5 interesting towns in America where yous tin buy a house for $100,000 or less

Though home prices in many areas are out of reach for home buyers, these spots are far more than accessible.

The skyline of Birmingham, Ala.

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Domicile prices in the U.S. have been on a rapid ascent. According to information from Realtor.com, the national median list price in November 2022 was $379,000, upward 8.6% compared with 2020. On the plus side, mortgage rates, though upwardly slightly, are still near historic lows — with some 30-year rates around 3.2% and some fifteen-twelvemonth rates around 2.four% — and in some towns you lot can even so purchase a house for $100,000 or less. We identified five cities where the median home value, equally of Dec 2021, was under $100,000 but there was still plenty to do and see.

For the creative person: Detroit, Michigan

Belle Isle Park in Detroit.

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Architectural Digest wrote of "a artistic renaissance" that "breathes new life into Detroit," while Condé Nast Traveller has noted "Detroit'south continued evolution, and the creatives fueling information technology." And indeed, Detroit — where the median home value is $63,449, according to Zillow — has a thriving arts and music scene centered effectually the Detroit Institute of Arts, venues like the Fillmore and the Purple Theater, and customs-based initiatives including the Heidelberg Projection, which installs outdoor art around the city.

You lot'll also bask myriad outdoor activities  in places like Belle Isle Park, a 982-acre island and nature conservatory that includes an aquarium. And Detroit has emerged as a hotspot for culinary innovation. Information technology'southward abode to restaurants including Takoi, which was a 2022 James Beard semifinalist for best new restaurant, and the Apparatus Room, which is housed inside the Detroit Foundation Hotel and run past executive chef Thomas Lents. Some of the big downsides are that criminal offense is elevated in the urban center, and certainly not all of its neighborhoods have been revitalized.

For the adventurer: Dayton, Ohio

The Miami River runs through Dayton.

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As a resident of Dayton, you'll detect plenty to keep yous busy, especially with kids. Enjoy exhibitions and programming at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Strength, or the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, which houses the Discovery Zoo and the Apollo Observatory, an astronomical observatory. Dayton is great for the adventurous family: National Geographic named it "America'south next outdoor chance capital," citing its 16,000 acres of parkland, and ready access to river kayaking and paddle boarding. Both Cincinnati and Columbus are roughly an hr away by car, meaning that you'll have access to big-city amenities at affordable prices. Much like Detroit, Dayton has seen a renaissance in recent years, with housing prices rising 24.4% in the past year, according to Zillow. Even still, the median abode value is in the five figures, ringing in at just $97,272. Only, once more like Detroit, crime in Dayton is elevated.

For a higher-town feel: Birmingham, Alabama

A sunset Birmingham vista.

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Birmingham is home to attractions including the laurels-winning Alabama Ballet, the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and Barber Motorsports Park, which includes the largest motorbike museum in the world. It'southward home to the University of Alabama at Birmingham and just over 50 miles from the flagship Academy of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, which in addition to its marquee sports programs (Roll, Tide!) has an unabridged college devoted to continuing studies for lifelong learners. You'll as well enjoy enough of adept dining and shopping options in Birmingham's recently revitalized downtown, including ramen at Shu Store and the curated clothing selection at Club Duquette. The median domicile value is $95,589.

Editor's annotation: A previous version of this MarketWatch Picks article misidentified the location of the University of Alabama.

For the history buff: Jackson, Mississippi

Jackson is the capital of Mississippi.

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Jackson has established itself as a center for learning well-nigh the history of both slavery and civil rights. Historical attractions include the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and the Mississippi Freedom Trail, which has 25 markers along the trail that commemorate the civil-rights movement. Housing in Jackson remains affordable, with the average abode price running effectually $77,689. You can buy a iii-bedchamber dwelling for an affordable price and spend your weekends enjoying natural beauty in the surrounding parks, including LeFleur's Bluff State Park. There'southward lots of shopping and dining in the Fondren neighborhood, which has nigh 2 dozen restaurants, bakeries, bars and java shops within a 4-block radius. Just be prepared for some swampy summers.

For those who want a shut-knit community: Huntington, W Virginia

Huntington, West. Va., as viewed from the Ohio River.

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Located on the banks of the Ohio River at the betoken where W Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky meet, Huntington non only has a lot of natural beauty just also has received a perfect score from the Human Rights Campaign for creating an inclusive customs for LGBTQ+ people for the past three years. The average habitation price in the city is $94,150, and buyers go access to plenty of wild animals and outdoor activities at nearby Crown City Wildlife Area and Beech Fork Lake Wild animals Management Area. The thou-prize winner in the America's Best Communities competition, Huntington is currently undergoing a $30 meg customs revitalization campaign that will transform downtown areas, make neighborhoods more walkable and build out a baseball game stadium. That said, Huntington has an issue with criminal offense (though multiple neighborhood organizations are committed to making life amend for residents) and drugs.