Curated shortlist
States to consider for first-time home buyers
This compares the measurable statewide costs around ownership. It cannot quote a mortgage or predict a local market, so use it to make a shortlist before comparing counties and listings.
How this shortlist works
Each listed measure receives equal weight after being scaled against the national range. A score only compares these states on these measures; it is not a quality grade.
Top states on this mix
Open a state to see its counties, sources and the measures behind the score.
- 1West Virginia81.7 match
- 2New Mexico77.9 match
- 3Wyoming76.4 match
- 4Mississippi76.1 match
- 5Arkansas76.0 match
- 6Iowa73.6 match
- 7Nevada72.8 match
- 8Utah72.4 match
- 9North Dakota72.3 match
- 10Indiana71.6 match
What the top five look like
| State | Home price | Affordability | Property tax | Home insurance | Electric bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $178,702 | 2.9× | 0.51% | $1,860 | $167 |
| New Mexico | $320,106 | 4.7× | 0.63% | $2,869 | $98 |
| Wyoming | $371,685 | 4.9× | 0.53% | $2,075 | $115 |
| Mississippi | $196,333 | 3.3× | 0.58% | $2,529 | $171 |
| Arkansas | $225,822 | 3.6× | 0.56% | $3,733 | $139 |
Make the shortlist yours
Change the weights, add your climate preference, or drop anything that does not matter to you.
Open in Find your fit →These measures have different source schedules. See each state profile's Data dates & sources disclosure and the methodology before making a decision.