Overview
- Realtor.com ranks Rochester, N.Y., first, followed by Harrisburg, Pa., and Granite City, Ill., in its new top-10 for first-time buyers.
- The full list also includes Birmingham, Ala.; North Little Rock, Ark.; Syracuse, N.Y.; Baltimore, Md.; St. Louis Park, Minn.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; and Garfield Heights, Ohio.
- Rankings weigh affordability, for-sale inventory, local amenities and metro economic outlooks, using a 6.25% 30-year rate and 10% down to apply a 30% income-to-payment test.
- Six of the ten are principal cities, reflecting the study’s emphasis on amenities and commute times, and the West is absent for the second straight year.
- Across more than 10,000 places evaluated, only 35.2% meet the affordability benchmark, underscoring how limited such options remain nationally.