Cheapest States to Buy a House 2024

Buying a home is the most significant financial decision most people will make in their lifetime. In the United States, 91% of individuals want to buy a home in their lifetime. However, only 65.4% of U.S. households currently own their home.

One of the biggest concerns homebuyers face is the ability to afford a home. The Zillow Home Value Index, which measures only the middle price tiers of homes, sets the cost of a typical home in the United States at $344,141. Meanwhile, the median household income in the United States is $67,521 a year, meaning the median household can only afford a mortgage on a $250,000 home. Thus, many may find themselves priced out of homeownership.

Location is the greatest factor contributing to home prices, and costs vary widely from state to state. There are nine states with a typical home value below $200,000 and 8 with a typical home price above $500,000. Those states with the cheapest home prices tend to be concentrated in the Southern states. These states also tend to have lower costs of living overall. Those willing to relocate may find that the house marker offers them better prices elsewhere.

Cheapest States to Buy a House in 2022

Here are the 10 states with the lowest typical house value:

West Virginia

West Virginia is the cheapest state to buy a home. A typical home in West Virginia costs $129,103, nearly $30,000 less than Mississippi's and less than half of the national average. A homebuyer can expect to get 1,792 square feet of living space for that price. With the eighth-lowest property tax rate in the U.S. of 0.59%, homeowners can expect to pay about $762 in state property taxes per year. West Virginia also has the nation's highest homeownership rate, with 79.6% of its residents owning their homes.

Mississippi

Mississippi is the second-cheapest state to buy a home in, with a typical home valued at $157,828. This is less than half of the typical home price in the United States. The median home size in Mississippi is 1,879 square feet, larger than some of the median home sizes in more expensive states. Mississippi homeowners will pay property taxes at a rate of 0.81% per year, setting them back $1,278 annually. Homeownership in Mississippi is the second-highest in the nation, with 74.8% of residents owning their homes.

Arkansas

A typical home in Arkansas costs $169,867, the third-lowest in the country. Homebuyers can expect an average of 1,792 square feet of living space. With a homeownership rate of 66.5%, the state has a slightly higher homeownership rate than the country as a whole. Arkansas's state property tax rate is 0.63%, the tenth-lowest in the country, resulting in annual state property taxes of just $1,070 for a house priced at the typical home value.

Oklahoma

The typical home price in Oklahoma is $171,057, just below half the national average of $344,141. The median home size in Oklahoma is 1,746 square feet, just slightly higher than the average in Arkansas. Oklahoma homeowners pay a property tax rate of 0.90%, resulting in about $1,540 in taxes per year based on the typical home value. Oklahoma's homeownership rate is 67.3%.

Iowa

The typical home value is $183,418 in Iowa, the fifth-lowest in the United States. The average home has 1,550 square feet of living space. With a relatively high property tax rate of 1.56%, homeowners can expect to pay $2,861 in property taxes each year. Still, homeownership rates are among the highest in the nation, with 75.6% of residents owning their homes.

Kentucky

Kentucky is the sixth-cheapest state to buy a home in, with a typical home valued at $188,439. The average home in Kentucky offers 1,750 square feet of living space. Kentucky's effective state property tax rate is 0.86%, which means that a homeowner would pay about $1,621 in state property taxes every year based on the typical home's value. Kentucky's homeownership rate is 68.5%.

Alabama

Alabama is the seventh-cheapest state to buy a home in. Alabama's median home price is $194,695. The average home size in Alabama is in line with the national average at 1,800 square feet. Alabama has the second-lowest state property tax rate of 0.42%. This, combined with a low median home value, means that homeowners pay only about $818 in state property taxes per year. Homeownership in the state sits at 71.5%.

Kansas

Kansas is the eighth-cheapest state to buy a home in, with a typical home costing $198,199. This home price gets a homeowner about 1,782 square feet of living space. Kansas's effective state property tax rate is 1.41%, resulting in annual taxes of about $2,795 in taxes per year for homeowners.

Ohio

Ohio's typical home value is just shy of $200,000. For $199,959, homeowners can expect to get 1,620 square feet of living space. At a rate of 1.58%, Ohio's state property taxes are significantly higher than the other states on this list. The typical homeowner can expect to pay about $3,159 in state property taxes each year. Homeownership in Ohio is at 67%.

Louisiana

The typical home in Louisiana costs $205,972. For this price, a homeowner can expect an average of 1,786 square feet of living space. With a real estate property tax rate of 0.55%, the typical homeowner can expect to pay $1,133 annually. Homeownership in Louisiana is at 69.7%.