10 Places Where Home Ownership is On the Rise

For a significant number of Americans, home ownership remains an all too distant dream.

Between record levels of student loan debt, the challenges of squirreling away a down payment and skyrocketing housing prices in many parts of the country, it can be daunting at best to shift from renter to owner.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported in October that as of the third quarter of 2017 about 63.9 percent of Americans own a home. For those 35 and under, the figure is far bleaker, just 35.6 percent.

Home ownership has been on the decline in this country for several years, having peaked in 2004 at 69.2 percent.

A new report from Realtor.com, however, found that there are at least 10 cities around the country witnessing huge increases in ownership – places where the American dream appears to be alive and well.

Realtor.com’s data team discovered that ownership is on the rise in the Rust Belt (think Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana); small cities just outside of major metropolitan areas and also in some bustling southern hubs.

“What’s interesting about this is most of these places are relatively affordable,” said Realtor.com’s Clare Trapasso.

More than half of the cities on the list offer median prices under the national median of $274,492. Here are the cities to keep in mind if homeownership is on your 2018 agenda.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

A city most famous for its breweries, Milwaukee has experienced decades of economic challenges. However, it is now witnessing a resurgence, Realtor.com reports and that includes the housing market. The current homeownership rate in the city is 68.7 percent, an 11 percent increase over the past three years. The median home price is $224,950.

Charlotte, North Carolina

A bustling southern financial hub, Charlotte’s homeownership rate has increased 10.5 percent over the past three years to its current 62.8 percent. At $327,050, the median home price here however is substantially more than the national median.

Memphis, Tennessee

A city made famous by Elvis Presley, Memphis is affordable by nearly any standard. The median home price $195,050. Over the past three years, homeownership has increased about 9.3 percent to the current 61 percent.

Baltimore, Maryland

Buyers getting priced out of nearby Washington D.C are finding a more affordable alternative in Baltimore, says Trapasso. The homeownership rate is a significant 68.4 percent. That’s an increase of 7.3 percent over the past three years. The median home price meanwhile hovers around $300,000 (30.2% less than in the D.C. metro area.)

Allentown, Pennsylvania

Singer Billy Joel made Allentown forever famous with his song about the city’s economic hardships. Fast forward to 2017 and it seems the city, which is not all that far from New York City or Philadelphia, is experiencing something of rebirth, says Trapasso. The upswing is due in large part to companies like Amazon, Walmart and Nestle moving in. Homeownership has increased 7.3 percent in recent years to an impressive 74.8 percent, far above national rates. The median home price is about $225,000.

Pittsburgh, PA

Pittsburgh is becoming the right coast’s version of Silicon Valley, according to Realtor.com (minus the sky high home prices). Local university grads are being snatched up by tech companies ranging from Google to Uber and Intel, all of which have local outposts. The homeownership rate, now at 74 percent, represents a 7.2 percent increase since 2014. And shockingly, the median home price is well below the national average at just $174,950.

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Think mild climate, affordable homes and an Old Town filled with historic adobe buildings. Those are just some of the attractions in Albuquerque, which has seen a 5.7 percent rise in home ownership in recent years to 66 percent. The median home price here is about $239,950.

Nashville, Tennessee

This legendary music city has also become one of the culinary hotspots in the south. That the city has so much to offer has not gone unnoticed. Home prices have increased a whopping 89 percent since 2012. Still, it remains a place that’s both comparatively affordable and where homeownership continues on its upward path. The average home price is $359,050 and there’s a 68.8 percent home ownership rate, an increase of 4.9 percent over the past three years.

Dallas, Texas

Texas has long been one of the more affordable places to live in the country (There is no state income tax for starters). That affordability has attracted a lot of big businesses. In Dallas, companies have been both moving to the area and expanding. The city’s desirability is leading to increased prices but for the time being the median is $339,950. The current homeownership rate is 60.7 percent, a 4.8 percent increase over the past three years.

Syracuse, New York

One last city to consider for those determined to become home owners, Syracuse’s median home price is the lowest on the list at $149,950. Buyers can even find single-family homes for between $80,000 to $100,000, says Realtor.com. All of which is translating into a homeownership rate of 66.5 percent, a 4.6 percent increase since 2014.

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