If you want to buy a home, but you have a limited budget, you're going to have to make some compromises — and we're not talking about granite versus marble countertops. You might have to move to a cheaper locale.
Earlier this year, real estate website Clever released a study that found 84% of millennials feel that owning a home is part of the "American Dream." But seeing as this generation is burdened by soaring housing costs, stagnant wages and overwhelming student loan debt, becoming a homeowner can seem like an impossible goal. Especially, if you live in a city like Seattle where the median home prices sit around $537,800.
But it's still possible to find reasonable home prices in thriving cities, as Clever reports in its new Millennial Metric study. It looked at the top 100 most populated U.S. cities to find the best opportunities for first-time home buyers.
Researchers ranked each city on a 0-100 scale in four metrics: job opportunity, home affordability, livability and housing market forecast. They then calculated the overall score based on the average of all four categories. Home affordability and livability scores account for 30% of the overall ranking, while job opportunity and housing forecast account for 20%.
Rochester, New York, came in first with an overall score of 77. While the city's job score was lower, it got a high affordability and livability score (it's worth noting that Clever didn't take into account Rochester's long winters). Des Moines, Iowa came in a close second, with a high job score. Clever reports that Des Moines has recently been dubbed "Silicon Prairie" with a growing number of tech companies moving there.
Here are the top 10 places for millennials to live:
1. Rochester, New York
Average score: 77
Job score: 51
Home affordability score: 88
Livability score: 79
Housing market score: 79
2. Des Moines, Iowa
Average score: 72
Job score: 88
Home affordability score: 75
Livability score: 79
Housing market score: 79
3. Omaha, Nebraska
Average score: 71
Job score: 64
Home affordability score: 78
Livability score: 63
Housing market score: 63
4. Dayton, Ohio
Average score: 70
Job score: 50
Home affordability score: 98
Livability score: 59
Housing market score: 59
5. Grand Rapids, Michigan
Average score: 70
Job score: 42
Home affordability score: 64
Livability score: 79
Housing market score: 79
6. Syracuse, New York
Average score: 67
Job score: 55
Home affordability score: 96
Livability score: 80
Housing market score: 80
7. Akron, Ohio
Average score: 67
Job score: 42
Home affordability score: 91
Livability score: 67
Housing market score: 67
8. Columbus, Ohio
Average score: 66
Job score: 63
Home affordability score: 67
Livability score: 56
Housing market score: 56
9. Harrisburg-Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Average score: 65
Job score: 67
Home affordability score: 77
Livability score: 75
Housing market score: 75
10. Cincinnati, Ohio
Average score: 64
Job score: 52
Home affordability score: 78
Livability score: 48
Housing market score: 48
Of course, Manhattan and San Francisco, where the median home values go up to as much as $1 million, don't make this list. The majority of the best cities for millennial home buyers are in the Midwest.
That doesn't mean it's impossible to find a home in a big city, as long as you're smart about how you manage your money. If you're in the market for a home, experts suggest making sure you're ready to transition from renting. And no matter where you settle down, living within your means and employing common-sense budgeting can help you save.
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