Home Buyers
Note: With the exception of “Total Score,” all of the columns in the table above depict the relative rank of each city, where a rank of 1 represents the best conditions for each category.
- Most
- 1. Flint, MI
- 2. Detroit, MI
- 3. Peoria, IL
- 4. Springfield, IL
- 5. Toledo, OH
- Least
- 259. Glendale, CA
- 260. Costa Mesa, CA
- 261. Irvine, CA
- T-262. Santa Monica, CA
- T-262. Santa Barbara, CA
- Lowest
- 1. Flint, MI
- 2. Oklahoma City, OK
- 3. Amarillo, TX
- T-4. Akron, OH
- T-4. Augusta, GA
- Highest
- T-251. Honolulu, HI
- T-251. Thousand Oaks, CA
- T-251. Santa Barbara, CA
- T-251. Santa Clara, CA
- T-251. Sunnyvale, CA
- Lowest
- 1. Honolulu, HI
- 2. Montgomery, AL
- 3. Colorado Springs, CO
- 4. Scottsdale, AZ
- 5. Mesa, AZ
- Highest
- 296. Waukegan, IL
- 297. Bridgeport, CT
- 298. Rockford, IL
- 299. Waterbury, CT
- 300. Paterson, NJ
- Highest
- T-1. Flint, MI
- T-1. Detroit, MI
- 3. Cleveland, OH
- 4. Jackson, MS
- 5. Dayton, OH
- Lowest
- 296. San Francisco, CA
- 297. Sunnyvale, CA
- 298. Berkeley, CA
- 299. Santa Barbara, CA
- 300. Santa Monica, CA
- Highest
- 1. Boise, ID
- 2. Miami Gardens, FL
- 3. Palm Bay, FL
- 4. North Las Vegas, NV
- 5. Hialeah, FL
- Lowest
- 296. Springfield, IL
- 297. Anchorage, AK
- 298. Jackson, MS
- 299. Peoria, IL
- 300. Stamford, CT
- Lowest
- 1. Huntsville, AL
- 2. Port St. Lucie, FL
- 3. Allen, TX
- 4. Naperville, IL
- 5. Elgin, IL
- Highest
- 295. St. Louis, MO
- T-296. Tacoma, WA
- T-296. Miami Beach, FL
- T-296. Memphis, TN
- T-296. Oakland, CA
- Lowest
- 1. Baton Rouge, LA
- 2. New Orleans, LA
- 3. Colorado Springs, CO
- 4. San Antonio, TX
- 5. Boise, ID
- Highest
- T-235. Elk Grove, CA
- T-235. Roseville, CA
- T-235. Sacramento, CA
- T-235. Bakersfield, CA
- T-235. Honolulu, HI
Ranking by City Size
| Rank (1=Best) | Large Cities (Score) | Rank (1=Best) | Midsize Cities (Score) | Rank (1=Best) | Small Cities (Score) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tampa, FL (64.41) | 1 | Boise, ID (64.73) | 1 | Palm Bay, FL (67.24) |
| 2 | Orlando, FL (63.01) | 2 | Huntsville, AL (63.79) | 2 | Surprise, AZ (64.32) |
| 3 | Henderson, NV (60.22) | 3 | Gilbert, AZ (63.50) | 3 | Lakeland, FL (62.85) |
| 4 | Raleigh, NC (59.82) | 4 | Cape Coral, FL (63.43) | 4 | Sunrise, FL (61.82) |
| 5 | Pittsburgh, PA (59.52) | 5 | Chandler, AZ (61.57) | 5 | Green Bay, WI (61.23) |
| 6 | Atlanta, GA (59.37) | 6 | Peoria, AZ (61.14) | 6 | Boca Raton, FL (60.60) |
| 7 | Jacksonville, FL (58.77) | 7 | Lincoln, NE (60.97) | 7 | Thornton, CO (60.55) |
| 8 | Mesa, AZ (58.75) | 8 | Madison, WI (60.10) | 8 | Clearwater, FL (60.48) |
| 9 | Las Vegas, NV (58.45) | 9 | Scottsdale, AZ (59.88) | 9 | Kenosha, WI (60.21) |
| 10 | Colorado Springs, CO (58.38) | 10 | Fort Wayne, IN (59.61) | 10 | Arvada, CO (59.62) |
| 11 | Virginia Beach, VA (58.06) | 11 | Pembroke Pines, FL (59.22) | 11 | Yuma, AZ (59.22) |
| 12 | Phoenix, AZ (56.82) | 12 | Chesapeake, VA (59.21) | 12 | Spokane Valley, WA (58.75) |
| 13 | Lexington, KY (56.38) | 13 | Murfreesboro, TN (58.90) | 13 | Springfield, IL (58.07) |
| 14 | Omaha, NE (56.31) | 14 | Port St. Lucie, FL (58.85) | 14 | Joliet, IL (57.94) |
| 15 | Charlotte, NC (56.29) | 15 | Cary, NC (58.66) | 15 | Longmont, CO (57.78) |
| 16 | Tucson, AZ (54.79) | 16 | Salt Lake City, UT (58.20) | 16 | Davie, FL (57.75) |
| 17 | Columbus, OH (54.41) | 17 | North Las Vegas, NV (58.08) | 17 | Yakima, WA (57.66) |
| 18 | Nashville, TN (54.09) | 18 | Spokane, WA (57.37) | 18 | Naperville, IL (57.30) |
| 19 | Austin, TX (53.72) | 19 | Charleston, SC (57.12) | 19 | Centennial, CO (57.29) |
| 20 | Indianapolis, IN (53.55) | 20 | Reno, NV (56.84) | 20 | Broken Arrow, OK (57.28) |
| 21 | Cincinnati, OH (53.51) | 21 | St. Petersburg, FL (56.55) | 21 | Roanoke, VA (57.06) |
| 22 | Aurora, CO (53.13) | 22 | Durham, NC (56.26) | 22 | Elgin, IL (56.65) |
| 23 | Tulsa, OK (52.99) | 23 | Glendale, AZ (56.25) | 23 | West Palm Beach, FL (56.61) |
| 24 | Miami, FL (52.71) | 24 | Lancaster, CA (56.25) | 24 | Westminster, CO (56.49) |
| 25 | Oklahoma City, OK (52.63) | 25 | Richmond, VA (56.14) | 25 | Davenport, IA (56.38) |
| 26 | Baltimore, MD (52.39) | 26 | Fort Collins, CO (55.52) | 26 | Manchester, NH (55.89) |
| 27 | Fort Worth, TX (51.87) | 27 | McKinney, TX (55.29) | 27 | Sterling Heights, MI (55.83) |
| 28 | Milwaukee, WI (51.81) | 28 | Aurora, IL (55.24) | 28 | Miramar, FL (55.81) |
| 29 | Louisville, KY (51.72) | 29 | Tempe, AZ (55.17) | 29 | Pueblo, CO (55.67) |
| 30 | Denver, CO (51.64) | 30 | Roseville, CA (55.05) | 30 | Waukegan, IL (55.41) |
| 31 | El Paso, TX (50.07) | 31 | Norfolk, VA (54.83) | 31 | Hampton, VA (55.40) |
| 32 | Memphis, TN (50.00) | 32 | Newport News, VA (54.78) | 32 | High Point, NC (55.27) |
| 33 | Philadelphia, PA (49.64) | 33 | Des Moines, IA (54.76) | 33 | Greeley, CO (55.08) |
| 34 | Fresno, CA (49.37) | 34 | Palmdale, CA (54.68) | 34 | Clovis, CA (55.06) |
| 35 | Detroit, MI (48.93) | 35 | Augusta, GA (54.45) | 35 | Wilmington, NC (55.02) |
| 36 | Minneapolis, MN (48.78) | 36 | Grand Rapids, MI (54.40) | 36 | Warren, MI (54.90) |
| 37 | Corpus Christi, TX (48.16) | 37 | Frisco, TX (54.07) | 37 | Cedar Rapids, IA (54.89) |
| 38 | Arlington, TX (48.11) | 38 | Winston-Salem, NC (54.07) | 38 | Roswell, GA (54.85) |
| 39 | San Antonio, TX (48.00) | 39 | Knoxville, TN (53.75) | 39 | Flint, MI (54.82) |
| 40 | Bakersfield, CA (47.97) | 40 | Buffalo, NY (53.31) | 40 | Victorville, CA (54.56) |
| 41 | Sacramento, CA (47.68) | T-41 | Elk Grove, CA (53.30) | 41 | Savannah, GA (54.46) |
| 42 | Seattle, WA (47.65) | T-41 | Overland Park, KS (53.27) | 42 | Visalia, CA (54.40) |
| 43 | Cleveland, OH (47.56) | 43 | Grand Prairie, TX (53.19) | 43 | Portsmouth, VA (54.37) |
| 44 | Riverside, CA (47.36) | 44 | Vancouver, WA (53.12) | 44 | Hillsboro, OR (54.03) |
| 45 | Kansas City, MO (47.26) | 45 | Tallahassee, FL (53.05) | 45 | Allentown, PA (54.00) |
| 46 | St. Paul, MN (46.65) | 46 | Little Rock, AR (52.54) | 46 | Murrieta, CA (53.86) |
| 47 | Chicago, IL (45.95) | 47 | Plano, TX (52.32) | 47 | Fort Smith, AR (53.78) |
| 48 | Portland, OR (45.85) | 48 | Hialeah, FL (52.31) | 48 | Plantation, FL (53.64) |
| 49 | Wichita, KS (45.49) | 49 | Toledo, OH (52.27) | 49 | Temecula, CA (53.44) |
| 50 | Stockton, CA (44.86) | 50 | Hollywood, FL (52.14) | 50 | Dearborn, MI (53.35) |
| 51 | Dallas, TX (44.22) | 51 | Birmingham, AL (52.12) | 51 | Coral Springs, FL (53.34) |
| 52 | Irvine, CA (44.03) | 52 | Columbus, GA (52.10) | 52 | Peoria, IL (53.31) |
| 53 | Honolulu, HI (43.92) | 53 | Lakewood, CO (51.95) | 53 | Rockford, IL (53.29) |
| 54 | Washington, DC (43.59) | 54 | Akron, OH (51.92) | 54 | Livonia, MI (53.26) |
| 55 | Santa Ana, CA (42.37) | 55 | Mobile, AL (51.90) | 55 | Miami Gardens, FL (53.08) |
| 56 | Houston, TX (42.36) | 56 | Salem, OR (51.81) | 56 | Pompano Beach, FL (53.04) |
| 57 | Albuquerque, NM (41.85) | 57 | Alexandria, VA (51.66) | 57 | Denton, TX (52.90) |
| 58 | Boston, MA (41.55) | 58 | Greensboro, NC (51.43) | 58 | North Charleston, SC (52.87) |
| 59 | Anaheim, CA (41.40) | 59 | Fort Lauderdale, FL (51.22) | 59 | Allen, TX (52.47) |
| 60 | San Diego, CA (41.21) | 60 | Fayetteville, NC (51.17) | 60 | Athens-Clarke, GA (52.28) |
| 61 | Newark, NJ (39.25) | 61 | Amarillo, TX (50.96) | 61 | Gainesville, FL (52.23) |
| 62 | New York, NY (38.97) | 62 | Montgomery, AL (50.12) | 62 | Vacaville, CA (51.58) |
| 63 | Long Beach, CA (38.82) | 63 | Rochester, NY (50.07) | 63 | Tuscaloosa, AL (51.52) |
| 64 | San Jose, CA (38.34) | 64 | Fontana, CA (49.99) | 64 | Erie, PA (51.48) |
| 65 | New Orleans, LA (35.24) | 65 | Moreno Valley, CA (49.96) | 65 | Beaverton, OR (51.26) |
| 66 | Los Angeles, CA (34.12) | 66 | Corona, CA (49.45) | 66 | Everett, WA (50.79) |
| 67 | San Francisco, CA (33.36) | 67 | Ontario, CA (49.38) | 67 | Norman, OK (50.57) |
| 68 | Oakland, CA (31.77) | 68 | Garland, TX (49.35) | 68 | Carrollton, TX (50.47) |
| Info | 69 | Jersey City, NJ (48.71) | 69 | Sandy Springs, GA (50.44) | |
| Info | 70 | Tacoma, WA (48.69) | 70 | Gresham, OR (50.04) | |
| Info | 71 | Bellevue, WA (48.45) | 71 | Renton, WA (49.95) | |
| Info | 72 | Modesto, CA (48.09) | 72 | Chico, CA (49.94) | |
| Info | 73 | Laredo, TX (47.92) | 73 | Dayton, OH (49.78) | |
| Info | 74 | Worcester, MA (47.83) | 74 | Richardson, TX (49.61) | |
| Info | T-75 | Santa Clarita, CA (47.71) | 75 | Federal Way, WA (48.70) | |
| Info | T-75 | Yonkers, NY (47.32) | 76 | Kent, WA (48.67) | |
| Info | 77 | Irving, TX (47.27) | 77 | Albany, NY (48.64) | |
| Info | 78 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA (47.22) | 78 | Waterbury, CT (47.65) | |
| Info | 79 | Springfield, MA (46.94) | 79 | Stamford, CT (47.51) | |
| Info | 80 | San Bernardino, CA (46.77) | 80 | Rialto, CA (47.45) | |
| Info | 81 | Eugene, OR (46.62) | 81 | Ann Arbor, MI (47.10) | |
| Info | 82 | Springfield, MO (46.53) | 82 | Simi Valley, CA (46.97) | |
| Info | 83 | Santa Rosa, CA (46.14) | 83 | Fairfield, CA (46.92) | |
| Info | 84 | Providence, RI (45.60) | 84 | Mission Viejo, CA (46.72) | |
| Info | 85 | Chula Vista, CA (44.91) | 85 | Santa Maria, CA (46.60) | |
| Info | 86 | Garden Grove, CA (43.35) | 86 | Mesquite, TX (46.47) | |
| Info | 87 | Salinas, CA (43.02) | 87 | Quincy, MA (46.45) | |
| Info | 88 | St. Louis, MO (42.95) | 88 | Lowell, MA (46.41) | |
| Info | 89 | Baton Rouge, LA (42.52) | 89 | Lansing, MI (46.12) | |
| Info | 90 | Sunnyvale, CA (42.48) | 90 | Norwalk, CA (46.11) | |
| Info | 91 | Paterson, NJ (41.87) | 91 | Brockton, MA (46.05) | |
| Info | 92 | Shreveport, LA (41.86) | 92 | Carson, CA (46.01) | |
| Info | 93 | Fremont, CA (41.67) | 93 | Antioch, CA (45.75) | |
| Info | 94 | Oxnard, CA (41.38) | 94 | New Bedford, MA (45.67) | |
| Info | 95 | Hayward, CA (40.84) | 95 | Hartford, CT (45.44) | |
| Info | 96 | Oceanside, CA (40.56) | 96 | Lynn, MA (45.41) | |
| Info | 97 | Huntington Beach, CA (40.53) | 97 | Fall River, MA (45.34) | |
| Info | 98 | Glendale, CA (37.27) | 98 | New Haven, CT (44.90) | |
| Info | 99 | Anchorage, AK (34.66) | 99 | West Covina, CA (44.87) | |
| Info | Info | 100 | Boulder, CO (44.78) | ||
| Info | Info | 101 | Pomona, CA (44.45) | ||
| Info | Info | 102 | Jackson, MS (44.00) | ||
| Info | Info | 103 | Vallejo, CA (43.69) | ||
| Info | Info | 104 | Concord, CA (43.67) | ||
| Info | Info | 105 | Ventura, CA (43.57) | ||
| Info | Info | 106 | Bridgeport, CT (43.55) | ||
| Info | Info | 107 | Orange, CA (43.51) | ||
| Info | Info | 108 | Thousand Oaks, CA (43.30) | ||
| Info | Info | 109 | Compton, CA (42.85) | ||
| Info | Info | 110 | Escondido, CA (42.56) | ||
| Info | Info | 111 | Vista, CA (41.69) | ||
| Info | Info | 112 | Elizabeth, NJ (41.67) | ||
| Info | Info | 113 | Carlsbad, CA (41.53) | ||
| Info | Info | 114 | Santa Clara, CA (41.44) | ||
| Info | Info | 115 | Downey, CA (40.28) | ||
| Info | Info | 116 | Torrance, CA (40.22) | ||
| Info | Info | 117 | South Gate, CA (40.05) | ||
| Info | Info | 118 | El Cajon, CA (39.83) | ||
| Info | Info | 119 | Inglewood, CA (39.66) | ||
| Info | Info | 120 | Fullerton, CA (39.59) | ||
| Info | Info | 121 | El Monte, CA (39.55) | ||
| Info | Info | 122 | Miami Beach, FL (39.37) | ||
| Info | Info | 123 | Cambridge, MA (39.12) | ||
| Info | Info | 124 | Westminster, CA (38.22) | ||
| Info | Info | 125 | Richmond, CA (38.15) | ||
| Info | Info | 126 | Pasadena, CA (37.56) | ||
| Info | Info | 127 | Burbank, CA (36.66) | ||
| Info | Info | 128 | Daly City, CA (36.50) | ||
| Info | Info | 129 | San Mateo, CA (35.53) | ||
| Info | Info | 130 | Costa Mesa, CA (34.28) | ||
| Info | Info | 131 | Santa Barbara, CA (33.41) | ||
| Info | Info | 132 | Santa Monica, CA (30.90) | ||
| Info | Info | 133 | Berkeley, CA (26.06) |
In-Depth Look at the Best Cities for First-Time Home Buyers
Palm Bay, FL
Palm Bay, FL, is the best city for first-time home buyers. It’s among the leading cities in the country when it comes to active home listings per capita and new building permits per capita, so there are plenty of older and brand-new homes to choose from. In addition, while it’s a stereotype that millennials struggle to buy homes, Palm Bay has the fifth-highest millennial home-ownership rate.
Palm Bay residents can also look forward to their homes growing in value, as the city has the third-highest home appreciation rate in the country. Homes in the city were worth 108% more in 2023 than they were in 2017.
It’s also worth noting that Palm Bay has a pretty decent school system, too, for those who have or want children.
Palm Bay also isn’t the only Florida city that’s great for first-time home buyers – six of the top 10 cities are in Florida, including two of the top three.
Boise, ID
Boise, ID, is the second-best city for first-time home buyers, boasting high number of new building permits per capita and the seventh-lowest foreclosure rate in our study. It also has a high number of real estate agents per capita, which helps ensure that people are able to find good houses for their needs and makes the process go more smoothly.
In addition, Boise is a good place to live because it has a relatively low crime rate. It has the 64th-lowest violent crime rate and 27th-lowest property crime rate in the country out of the 300 cities in this study.
To top things off, Boise has the highest home price appreciation rate in the country, with values growing by roughly 121% between 2017 and 2023.
Tampa, FL
Tampa, FL, is the third-best city for first-time home buyers, and like the other top cities, it stands out for having a large number of new building permits and active home listings per capita. Tampa also has the 13th-most real estate agents per capita, highlighting the city's highly competitive and active housing market.
In addition, Tampa has a pretty strong job market, making it an attractive place for career growth, and when it comes to education, the city has the 10th-best school system, offering families strong academic opportunities.
Finally, Tampa has the 12th-highest home price appreciation in the country, with homes worth 97% more in 2023 than they were in 2017.
Ask the Experts
Purchasing real estate for the first time can be a scary experience for many consumers. But it doesn’t have to be. For advice and insight, we asked a panel of experts to share their thoughts on the following key questions:
- What should first-time home buyers consider when choosing a neighborhood?
- How do you know that you are financially ready to buy your first home?
- What do you recommend as the minimum down payment for a first-time home buyer?
- Do you consider 2025 to be a good year to buy a home?
- How can federal, state and local policymakers responsibly and effectively increase home affordability, particularly for first-time home buyers?
Ask the Experts
Sr. Lecturer | B.S. in Hotel, Restaurant & Tourism Management | B.S. in Real Estate Property Management | Weidner Center for Residential Property Management, School of Management, Hospitality & Technology Innovation - University of Wisconsin-Stout
Read More
Professor at George Mason’s Schar School of Policy and Government - George Mason University
Read More
Ph.D. – Graduate Employee Political Science, University of Oregon - College of Arts and Sciences
Read More
Ph.D. – Associate Professor, Department of Finance, Parker College of Business – Georgia Southern University
Read More
Assistant Professor of Economics – Colgate University
Read More
Robert F. White Class of 1952 Professor of Economics – Williams College
Read More
Methodology
To determine the most favorable housing markets for first-time home buyers, WalletHub compared a sample of 300 U.S. cities (varying in size) across three key dimensions: 1) Affordability, 2) Real-Estate Market and 3) Quality of Life.
We evaluated those dimensions using 22 relevant metrics, which are listed below with their corresponding weights. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for first-time home buyers. Data for metrics marked with an asterisk (*) were available at the state level only.
Finally, we determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample. Our sample considers only the city proper in each case and excludes cities in the surrounding metro area. Each city was categorized according to the following population-size guidelines:
- Large cities: More than 300,000 people
- Midsize cities: 150,000 to 300,000 people
- Small cities: Fewer than 150,000 people
Affordability – Total Points: 33.33
- Housing Affordability: Triple Weight (~14.28 Points)
Note: This metric was calculated as follows: Median House Price / Median Annual Household Income. - Average Cost of Homeowner’s Insurance*: Full Weight (~4.76 Points)
- Cost of Living: Full Weight (~4.76 Points)
- Cost per Square Foot: Full Weight (~4.76 Points)
Note: This metric measures specifically the median list price per average home square footage. - Real-Estate Tax Rate: Full Weight (~4.76 Points)
Real-Estate Market – Total Points: 33.33
- Rent-to-Price-Ratio: Double Weight (~5.56 Points)
- Median Days on the Market: Full Weight (~2.78 Points)
- Active Listings per Capita: Full Weight (~2.78 Points)
- Median Home-Price Appreciation: Double Weight (~5.56 Points)
- Foreclosure Rate: Full Weight (~2.78 Points)
- Share of Housing Units Built between 2010 and 2023: Full Weight (~2.78 Points)
- Building-Permit Activity: Full Weight (~2.78 Points)
Note: This metric measures the number of unit permits pulled per 1,000 residents. - Mortgage Lenders per Capita: Full Weight (~2.78 Points)
- Real Estate Agents per Capita: Full Weight (~2.78 Points)
- Homeownership Rate for Millennials: Full Weight (~2.78 Points)
Quality of Life – Total Points: 33.33
- Weather: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Cities with the Best & Worst Weather” ranking. - Quality of School System*: Double Weight (~8.33 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “States with the Best & Worst School Systems” ranking. - Driver-Friendliness: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities to Drive in” ranking. - Job Market: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
Note: This metric is based on WalletHub’s “Best & Worst Cities for Jobs” ranking. - Total Home-Energy Cost: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
- Violent-Crime Rate: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
- Property-Crime Rate: Full Weight (~4.17 Points)
Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected as of June 17, 2025 from the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Council for Community and Economic Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Insurance Information Institute, The National Association of Realtors, ATTOM, a property data provider - U.S. Foreclosure Market Report and WalletHub research.
WalletHub experts are widely quoted. Contact our media team to schedule an interview.