Top Ten "Attainable Cities"

In a recent New York Times article: The author highlights how the housing crisis has hit cities and regions previously thought to be among the most affordable in the country. The reasons for this shift are many:

-Decline in housing development after Great Recession.

-Increase in loan standards after housing bubble burst.

-Rise in interest rates in recent years keeping out buyers and keeping owners in their homes.

-Dramatic increase in WFH driving people out from expensive cities to more affordable cities (and creating the same housing cost issue in those new places).

-Empty nesting/retiring massive boomer population that does move also shifting from big, expensive cities to smaller and more affordable cities and driving up home prices in these now less affordable places.

So, are there any cities left for those seeking to shift from the old “affordable” options to new “attainable” options? Here are our top ten that are “attainable” (relative to the competition) but also have some interesting energy, downtown culture, and fun, walkability, and at least a commitment to get public transportation right.

Raleigh, North Carolina

The best city to move to in 2024, per the data, and community sentiment on LookyLOO is Raleigh, North Carolina.

Raleigh offers a ton, including an impressive median family income of nearly $81,000, reasonable average monthly housing costs of $1,446, and an incredible economy and job market (employment rate of 97%).

Raleigh has a great outdoor culture and has made a big investment in building a fun downtown.

Check out the LookyLOO editorial and reviews from locals for a deeper sense of living in Raleigh.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Coming in second on our list is Colorado Springs, Colorado. Whoever coined “the great outdoors” may have been talking about Colorado Springs. Nestled at the foot of the Great Rocky Mountains, the city stays humble to its roots as a resort town giving tourists and residents alike an incredible natural palette within which to frolic.

Colorado Springs has an employment rate of 97%, monthly housing costs of $1,500, and a median family income of $69,266. It was recently voted by Brookings as the #1 city for millennials (looking for a great lifestyle and affordable housing) and that gives it an energy other attainable cities crave. Check out the LookyLOO review and reviews from locals to learn more.

Here are the rest of our top ten "attainable" cities:

It's important to remember that some of these cities are "attainable" relative to the surrounding cities. Philadephia, or Worcester, or Sacramento are attainable because of their costs relative to the major cities they are near. If you can land a salary common for the Bay Area but live in Sacramento, it's a reasonably priced city – same for Worcester to Boston, and Philadelphia to NYC.