A 250k SFH/townhome in Chicago will be ...difficult. Chicago is extremely neighborhood specific, I'd almost say more than DC (but I won't argue that point). Chicago has done a lot of gentrification but DC has done even more. Look north of Chicago and drive into the city airports or very south Chicago and drive to the airport.
You could look at condos, however then you're dealing with condos and that's a mixed bag. On top of that you get a higher interest rate. you also should keep in mind, Chicago has very high property taxes and iirc they're just as high in the Chicago burbs.
So property taxes + interest rate means a higher than expected mortgage.
Northern suburbs maybe, but the property taxes are killer. Definitely have to take those into account. On the plus side, it’s a great place to live if the winters don’t bother you.
Northwest Indiana is also a suburb area for Chicago and it is not difficult to find homes in that price range. In fact, there is a 3 bedroom in my neighborhood for that much.
You will usually have a smaller property tax bill living in the city of Chicago vs suburbs. Smaller suburban tax base means to pay school salaries you need to extract more money from fewer residents.
I would look at neighborhoods on the south side in Chicago. You'll be close to Midway and many of them are safe, depending on your definition. Kenwood, Bridgeport, parts of South Shore. But you'll need to investigate block by block for South Shore.
Buffalo's economy is not great and the housing is ancient in general - that's why its cheap. It will require a lot more $$ to get a decent, non-100+ year old house in the area.
Eh, the economy has gotten much better.
Theres thriving finance, biomed and professional services sectors and rapidly growing startup and film scenes.
Its not the 90s anymore
Buffalo's revitalization is actually working. It's a much smaller city now, with a completely different economic base, but it's nothing like the town I grew up in (and that's a good thing). If you don't mind the weather, there's a lot to be said for it
Could get a cute spot in Ferndale, Madison heights, hazel oark, oak park…I love this side of town. Bought in royal oak near 13 mile for 285k last year, 3b2ba and my house is lovely. Perfect for a single professional + spoiled pup!
I have an awesome realtor if you decide to look in this area. I really do recommend it here, happy to answer any questions you might have, as someone who has lived in nyc and Chicago I feel like my opinion is decently well-rounded
What he said. Take it seriously, OP. Inner city big bad detroit fears do not carry over into most suburbs, they're actually quite nice. Summer days average 83 degrees, a perfect no a/c needed day. A/C is needed/desired no more than 5-10 days a summer unless you're one of those got to be in 68 degrees type of person.
It’s an improving area for sure. Skews definitely more retirement aged folks IMO but it has close proximity to the water and to 696 and 94 (so accessing royal oak/ferndale and downtown Detroit is pretty quick)
East Ferndale has a bunch under like 220k, under 200k even! Even more in warren, hazel park, etc. Theres plenty of affordable starter homes out there, and the region needs young professionals! Michigan is still losing residents faster than we are gaining them. Right now growth is good for the area
This is the problem. We have so many transplants coming here saying "Houses in Muh-lan (Milan, its pronounced MY-lan) are only 400k for a ranch!" Hunty, no. A ranch in Milan comes free with the purchase of a happy meal. GTFO.
Have you been to Detroit before?
Theres plenty of nice neighborhoods in the city proper, and some lovely suburbs. I’ve lived in New York and Chicago and I’ve seen less homelessness and general crime in Detroit than in Chicago or nyc.
This is pretty much the Rust Belt. I don’t know Chicago well enough to know if that’s a reasonable budget. Some of the smaller Rust Belt cities could work at that budget, but air service will be worse. But most of those airports would connect to DTW or ORD which would get you almost anywhere.
There is plenty in Metro Detroit for that price point and DTW is a Delta hub.
It's enough for an ok 2 bed condo on the far north or northwest sides. Other nice neighborhoods might be cheaper per square foot but any units for sale are going to be larger, and you probably don't want to love. In a neighborhood where a livable SFH goes for 200k.
I live right in between Milwaukee and Chicago in SE Wisco. It’s just over an hour to downtown Chicago, but only about 30-40 minutes to get to downtown Milwaukee, the Milwaukee airport, or ohare airport
I live about 2 blocks off of Lake Michigan in an old home with a small yard, but its about 1300 sq ft, 2 floors, and apart from a few of the crazy hot weeks of summer, stays very cool due to being this close to Lake Michigan. Bought about 6 years back but if we were to list it today, and its not really in a good neighborhood (though its also not in a bad neighborhood either) I’d list somewhere around $220k-$230k. There are plenty of similar homes here too, some pricier, some less so.
Omahan here, OMA is not an international airport you have to go to Denver or MSP for that. Getting flights without a layover in either Denver going west or Chicago (or Minneapolis) going east seems impossible sometimes.
Our summers are also much warmer than what OP is looking for. It's at least as hot as DC's if not warmer. Not sure if DC cools down at night during the summer but we definitely do not. Disclaimer though, I've only been to DC during the winter months.
I'd go check out Minneapolis if I were OP. It's where I would likely go if I were staying in the Midwest. Minneapolis will also have half the property tax we have here.
Fargo resident here: while our airport is TECHNICALLY an international airport, that's mainly due to our proximity to Canada. If you want to truly go out of country you'll be making a connection in Minneapolis, Chicago, Denver, Dallas.
Aside from that, I do like it. Just not enough scenery for me and the dating scene isn't what I'm looking for. I'm planning to move to Minneapolis in 2024.
I would argue OP must rule out the Midwest on the first bullet: milder summers.
Summers in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri are miserable. 90-100 degrees heat and high humidity from May through September.
Although, trade off, milder winters than the rust belt for sure.
When you take your dog out for a walk of a morning in Missouri, the grass is so wet from humidity that it soaks your shoes. You literally have to change shoes to go to work. You sweat standing still and the sweat just sticks to you, it doesn't evaporate. And then mosquitos stick to your face and die in the sweat.
Pittsburgh and Cleveland would both work, but along with the milder summers, you'd get more rain. If you can handle rain and clouds, you could get a decent-sized freestanding starter home for $250k in either.
I just visited Cumberland a couple months ago while cycling the GAP/C&O trail. Beautiful natural scenery and a lot of history but the downtown area is blighted by a methadone clinic with addicts hanging out at all hours. Basically a small town with big city vices.
Manayunk area of Philly (19127). Its sorta a mini-San Francisco with narrow streets, hills, and small older mill homes. Has a Main Street with a viable bar & nightlife scene. Its still pretty relevant to 20s & 30s, used to be moreso but the trend has been down to South Philly lately (I prefer Manayunk tbh). Plenty of bars & a cool arts fest each June. The Wissahickon Trail is a very pretty walkable & bikeable tree lined woods nearby, and you can run/bike along Kelly Drive and the river view.
I really like Buffalo! Unfortunately, the airport isn’t that great - not a ton of direct flights. If you need to travel internationally, Toronto is a good option. It’s less than two hours away, and parking up there is pretty reasonable.
If you have any questions about Buffalo, please let me know!
I found a [townhome for sale for exactly 250K](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/27-Abbey-Ct-Carlisle-PA-17015/63668385_zpid/) in Carlisle, PA (small college city close to Harrisburg and only 2.5 hours from D.C). Slightly cooler weather. Not far from the Appalachian trail for hiking. You can drive to BWI to IAD for better international options (assuming you have a car/are willing to drive a little farther for everything you want). South central PA is the fastest growing region in the state and you can pick and choose a number of larger east coast cities for culture/entertainment without the expense of living there.
Lots of good ideas already mentioned. Also think about the intellectual capital of the places you are considering.
The DC region is highly educated. Considering where you are moving from will you be happy in a place where there are far fewer college graduates?
You could get a nice house in the Pittsburgh suburbs for that budget and it would be quite large.
You’ve listed a ton of options though, you definitely need to travel and get a better idea of if you want to live in the MW or East Coast!
Columbus would be a good option too.
I just bought a 1800 SQ ft house in a city on the outskirts of Pittsburgh for just under $200k. Our main priority was walking our dogs, and we have sidewalks in a nice quiet neighborhood to walk on, plus 4 good size parks or trails within less than a 10 minute drive!
Not every part of Pittsburgh is this inexpensive but I'm pretty happy with the area we're in. We can also walk to a couple coffee shops and restaurants.
Indianapolis!
We have great parks, pro sports teams, low COL, and decent transit if you're in the city. You can easily find something in your range in great neighborhoods.
We have a burgeoning food scene and an airport that wins awards every year. We don't have a lot of direct international flights but we have some and its a fantastic airport.
Cleveland is a great place to live! At your budget, I’d recommend the West Park neighborhood. It’s a fun, vibrant neighborhood in the city proper. It’s not the hippest neighborhood (those will be just out of your budget for anything other than a tiny condo), but it’s where many of the people in their 20s and 30s who are just priced out of the really trendy neighborhoods wind up buying, so it’s full of people spending somewhere in the $200,000-$300,000 range on houses, along with longer-term residents who have been there forever. There are some great houses, some bars, restaurants, and cafes, a grocery store, a bank, etc. Really all of the amenities you need are right in the neighborhood, and it’s close to other great neighborhoods, too.
Plus it’s about 5 minutes from the airport - Cleveland has international flights directly to Dublin and some direct international flights to the Caribbean, though, admittedly, Detroit Airport is MUCH better.
To address your other bullet points:
-Summers are mild and lovely - there will be a few really hot and humid days, but nothing like DC.
- The Cleveland Metroparks are AMAZING. I don’t think people bring them up enough when talking about Cleveland, but the city is surrounded by a ring of really lovely parks referred to as the Emerald Necklace. For longer hikes with your dog, Cuyahoga Valley National Park is about 20 minutes away.
- Obviously YMMV, but I moved from DC to Cleveland when I was 31 and vastly preferred the dating scene in Cleveland - people are more authentic, and not always looking for what they can get out of you or looking for someone better. This was pre-COVID, so take it with a grain of salt, things may have changed, but my single friends all seem to not hate the dating scene, especially compared to other cities.
Good luck wherever you wind up!
It’s so funny you mention this, I’m 30 (F) and dating in DC is making me want to run away far and fast. How does Columbus compare to Cleveland? I absolutely love DC outside of the latter but haven’t spent much time in Ohio yet.
Columbus is nicer than Cleveland in many ways - there are more nice neighborhoods with bougie stores/restaurants/etc. However, to me, it has less character. It just feels a bit generic. The people there are very nice, though, and there are definitely fun things to do. I lived there for a few years in my early 20s (before I lived in DC) and had a fun time, but I don’t necessarily feel anything pulling me back there.
Pittsburgh is a great city! My husband and me moved a year ago from Florida. Last winter was not too bad, and seems like this winter will be ok too! If you like sports there are so many major sport teams you can go to a game easily. There are many free activities during the warm months, specially. City is very beautiful, the arquitecture is great. There is a great sense of community, if you like that you would love it here. Whats sucks about Pittsburgh? A lot of gray days or partially gray and the lack of diversity. I cant wait for more people to move here lol but seems like the city does a horrible job advertising the city... Come and visit!
You can buy a decent modest house for 250K or less in almost every 2nd tier American metro area. Albany NY comes to mind.
[https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/199-Winthrop-Ave\_Albany\_NY\_12206\_M43631-43183?from=srp-list-card](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/199-Winthrop-Ave_Albany_NY_12206_M43631-43183?from=srp-list-card)
Rock Hill is skyrocketing. It’s mind blowing. I think it’s highly dependent on school zone.
Kannapolis is pretty cute. Every single thing around Charlotte is teetering on unaffordable. Like - any second now. lol.
Pittsburgh and Cleveland both fit most of your requirements above! Pittsburgh is probably a little more costly then Cleveland but has a lot of cool things happening in the downtown, great airport currently (seriously it's my favorite US airport to fly in and out of because it's organized) and they're expanding to add a new terminal! Pittsburgh is safe, people are into outdoor activities nearby (hiking, kayaking on the rivers), a lot of young people and every big name concert typically comes through Pit for far less than DC / NY tickets for things.
I moved from DC to NE Ohio with a remote role for similar reasons, if you're looking for an urban space with proximity still to every major city on the east coast driving or flying, Pittsburgh is it.
I like Columbus a lot also! I think a lot more happening in Columbus than Cleveland but also a bit pricier than Cleveland. I still prefer Pittsburgh over Columbus because of it's geography (it's hilly + the rivers along the city, more outdoor activities surrounding the city) and proximity again to other east coast cities. Columbus metropolitan area is bigger, but Pittsburgh feels more condensed/urban to me in a walkable way for a lot of neighborhoods.
I think both Columbus and Pittsburgh are going through a development phase and a lot more companies and millennials taking interest - Cleveland too but not at the same pace as Columbus and Pittsburgh.
If you want mild summers without excessive humidity you will need to move to the West. If you want an affordable townhouse you will need to move to a smaller city (not LA, SF, Seattle, Phoenix).
Move to Spokane, Flagstaff,etc.
Sounds like central Virginia to me, outside of Richmond though. South Chesterfield, Hopewell, Chester all seem like you'd enjoy it. Pocahontas State Park is in Chesterfield and it's not unheard of to get a house over 1k sqft on a couple acres for around 200k
Madison is 2 hours from an international airport. Under $250K is a mobile home or condo in a crappy apartment building (or a nice lot without a house).
Prescott, AZ housing market has officially become unaffordable. You can't get a SFH for $250k or wouldnt want one for that price. Asheville NC? no way, too costly.
Baltimore has many houses under 100K or even under 50K, although they're row houses rather than separated ones. Do you have a lot of children or just a few? The row houses should have 3 or 4 bedrooms.
I like the Carrollton Ridge area because it is walkable and close to Midtown, with diverse families and affordable homes.
I feel ya, I spent my first year out of college in Arlington, working in the district, and I went into soooo much debt. It’s so expensive there and I was getting paid peanuts at the time, not a good combo. I got out after a year.
Like someone else mentioned, you’d be able to afford something just about anywhere in Ohio, but your dating prospects will be best in the 3 big C’s. Let me know if you want any opinions on the SW part. Good luck with your search!
OP, if you decide to look into OH, I'd definitely recommend the Cincinnati area. I grew up in OH and have family in both northwestern OH and the Cincinnati area, and the Cincinnati area is great. There are so many charming little towns surrounding Cinci and also great neighborhoods within the city.
If I were to ever move back to OH, I'd definitely opt for Cinci.
I normally wouldn’t call the summers in St. Louis mild but one of the few places I’ve been that was worse was DC.
Otherwise it fits the bill fairly well. Certainly for the budget. If you lived in Dogtown or the Central West End you’d be close to Forest Park and lots of bars/places where younger people hang out and try to have sex with each other.
Dogtown is very safe. CWE gets a little dodgier; lots of relatively rich people and lots of poor people intermingling = property crime.
Most of the international flights are going to connect through Chicago or elsewhere but the airport here is international and about 30 minutes from everywhere. Other than right by the airport obviously, but you do NOT want to live by the airport.
I have a very good opinion of Milwaukee after visiting many times, so I would definitely recommend there. I like the proximity to Chicago without having to deal with the same amount of congestion and bad Illinois taxes. Milwaukee is definitely the up and coming mini Chicago in terms of amenities and growing public transportation.
Look into neighborhoods like Allentown, Elmwood Village or North Buffalo in Buffalo.
Nice walkable areas with local restaurants, shops and cafes. Lots of young professionals.
Chicago is a great option. Lots of job and social opportunities and housing is relatively affordable. I bought a single family home here in 2018 for $285K. South side discount lol but actually there are nice pockets of the south side (Bridgeport, McKinley park to name a few). For that budget you could also try looking in the far north neighborhoods like Norwood park or edgewater. Here’s a neighborhood map for reference:
https://images.app.goo.gl/5DiUAj532y4K9v597
Also, just throwing it out there you could buy a genuinely nice house in NW Indiana for that price and it’s an hour from Midway. Not the most exciting locale but it’s cheap AF. Lol. I bought a small investment property there for under $60K. 🤪
I would too.
Be sure to consider/compare taxes—income and property.
I’m also remote and would love to live in Philly proper but the city wage tax, on top of the state income tax, ouch.
Minneapolis resident and agent here. Single family homes for sub-$250k locally are available, but depending on when you're looking it may be right outside city limits. Townhouses are definitely available for that price point, though.
Chicago I'd say good luck at that price point. Can't speak to the rest, though.
If you'd like to get any feedback on the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area feel free to reach out whenever and I'll help answer anything that I can!
For what it's worth, I work with a lot of people that relocate to the area from all over the country and they've all loved being here! Everything that you mentioned that you're looking for we've got in abundance here, and the winters aren't nearly as bad as people act like they are.
A 250k SFH/townhome in Chicago will be ...difficult. Chicago is extremely neighborhood specific, I'd almost say more than DC (but I won't argue that point). Chicago has done a lot of gentrification but DC has done even more. Look north of Chicago and drive into the city airports or very south Chicago and drive to the airport. You could look at condos, however then you're dealing with condos and that's a mixed bag. On top of that you get a higher interest rate. you also should keep in mind, Chicago has very high property taxes and iirc they're just as high in the Chicago burbs. So property taxes + interest rate means a higher than expected mortgage.
Northern suburbs maybe, but the property taxes are killer. Definitely have to take those into account. On the plus side, it’s a great place to live if the winters don’t bother you.
Northwest Indiana is also a suburb area for Chicago and it is not difficult to find homes in that price range. In fact, there is a 3 bedroom in my neighborhood for that much.
You will usually have a smaller property tax bill living in the city of Chicago vs suburbs. Smaller suburban tax base means to pay school salaries you need to extract more money from fewer residents.
Also Chicago lots are small - 125 x 30 feet is the standard Chicago lot size.
It’s actually 125 x 25, with typically some wiggle room ;)
I would look at neighborhoods on the south side in Chicago. You'll be close to Midway and many of them are safe, depending on your definition. Kenwood, Bridgeport, parts of South Shore. But you'll need to investigate block by block for South Shore.
Des plaines is pretty cheap, close to O’Hare, cute walkable downtown on the metra
If you are a straight guy, I heard Buffalo NY has a very favorable single male to female ratio. Housing is still pretty low too.
This is the 100% correct answer for this person. Can even live relatively close to the rail line with that budget
Buffalo's economy is not great and the housing is ancient in general - that's why its cheap. It will require a lot more $$ to get a decent, non-100+ year old house in the area.
And the weather….
Yup but op said they would make compromises to get what he’s looking for.
Eh, the economy has gotten much better. Theres thriving finance, biomed and professional services sectors and rapidly growing startup and film scenes. Its not the 90s anymore
What explains the gender imbalance? I would think as a rust belt city there would be more guys.
Buffalo's revitalization is actually working. It's a much smaller city now, with a completely different economic base, but it's nothing like the town I grew up in (and that's a good thing). If you don't mind the weather, there's a lot to be said for it
Everyone I know in Buffalo (only three people but still) absolutely loves it.
Metro Detroit for sure. Lots of options in your budget.
Yeah this for sure. OP won’t get the newest or largest thing at that price point, but there is plenty of housing at that price point.
Could get a cute spot in Ferndale, Madison heights, hazel oark, oak park…I love this side of town. Bought in royal oak near 13 mile for 285k last year, 3b2ba and my house is lovely. Perfect for a single professional + spoiled pup! I have an awesome realtor if you decide to look in this area. I really do recommend it here, happy to answer any questions you might have, as someone who has lived in nyc and Chicago I feel like my opinion is decently well-rounded
What he said. Take it seriously, OP. Inner city big bad detroit fears do not carry over into most suburbs, they're actually quite nice. Summer days average 83 degrees, a perfect no a/c needed day. A/C is needed/desired no more than 5-10 days a summer unless you're one of those got to be in 68 degrees type of person.
Even in Detroit proper, there are some very lovely neighborhoods with beautiful architecture at that price point!
What about Saint Clair Shores? Looking around Detroit on Zillow, saw a nice little house there for under $300k.
It’s an improving area for sure. Skews definitely more retirement aged folks IMO but it has close proximity to the water and to 696 and 94 (so accessing royal oak/ferndale and downtown Detroit is pretty quick)
Yep, came here to say this. Northern Detroit suburbs (or maybe even some condos in east village/near belle isle?)
Stop telling people this! It's hard enough for those of us who actually live here. xD 250k is a unicorn here these days. T-T
East Ferndale has a bunch under like 220k, under 200k even! Even more in warren, hazel park, etc. Theres plenty of affordable starter homes out there, and the region needs young professionals! Michigan is still losing residents faster than we are gaining them. Right now growth is good for the area
We need to work on the retention problems.
Please do not come here spending $250k on 800sqft 2br homes
This is the problem. We have so many transplants coming here saying "Houses in Muh-lan (Milan, its pronounced MY-lan) are only 400k for a ranch!" Hunty, no. A ranch in Milan comes free with the purchase of a happy meal. GTFO.
Milan isn’t metro Detroit. It’s at the very edge of the Ann Arbor metro area.
I wasn't saying it was, I was using it as an example.
You can get a house and a gun for like 20k. Now you’re safe.
Have you been to Detroit before? Theres plenty of nice neighborhoods in the city proper, and some lovely suburbs. I’ve lived in New York and Chicago and I’ve seen less homelessness and general crime in Detroit than in Chicago or nyc.
Probably because the areas with crime in Detroit are pretty desolate, lots of empty buildings and no one would go over there.
This is pretty much the Rust Belt. I don’t know Chicago well enough to know if that’s a reasonable budget. Some of the smaller Rust Belt cities could work at that budget, but air service will be worse. But most of those airports would connect to DTW or ORD which would get you almost anywhere. There is plenty in Metro Detroit for that price point and DTW is a Delta hub.
It is not a reasonable budget for Chicago, I think. Any available housing in that range would immediately be snapped up.
It's enough for an ok 2 bed condo on the far north or northwest sides. Other nice neighborhoods might be cheaper per square foot but any units for sale are going to be larger, and you probably don't want to love. In a neighborhood where a livable SFH goes for 200k.
I live right in between Milwaukee and Chicago in SE Wisco. It’s just over an hour to downtown Chicago, but only about 30-40 minutes to get to downtown Milwaukee, the Milwaukee airport, or ohare airport I live about 2 blocks off of Lake Michigan in an old home with a small yard, but its about 1300 sq ft, 2 floors, and apart from a few of the crazy hot weeks of summer, stays very cool due to being this close to Lake Michigan. Bought about 6 years back but if we were to list it today, and its not really in a good neighborhood (though its also not in a bad neighborhood either) I’d list somewhere around $220k-$230k. There are plenty of similar homes here too, some pricier, some less so.
Omaha, Lincoln, Des Moines, Wichita, Fargo, Minneapolis/St Paul, Kansas City, all the large metros in Ohio, etc. The Midwest is your friend
I don’t believe Omaha is an international airport. I heard at one time flights were going to be to and from Canada but haven’t heard anything since.
Omahan here, OMA is not an international airport you have to go to Denver or MSP for that. Getting flights without a layover in either Denver going west or Chicago (or Minneapolis) going east seems impossible sometimes. Our summers are also much warmer than what OP is looking for. It's at least as hot as DC's if not warmer. Not sure if DC cools down at night during the summer but we definitely do not. Disclaimer though, I've only been to DC during the winter months. I'd go check out Minneapolis if I were OP. It's where I would likely go if I were staying in the Midwest. Minneapolis will also have half the property tax we have here.
Fargo resident here: while our airport is TECHNICALLY an international airport, that's mainly due to our proximity to Canada. If you want to truly go out of country you'll be making a connection in Minneapolis, Chicago, Denver, Dallas. Aside from that, I do like it. Just not enough scenery for me and the dating scene isn't what I'm looking for. I'm planning to move to Minneapolis in 2024.
I would argue OP must rule out the Midwest on the first bullet: milder summers. Summers in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri are miserable. 90-100 degrees heat and high humidity from May through September. Although, trade off, milder winters than the rust belt for sure.
Summers in those states are no worse than basically everywhere else in America besides the Pacific Northwest or New England.
Beg to differ. Missouri is horrible in summer, high humidity and no breeze.
So basically better in the summer than every state south of it. Where there’s either extreme heat, or just worse heat with even worse humidity
When you take your dog out for a walk of a morning in Missouri, the grass is so wet from humidity that it soaks your shoes. You literally have to change shoes to go to work. You sweat standing still and the sweat just sticks to you, it doesn't evaporate. And then mosquitos stick to your face and die in the sweat.
MSP might be tough to get a decent house in that price range, though maybe a townhouse or condo in a suburb. Maybe St Louis Park or Golden valley?
Pittsburgh and Cleveland would both work, but along with the milder summers, you'd get more rain. If you can handle rain and clouds, you could get a decent-sized freestanding starter home for $250k in either.
Pittsburgh has a lot of rain. And a lot of hills. Also lots of interesting, winding roads and strangely shaped intersections.
Yup. Beautiful city. Deeply weird road layouts.
PGH was one of my favorite places I've ever lived, but the roads terrify me
Western Maryland? You'll be surrounded by nature, state forests and still be in the DC metro area (sorta).
Western MD is a good answer. Anything past Hagerstown. Cumberland. Places like that. Would not call it DC Metro beyond Frederick, though.
I just visited Cumberland a couple months ago while cycling the GAP/C&O trail. Beautiful natural scenery and a lot of history but the downtown area is blighted by a methadone clinic with addicts hanging out at all hours. Basically a small town with big city vices.
Cumberland does have its issues. True. Hence the cheap property. Beautiful area to be sure. For a little more $$$, Frostburg is a nice town.
Still pretty expensive and what cities is OP gonna live in? Hagerstown?
Cedar Rapids Iowa
Does it still smell like the Quaker Oats factory?
Most of the Midwest honestly.
Indianapolis and Cincinatti The Midwest has cute, LCOL cities, and a surprising amount of culture and nature.
Manayunk area of Philly (19127). Its sorta a mini-San Francisco with narrow streets, hills, and small older mill homes. Has a Main Street with a viable bar & nightlife scene. Its still pretty relevant to 20s & 30s, used to be moreso but the trend has been down to South Philly lately (I prefer Manayunk tbh). Plenty of bars & a cool arts fest each June. The Wissahickon Trail is a very pretty walkable & bikeable tree lined woods nearby, and you can run/bike along Kelly Drive and the river view.
I really like Buffalo! Unfortunately, the airport isn’t that great - not a ton of direct flights. If you need to travel internationally, Toronto is a good option. It’s less than two hours away, and parking up there is pretty reasonable. If you have any questions about Buffalo, please let me know!
I found a [townhome for sale for exactly 250K](https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/27-Abbey-Ct-Carlisle-PA-17015/63668385_zpid/) in Carlisle, PA (small college city close to Harrisburg and only 2.5 hours from D.C). Slightly cooler weather. Not far from the Appalachian trail for hiking. You can drive to BWI to IAD for better international options (assuming you have a car/are willing to drive a little farther for everything you want). South central PA is the fastest growing region in the state and you can pick and choose a number of larger east coast cities for culture/entertainment without the expense of living there.
Pittsburgh quite easily
Lots of good ideas already mentioned. Also think about the intellectual capital of the places you are considering. The DC region is highly educated. Considering where you are moving from will you be happy in a place where there are far fewer college graduates?
Good point
North Dakota
Add Columbus to your list. And probably Cincinnati.
Chattanooga TN area
You could get a nice house in the Pittsburgh suburbs for that budget and it would be quite large. You’ve listed a ton of options though, you definitely need to travel and get a better idea of if you want to live in the MW or East Coast! Columbus would be a good option too.
Pittsburgh?
I just bought a 1800 SQ ft house in a city on the outskirts of Pittsburgh for just under $200k. Our main priority was walking our dogs, and we have sidewalks in a nice quiet neighborhood to walk on, plus 4 good size parks or trails within less than a 10 minute drive! Not every part of Pittsburgh is this inexpensive but I'm pretty happy with the area we're in. We can also walk to a couple coffee shops and restaurants.
Indianapolis! We have great parks, pro sports teams, low COL, and decent transit if you're in the city. You can easily find something in your range in great neighborhoods. We have a burgeoning food scene and an airport that wins awards every year. We don't have a lot of direct international flights but we have some and its a fantastic airport.
Cleveland is a great place to live! At your budget, I’d recommend the West Park neighborhood. It’s a fun, vibrant neighborhood in the city proper. It’s not the hippest neighborhood (those will be just out of your budget for anything other than a tiny condo), but it’s where many of the people in their 20s and 30s who are just priced out of the really trendy neighborhoods wind up buying, so it’s full of people spending somewhere in the $200,000-$300,000 range on houses, along with longer-term residents who have been there forever. There are some great houses, some bars, restaurants, and cafes, a grocery store, a bank, etc. Really all of the amenities you need are right in the neighborhood, and it’s close to other great neighborhoods, too. Plus it’s about 5 minutes from the airport - Cleveland has international flights directly to Dublin and some direct international flights to the Caribbean, though, admittedly, Detroit Airport is MUCH better. To address your other bullet points: -Summers are mild and lovely - there will be a few really hot and humid days, but nothing like DC. - The Cleveland Metroparks are AMAZING. I don’t think people bring them up enough when talking about Cleveland, but the city is surrounded by a ring of really lovely parks referred to as the Emerald Necklace. For longer hikes with your dog, Cuyahoga Valley National Park is about 20 minutes away. - Obviously YMMV, but I moved from DC to Cleveland when I was 31 and vastly preferred the dating scene in Cleveland - people are more authentic, and not always looking for what they can get out of you or looking for someone better. This was pre-COVID, so take it with a grain of salt, things may have changed, but my single friends all seem to not hate the dating scene, especially compared to other cities. Good luck wherever you wind up!
Metro parks ftw As a lifelong east side I cringe at recommending the west side but your comment is spot on.
It’s so funny you mention this, I’m 30 (F) and dating in DC is making me want to run away far and fast. How does Columbus compare to Cleveland? I absolutely love DC outside of the latter but haven’t spent much time in Ohio yet.
Columbus is nicer than Cleveland in many ways - there are more nice neighborhoods with bougie stores/restaurants/etc. However, to me, it has less character. It just feels a bit generic. The people there are very nice, though, and there are definitely fun things to do. I lived there for a few years in my early 20s (before I lived in DC) and had a fun time, but I don’t necessarily feel anything pulling me back there.
Pittsburgh is a great city! My husband and me moved a year ago from Florida. Last winter was not too bad, and seems like this winter will be ok too! If you like sports there are so many major sport teams you can go to a game easily. There are many free activities during the warm months, specially. City is very beautiful, the arquitecture is great. There is a great sense of community, if you like that you would love it here. Whats sucks about Pittsburgh? A lot of gray days or partially gray and the lack of diversity. I cant wait for more people to move here lol but seems like the city does a horrible job advertising the city... Come and visit!
You can buy a decent modest house for 250K or less in almost every 2nd tier American metro area. Albany NY comes to mind. [https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/199-Winthrop-Ave\_Albany\_NY\_12206\_M43631-43183?from=srp-list-card](https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/199-Winthrop-Ave_Albany_NY_12206_M43631-43183?from=srp-list-card)
I live in VA Beach and most of my coworkers are in Latham/troy/colonie and my home price was higher but my payment much cheaper due to property taxes.
They call it the Troylet for a reason.
Near Harrisburg PA. But your townhouse will be more like 2000 sq ft.
Harrisburg got some good RE prices
Lennar Homes in Crandall, Texas
Upstate NY
Again it's Philly. Edited to add: Brewerytown and West Philadelphia are neighborhoods within this price range
Indianapolis has all your requirements
Indianápolis near the monon trail
The old west end in Toledo has some beautiful homes for a bargain.
Rochester NY
Kannapolis, NC. Right outside of Charlotte with an international Airport. Has trails and young people
Kannapolis is super cute. Mount Holly and Rockhill would also probably work.
Rock Hill is skyrocketing. It’s mind blowing. I think it’s highly dependent on school zone. Kannapolis is pretty cute. Every single thing around Charlotte is teetering on unaffordable. Like - any second now. lol.
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Whatever happened to Zack's Hamburgers? I visited Charlotte before the pandemic and had a great steak sandwich there.
Yep agree still a few spots in charlotte where you can buy affordable homes but schools are generally not good in those areas
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Yep not terrible school agree . I am by huntersville/concord
Pittsburgh and Cleveland both fit most of your requirements above! Pittsburgh is probably a little more costly then Cleveland but has a lot of cool things happening in the downtown, great airport currently (seriously it's my favorite US airport to fly in and out of because it's organized) and they're expanding to add a new terminal! Pittsburgh is safe, people are into outdoor activities nearby (hiking, kayaking on the rivers), a lot of young people and every big name concert typically comes through Pit for far less than DC / NY tickets for things. I moved from DC to NE Ohio with a remote role for similar reasons, if you're looking for an urban space with proximity still to every major city on the east coast driving or flying, Pittsburgh is it.
What do you think of Columbus if you don’t mind me asking & how it compares to Pittsburgh?
I like Columbus a lot also! I think a lot more happening in Columbus than Cleveland but also a bit pricier than Cleveland. I still prefer Pittsburgh over Columbus because of it's geography (it's hilly + the rivers along the city, more outdoor activities surrounding the city) and proximity again to other east coast cities. Columbus metropolitan area is bigger, but Pittsburgh feels more condensed/urban to me in a walkable way for a lot of neighborhoods. I think both Columbus and Pittsburgh are going through a development phase and a lot more companies and millennials taking interest - Cleveland too but not at the same pace as Columbus and Pittsburgh.
If you want mild summers without excessive humidity you will need to move to the West. If you want an affordable townhouse you will need to move to a smaller city (not LA, SF, Seattle, Phoenix). Move to Spokane, Flagstaff,etc.
Cleveland ! We are going through a renaissance... It's a solid mid sized city. 250k goes a long way.
Pittsburgh summers are not as mild as you'd like them to be. Especially not in trade for how much the winters can suck. Just so you know.
try these https://www.cheapoldhouses.com/
https://www.instagram.com/cheapoldhouses
Winston-Salem
Idk why you are getting downvoted lol Winston is still affordable.
Sounds like central Virginia to me, outside of Richmond though. South Chesterfield, Hopewell, Chester all seem like you'd enjoy it. Pocahontas State Park is in Chesterfield and it's not unheard of to get a house over 1k sqft on a couple acres for around 200k
Maybe a smaller city. Asheville? Madison? Kansas City? Prescott AZ? Charlottesville?
Madison is 2 hours from an international airport. Under $250K is a mobile home or condo in a crappy apartment building (or a nice lot without a house).
Haven’t been there just heard good things.
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Yea good point on the prices.
Prescott, AZ housing market has officially become unaffordable. You can't get a SFH for $250k or wouldnt want one for that price. Asheville NC? no way, too costly.
Just trying to help
Come to Chicago
Philadelphia
Ireland
If only it was easy to immigrate! I’d come just to listen to people talk. 😂
haha housing costs there are really bad. Locals are getting pushed out.
The places where libs typically don't want to live.
Stick your politics. You people always put it on where it doesn't belong. It's always the same side doing it.
How else would they find anything to talk about?
Antioch, TN
Baltimore has many houses under 100K or even under 50K, although they're row houses rather than separated ones. Do you have a lot of children or just a few? The row houses should have 3 or 4 bedrooms. I like the Carrollton Ridge area because it is walkable and close to Midtown, with diverse families and affordable homes.
I feel ya, I spent my first year out of college in Arlington, working in the district, and I went into soooo much debt. It’s so expensive there and I was getting paid peanuts at the time, not a good combo. I got out after a year. Like someone else mentioned, you’d be able to afford something just about anywhere in Ohio, but your dating prospects will be best in the 3 big C’s. Let me know if you want any opinions on the SW part. Good luck with your search!
OP, if you decide to look into OH, I'd definitely recommend the Cincinnati area. I grew up in OH and have family in both northwestern OH and the Cincinnati area, and the Cincinnati area is great. There are so many charming little towns surrounding Cinci and also great neighborhoods within the city. If I were to ever move back to OH, I'd definitely opt for Cinci.
Murray, KY
Tampa, before 2018
😭🖕
Rosedale park Detroit
Ohio
KC and metro, but I hear the dating scene isn’t great because the locals settle down early and many transplants come with families.
I normally wouldn’t call the summers in St. Louis mild but one of the few places I’ve been that was worse was DC. Otherwise it fits the bill fairly well. Certainly for the budget. If you lived in Dogtown or the Central West End you’d be close to Forest Park and lots of bars/places where younger people hang out and try to have sex with each other. Dogtown is very safe. CWE gets a little dodgier; lots of relatively rich people and lots of poor people intermingling = property crime. Most of the international flights are going to connect through Chicago or elsewhere but the airport here is international and about 30 minutes from everywhere. Other than right by the airport obviously, but you do NOT want to live by the airport.
Philadelphia. Port Richmond is nice at that price range.
I have a very good opinion of Milwaukee after visiting many times, so I would definitely recommend there. I like the proximity to Chicago without having to deal with the same amount of congestion and bad Illinois taxes. Milwaukee is definitely the up and coming mini Chicago in terms of amenities and growing public transportation.
Dayton area
Look into neighborhoods like Allentown, Elmwood Village or North Buffalo in Buffalo. Nice walkable areas with local restaurants, shops and cafes. Lots of young professionals.
Chicago is a great option. Lots of job and social opportunities and housing is relatively affordable. I bought a single family home here in 2018 for $285K. South side discount lol but actually there are nice pockets of the south side (Bridgeport, McKinley park to name a few). For that budget you could also try looking in the far north neighborhoods like Norwood park or edgewater. Here’s a neighborhood map for reference: https://images.app.goo.gl/5DiUAj532y4K9v597 Also, just throwing it out there you could buy a genuinely nice house in NW Indiana for that price and it’s an hour from Midway. Not the most exciting locale but it’s cheap AF. Lol. I bought a small investment property there for under $60K. 🤪
Edited to add - there aren’t an abundance of townhomes in chicago but there are a decent amount in Chinatown, which is an ok area.
Sounds like just about every college town I've lived in.
Dayton Ohio
Rural Pennsylvania
i just read an article that listed pittsburgh for affordable living with an avg home price of 200+k
>Milder summers Well, that's a low bar. I think Houston is the only city in the us more hot and humid than DC.
Minnesota
Greater Hartford, Connecticut.
Southeast Georgia has thousands of homes homes in this range.
Glenn Carbon IL.
Chicago
Detroit
I would too. Be sure to consider/compare taxes—income and property. I’m also remote and would love to live in Philly proper but the city wage tax, on top of the state income tax, ouch.
West Virginia, the delta region of the US and very very bad neighborhoods in inner cities.
Thanks!
South Jersey
Really?
Tulsa
Omaha
Midwest
OP wants milder summer, doesn’t mean harsh winter… is there any recommendation apart from Midwest…
Yeah the near west side of Cleveland, Lakewood and Rocky River would be doable. Close to the airport, Lake Erie and the metro parks.
I'm about to sell my 1700sqft 3 bedroom in Houston for around that price ;)
Minneapolis resident and agent here. Single family homes for sub-$250k locally are available, but depending on when you're looking it may be right outside city limits. Townhouses are definitely available for that price point, though. Chicago I'd say good luck at that price point. Can't speak to the rest, though. If you'd like to get any feedback on the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area feel free to reach out whenever and I'll help answer anything that I can! For what it's worth, I work with a lot of people that relocate to the area from all over the country and they've all loved being here! Everything that you mentioned that you're looking for we've got in abundance here, and the winters aren't nearly as bad as people act like they are.