15 Affordable, Promising Cities To Buy Real Estate in 2024

Heather Taylor

10 June 2024 at 8:00 am·3-min read

Don’t fret if this wasn’t your year to buy a home. Rocket Homes compiled a list of 15 cities with great potential for mortgage rates and affordable real estate, that buyers should have on their radar in 2024.

To find and rank the most promising cities of 2024, Rocket Homes and Best Places analyzed 383 metros home to over 85% of all U.S. residents. Thirteen key metrics, including one-year home appreciation and net migration in 2022, determined which cities will surge ahead and allow their inhabitants to thrive.

While past years of these rankings included markets from Western states, the 2024 ranking does not have any cities from the West Coast on it.

Let’s see which 15 cities in 2014 are among the most promising to buy real estate.

Check Out: Become a Real Estate Investor for Just $1K Using This Bezos-Backed Startup

1. Ames, Iowa

Population: 97,117
Net migration in 2022: 0.54%
One-year home appreciation: 7.8%

Find Out: Cheapest Places To Buy a Home in Every State

Explore More: Owe Money to the IRS? Most People Don’t Realize They Should Do This One Thing

Wealthy people know the best money secrets. Learn how to copy them.

2. Burlington, Vermont

Population: 220,411
Net migration in 2022: 0.73%
One-year home appreciation: 5.2%

3. Portland, Maine

Population: 538,500
Net migration in 2022: 2.17%
One-year home appreciation: 2.8%

4. Ithaca, New York

Population: 102,180
Net migration in 2022: 0.40%
One-year home appreciation: 2.3%

5. Iowa City, Iowa

Population: 173,105
Net migration in 2022: 0.97%
One-year home appreciation: 9.5%

Discover More: Don’t Buy a House in These 3 Cities Facing a ‘Climate Change Real Estate Bubble’

6. Appleton, Wisconsin

Population: 237,974
Net migration in 2022: 0.29%
One-year home appreciation: 4.3%

7. Charlottesville, Virginia

Population: 235,763
Net migration in 2022: 1.03%
One-year home appreciation: 2.6%

8. Bangor, Maine

Population: 152,148
Net migration in 2022: 1.94%
One-year home appreciation: 6.1%

Explore More: 10 Dangerous Cities You Shouldn’t Buy a Home in No Matter the Price

9. State College, Pennsylvania

Population: 162,385
Net migration in 2022: 0.29%
One-year home appreciation: 5.1%

10. Richmond, Virginia

Population: 1,315,600
Net migration in 2022: 1.68%
One-year home appreciation: 5.7%

11. Atlantic City, New Jersey

Population: 263,670
Net migration in 2022: 0.80%
One-year home appreciation: 6.1%

For You: Don’t Buy a House in These 10 US Cities: Growing Populations and Overcrowding

12. Albany, New York

Population: 880,381
Net migration in 2022: 0.67%
One-year home appreciation: 5.3%

13. College Station, Texas

Population: 264,728
Net migration in 2022: 2.44%
One-year home appreciation: 4.6%

14. Norwich, Connecticut

Population: 265,206
Net migration in 2022: 0.32%
One-year home appreciation: 4.5%

Be Aware: 5 Midwest Cities Where You Can Buy Luxury Homes For $100,000 or Less

AgnosticPreachersKid / Wikimedia Commons

15. Winchester, Virginia

Population: 140,566
Net migration in 2022: 2.70%
One-year home appreciation: 1.3%

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 15 Affordable, Promising Cities To Buy Real Estate in 2024

The Telegraph
Rare shark that lives for 500 years could hold secret to increasing human lifespan
The metabolism of a shark species which can live for 500 years could help scientists treat heart disease and increase people’s lifespan, scientists hope.
The Guardian
Coffee, eggs and white rice linked to higher levels of PFAS in human body
US study that researchers say highlights chemicals’ ubiquity also shows PFAS association with seafood and red meat
AFP News
Indonesia launches first EV battery plant
Indonesia launched its first electric vehicle battery plant on Wednesday, President Joko Widodo said, as Southeast Asian countries move to gain a foothold in the emerging industry.The plant is part of a $9.8 billion electric vehicle battery deal signed between Indonesia and LG in 2020.
The Telegraph
Washed-up giant shark removed from beach by forklift
The body of a giant basking shark which washed up on Scottish beach has been removed by a forklift.
The Conversation
Flirting with disaster: When endangered wild animals try to mate with domestic relatives, both wildlife and people lose
Conflicts between herders and the wild ancestors of their yaks, camels and reindeer are a serious threat to both people and wildlife, writes a scientist who has seen these clashes firsthand.
Reuters Videos
'It's all gone': floods in southern China devastate residents
STORY: This shop owner in southern China's Hunan Province is busy cleaning up debris on Wednesday after heavy rainfall and flooding devastated her stationary store.She says she didn't receive any notice to move her goods and asks: "How can a family survive in this situation?"Heavy rainfall pounded parts of Hunan earlier this week, causing the water level of a local river to reach its highest level in 70 years.Local authorities have activated the maximum emergency response level.This restaurant owner said she had to flee before it became impossible to get herself out.Now, with her business flooded - she says she is heartbroken and doesn't know how she will provide for her children.Last week, President Xi Jinping urged authorities to put in all-out efforts to protect lives as floods and natural disasters increased.China has provided more than $316.4 million in funds to help with rescue efforts and emergency supplies as deadly floods and landslides caused by almost two weeks of torrential rain ravage several parts of the country.In Changsha, the capital of Hunan, the Xiang and Laodao rivers are expected to hit peak dangerous levels Thursday morning, state media reported.
Storyful
Air Force Hurricane Hunters Fly Into Eye of Hurricane Beryl
Members of the US Air Force Hurricane Hunters flew into the eye of Hurricane Beryl on Tuesday, July 2, to collect data as the storm churned across the Caribbean Sea.This footage was captured and posted by the Air Force Reserve 403rd Wing
Associated Press
Freya the rescued lion cub is safe in South Africa, but many other lions there are bred to be shot
Freya, a 6-month-old lion cub rescued from the wildlife trade in Lebanon, poked a curious nose out of her transport crate and sniffed the air. Satisfied, she took her first cautious steps in her new forever home in a sanctuary in South Africa. Freya's relocation to the Drakenstein Lion Park is only a partial success story.
CNN
To save spotted owls, US officials plan to kill hundreds of thousands of another owl species
To save the imperiled spotted owl from potential extinction, U.S. wildlife officials are embracing a contentious plan to deploy trained shooters into dense West Coast forests to kill almost a half-million barred owls that are crowding out their cousins.
The Telegraph
Why Alaska’s elite firefighters are being deployed to protect its permafrost
America has deployed firefighters by parachute to tackle distant blazes for more than 70 years, but now their mission has changed.
HowStuffWorks
What Is the Most Dangerous Animal in the World?
It's hard to say what is the most dangerous animal in the world; you're not comparing apples to apples. But when it comes dangerous, these four top the list.
Reuters Videos
Philippine town cleans up beach in exchange for rice
STORY: :: Mabini, PhilippinesPlastic waste litters the shores of this resort town near Manila, the Philippines' sprawling capital.This coastal cleanup crew is trying to hold back the steady flood of waste.But each sack of they gather doesn't go unrewarded. They get a two-pound bag of rice in exchange, enough for a small family's needs.:: This Earth Green campaigners say the exchange can educate the community about why protecting the environment is so critical, all while keeping the shores clean, and as inflation bites, keeping people here, like Janeth Aceveda, afloat. "The exchange is a huge help for us because in a month I need four and a half sacks of rice, but now all I have to buy is two sacks, which is a huge help in saving money. It also helps the environment and it shows when our surroundings are clean." Mabini in Batangas province is a world-class scuba diving destination, known for its vibrant corals and marine biodiversity. But a rising tide of plastic pollution is posing an increasing threat to marine life. Organizer Giulio Endaya has witnessed the harm first hand. :: Giulio Endaya, Exchange organizer"I've seen sea turtles entangled in nets and other types of plastics. They've been known to eat straws and plastic bags, and the fish also eat microplastics that have been, you know, broken down in the shore. And recently we've been finding more and more microplastics even in fish that we eat, so it's also harmful to us." To untangle the problem, Endaya and his group of volunteers spearheaded the ‘Plastic Palit Bigas’– or ‘plastic in exchange for rice’– program. The project is funded by donations from individuals and small companies that advocate for marine conservation. Through the exchange, Mabini volunteers can turn in sacks of litter, regardless of weight, for a kilogram– or 2.2 pounds– of rice. Volunteer Raymond Basit says it’s been a potent incentive. "It helps a lot because people now have an urge, because of poverty and especially during these times, the price of goods is so high. Now during their free time they can clean, and they push themselves to clean because they get something in return, which is a big help for them." An updated 2022 University of Oxford report found that The Philippines accounts for 36% of the total global input of plastic waste into the ocean, more than any other country. The plastic for rice exchange aims to change that. :: 4.7 tonsAccording to Endaya, since clean-up efforts began in October 2022, more than 4.7 U.S. tons of garbage have been collected and exchanged for nearly 3 tons of rice.
Euronews
Climate scientists urge responsible use of AI as Google’s emissions soar by 48% since 2019
Scientists have asked individuals to think twice before using AI to generate memes.
Associated Press
GM will pay $146 million in penalties because 5.9 million older vehicles emit excess carbon dioxide
General Motors will pay nearly $146 million in penalties to the federal government because 5.9 million of its older vehicles do not comply with emissions and fuel economy standards. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement Wednesday that certain GM vehicles from the 2012 through 2018 model years did not comply with federal fuel economy requirements. The penalty comes after the Environmental Protection Agency said its testing showed the GM pickup trucks and SUVs emit over 10% more carbon dioxide on average than GM's initial compliance testing claimed.
Reuters
Not politics, not interest rates: India's surging economy at risk from water
Water delivered by tankers provides one additional bucket to each of its 1,000 residents for drinking and cooking. In parts of the arid state of Rajasthan, southwest of the Indian capital, tap water is available once every four days for an hour. In rural areas near Mumbai, women and children travel more than a mile to get water.
The Independent
Mapped: Hurricane Beryl powers through Caribbean islands as Category 3 storm
Hurricane Beryl could make a ‘rare’ double strike in Mexico and potentially impact southeastern US
Reuters
Brazil's industrial output falls less than expected in May
Industrial production in Brazil fell 0.9% in May from April, government statistics agency IBGE said on Wednesday, below the 1.7% decline estimated by analysts polled by Reuters. According to IBGE survey manager Andre Macedo, Brazil's industrial output was impacted in May by historic rains and floods in the country's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul. Industrial production in Brazil now stands 1.4% below pre-pandemic levels.
The Independent
Nearly 30,000 people evacuated as devastating wildfire rages across Northern California
Four firefighters and as many civilian have been reported injured
AFP News
Floods kill nine in India and Bangladesh, millions affected
Torrential rains and surging rivers across northeast India and neighbouring Bangladesh have killed at least nine people, disaster officials said Thursday, with more than three million people affected.In low-lying Bangladesh, downstream from India, the disaster management agency said floods had impacted around 1.8 million people.
CNN
Wildfire prompts evacuation order for thousands in Northern California as ‘exceptionally dangerous’ heat builds in the West
Thousands have been ordered to evacuate in Northern California due to a wildfire burning in Butte County, as an “exceptionally dangerous and lethal” heat wave in the West ramps up.

Straits Times Index

S&P 500

Dow

Nasdaq

Bitcoin USD

CMC Crypto 200

FTSE 100

Gold

Crude Oil

10-Yr Bond

Nikkei

Hang Seng

FTSE Bursa Malaysia

Jakarta Composite Index

PSE Index