Finding a home you can afford is still out of reach for many home buyers in large cities so smaller or mid-sized communities have become more attractive markets for many.
A study reported by The Center Square shows the median list price in Washington is the nation’s 4th highest, behind Massachusetts, California and Montana.
With higher interest rates, fewer people are selling their homes, unwilling to take on a higher rate than they currently hold. While the higher interest rates and inflation have helped bring prices down somewhat in Washington and the country as a whole, it’s still too expensive for many buyers.
But a city in Central Washington has the best price on average in the state, according to Realtor.com which determined the cheapest city to buy a home in all 50 states
The survey shows Moses Lake is the least expensive place for new homebuyers in Washington state among 20 cities within the study
Realtor,com crunched the number from Spring 2023 and the median list price was $383,700, compared to the statewide median price of $649,000.
Take a look a the table to see how the cheapest place to buy a new home in Washington compares to the rest of the country.
| Cheapest city to buy a home | Median list price in city, April 2023 ($) | Median list price in state, April 2023 ($) | Cities considered in each state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama: Selma | 75,500 | 330,000 | 25 |
| Alaska: Fairbanks | 349,900 | 415,000 | 4 |
| Arizona: Safford | 302,500 | 495,000 | 11 |
| Arkansas: Hope | 119,000 | 289,900 | 21 |
| California: Susanville | 308,950 | 750,000 | 34 |
| Colorado: Sterling | 245,000 | 639,925 | 17 |
| Connecticut: Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown | 399,900 | 559,900 | 5 |
| Delaware: Dover | 409,500 | 494,900 | 1 |
| Florida: Sebring-Avon Park | 295,000 | 467,990 | 29 |
| Georgia: Thomaston | 183,700 | 395,400 | 37 |
| Hawaii: Hilo | 645,000 | 852,500 | 4 |
| Idaho: Mountain Home | 375,000 | 574,900 | 13 |
| Illinois: Macomb | 69,900 | 310,000 | 26 |
| Indiana: Marion | 92,500 | 299,900 | 38 |
| Iowa: Fort Madison-Keokuk | 125,000 | 315,000 | 23 |
| Kansas: Atchison | 120,000 | 314,825 | 19 |
| Kentucky: Maysville | 92,500 | 299,950 | 21 |
| Louisiana: Minden | 140,000 | 289,250 | 18 |
| Maine: Bangor | 265,000 | 425,000 | 4 |
| Maryland: Cumberland | 139,900 | 420,000 | 7 |
| Massachusetts: Springfield | 369,000 | 759,000 | 6 |
| Michigan: Saginaw | 149,000 | 280,000 | 31 |
| Minnesota: Marshall | 186,185 | 400,000 | 22 |
| Mississippi: Clarksdale | 55,000 | 279,900 | 22 |
| Missouri: Kennett | 102,200 | 300,000 | 25 |
| Montana: Butte-Silver Bow | 373,000 | 660,000 | 7 |
| Nebraska: Scottsbluff | 254,950 | 371,900 | 12 |
| Nevada: Fallon | 386,780 | 475,000 | 9 |
| New Hampshire: Berlin | 249,991 | 549,000 | 6 |
| New Jersey: Vineland-Bridgeton | 269,900 | 518,000 | 4 |
| New Mexico: Deming | 189,000 | 375,000 | 19 |
| New York: Olean | 125,000 | 639,945 | 27 |
| North Carolina: Laurinburg | 209,450 | 419,720 | 37 |
| North Dakota: Jamestown | 179,900 | 332,060 | 8 |
| Ohio: Portsmouth | 129,500 | 249,900 | 42 |
| Oklahoma: Miami | 147,000 | 315,000 | 21 |
| Oregon: Hermiston-Pendleton | 355,000 | 569,900 | 20 |
| Pennsylvania: Johnstown | 98,500 | 290,000 | 35 |
| Rhode Island: Providence-Warwick | 529,900 | 525,500 | 1 |
| South Carolina: Bennettsville | 127,170 | 359,925 | 16 |
| South Dakota: Vermillion | 199,900 | 369,900 | 11 |
| Tennessee: Union City | 187,000 | 444,900 | 27 |
| Texas: Vernon | 109,250 | 384,900 | 71 |
| Utah: Price | 414,000 | 619,900 | 9 |
| Vermont: Rutland | 275,000 | 447,250 | 4 |
| Virginia: Big Stone Gap | 154,500 | 449,000 | 12 |
| Washington: Moses Lake | 383,700 | 649,000 | 20 |
| West Virginia: Mount Gay-Shamrock | 105,000 | 229,900 | 13 |
| Wisconsin: Marinette | 222,400 | 374,900 | 23 |
| Wyoming: Rock Springs | 291,000 | 459,000 | 9 |
All data from Realtor.com, April 2023
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