Key Takeaways
- Northeastern housing markets make up half of 2026's best first-time home buyer cities.
- The top-10 first-time home buyer markets have an average median listing price of $188,765 compared to $415,000 nationally.
- The top cities "pair comparatively attainable forecasted home prices with strong local amenities and a supportive economic backdrop."
Havens for first-time home buyers in 2026
First-time home buyers have faced a rough road of low affordability, high competition, and a dearth of starter houses on the market.
The median home sales price grew 29.3% in the five year stretch from January 2021 to December 2025, according to Redfin. Meanwhile, inflation essentially negated the average wage increases over that same timeframe, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
“The reality is that with housing costs still historically high, many young Americans are making compromises on location, size or timing to get their foot in the homeownership door and start building equity,” said Asad Khan, senior economist at Redfin.
For 2026, buyers are expected to find improved conditions overall, with inventory rebounding and mortgage rates decreasing from 2025. A February report from Redfin showed the affordability gap between buying and renting narrowed to a three-year low, with the income needed to purchase a property falling 4%.
Buying your first house is often one of the most significant choices you’ll make, highly impacting your financial profile and subsequent life decisions. Because of this, many borrowers weigh tradeoffs or delay their timeline altogether. However, some housing markets offer better landing spots, geared toward first-time buyers with reasonable prices, preferable locations, and solid employment figures.
The top first-time home buyer markets in 2026 “pair comparatively attainable forecasted home prices with strong local amenities and a supportive economic backdrop,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com. “That combination can mean a more manageable path to homeownership. All without giving up the neighborhood features that make a place feel like home.”
To determine the top spots, Realtor.com analyzed 10,067 markets within the 100 largest U.S. metro areas that had at least 500 active for-sale listings in the 12 months from December 2024 to November 2025. The scoring accounts for a combination of age demographics, affordability, and livability.
Below are the top 10 first-time home buyer housing markets for 2026, according to Realtor.com. Median listing prices are as of November 2025, with the full ranking criteria found in the table after.
Find your lowest rate. Start here10. Garfield Heights, Ohio
Metropolitan area: Cleveland, Ohio
Median listing price: $140,000
2026 forecasted 25-to-34-year-old share of households: 12.4%
2026 forecasted home price growth: 6.3%
2025 first-time home buyer location score: 8/10
9. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Metropolitan area: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Median listing price: $249,000
2026 forecasted 25-to-34-year-old share of households: 23.5%
2026 forecasted home price growth: 5.7%
2025 first-time home buyer location score: 9.1/10
8. St. Louis Park, Minnesota
Metropolitan area: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, Minn.
Median listing price: $375,000
2026 forecasted 25-to-34-year-old share of households: 25.2%
2026 forecasted home price growth: 1.2%
2025 first-time home buyer location score: 7.7/10
7. Baltimore, Maryland
Metropolitan area: Baltimore, Md.
Median listing price: $223,900
2026 forecasted 25-to-34-year-old share of households: 19.1%
2026 forecasted home price growth: 8.3%
2025 first-time home buyer location score: 9/10
6. Syracuse, New York
Metropolitan area: Syracuse, N.Y.
Median listing price: $169,900
2026 forecasted 25-to-34-year-old share of households: 20.4%
2026 forecasted home price growth: 12.4%
2025 first-time home buyer location score: 8.8/10
5. North Little Rock, Arkansas
Metropolitan area: Little Rock, Ark.
Median listing price: $170,000
2026 forecasted 25-to-34-year-old share of households: 17.4%
2026 forecasted home price growth: 4.6%
2025 first-time home buyer location score: 6.7/10
4. Birmingham, Alabama
Metropolitan area: Birmingham, Ala.
Median listing price: $148,950
2026 forecasted 25-to-34-year-old share of households: 18.9%
2026 forecasted home price growth: 6.2%
2025 first-time home buyer location score: 6.8/10
3. Granite City, Illinois
Metropolitan area: St. Louis, Mo.
Median listing price: $119,000
2026 forecasted 25-to-34-year-old share of households: 13%
2026 forecasted home price growth: 3.1%
2025 first-time home buyer location score: 7.1/10
2. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Metropolitan area: Harrisburg-Carlisle, Pa.
Median listing price: $151,999
2026 forecasted 25-to-34-year-old share of households: 19.9%
2026 forecasted home price growth: 4%
2025 first-time home buyer location score: 9.3/10
1. Rochester, New York
Metropolitan area: Rochester, N.Y.
Median listing price: $139,900
2026 forecasted 25-to-34-year-old share of households: 21.3%
2026 forecasted home price growth: 10.3%
2025 first-time home buyer location score: 9.3/10
The full top-10 first-time home buyer city rankings
“Truly affordable markets have become harder to find, especially for younger households,” said Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com. “The places that rise to the top in this ranking are notable precisely because they still offer a viable path to ownership for first-time buyers.”
The table below shows the full scoring ranks for each of the top 10 first-time home buyer cities for 2026:
| Rank | Housing Market | Median Listing Price (November 2025) | Inventory per 1,000 Household (November 2025) | Price-to-Income Ratio (November 2025) | 2026 Forecasted 25- to 34-Year-Old Homeowner Share | 2026 Forecasted Home Price Growth | 2026 Forecasted Homes Sales Growth | 2026 Forecasted Average Minutes to Work | 2026 Forecasted Unemployment Rate | 2025 First-Time Homebuyer Location Score (out of 10) |
| 1 | Rochester, NY | $139,900 | 23 | 2.9 | 21.3% | 10.3% | 5.3% | 21 | 4.2% | 9.3 |
| 2 | Harrisburg, PA | $151,999 | 37.9 | 3 | 19.9% | 4.0% | 1.0% | 23 | 4.3% | 9.3 |
| 3 | Granite City, IL | $119,000 | 47.8 | 1.9 | 13.0% | 3.1% | 2.2% | 25 | 4.4% | 7.1 |
| 4 | Birmingham, AL | $148,950 | 43.5 | 3.1 | 18.9% | 6.2% | 0.0% | 24 | 3.9% | 6.8 |
| 5 | North Little Rock, AR | $170,000 | 39.2 | 3.2 | 17.4% | 4.6% | 3.9% | 23 | 3.8% | 6.7 |
| 6 | Syracuse, NY | $169,900 | 21 | 3.3 | 20.4% | 12.4% | -5.7% | 20 | 4.0% | 8.8 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $223,900 | 52.6 | 3.6 | 19.1% | 8.3% | -2.6% | 31 | 4.2% | 9 |
| 8 | St. Louis Park, MN | $375,000 | 42.4 | 3.8 | 25.2% | 1.2% | 3.8% | 22 | 3.9% | 7.7 |
| 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | $249,000 | 33.7 | 3.5 | 23.5% | 5.7% | 4.0% | 25 | 4.6% | 9.1 |
| 10 | Garfield Heights, OH | $140,000 | 50.2 | 2.6 | 12.4% | 6.3% | -2.0% | 24 | 4.7% | 8 |
The bottom line
With lower mortgage rates expected to drive a bigger year for purchase activity, competition could be heightened and many first-time home buyers will be looking for the right place to land.
Put yourself in an optimal position by preparing yourself, shopping your mortgage rate and learning to negotiate. To lower the initial barriers to homeownership and boost your buying profile, see if you qualify for financial aid programs.
If you’re ready to begin, reach out to a local lender today.
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