As cities across the United States struggle with the lack of affordable housing, one mid-sized Midwestern city has mostly seemed to avoid the problems, being named the most affordable place to live in the country by US News & World Report.
With a population of just over 265,000 as of the 2020 U.S. Census and a median home price under $170,000, Fort Wayne, Indiana was named the nation’s most affordable city for 2024-2025 by the publication.
Ranked at the top of the rankings, Fort Wayne was praised for its mix of quiet neighborhoods and offering amenities typically associated with larger cities, such as entertainment and an arts scene.
The publication cites the city’s economic resilience against some of its Rust Belt counterparts, with investments from General Motors and BAE Systems helping a local manufacturing sector.
The Midwest was well represented at the top of the list, with the region comprising five of the top 10 cities.
Wichita, Kansas came in at number 3 on the list, followed by Springfield, Missouri and Davenport, Iowa at number 4 and 5 respectively.
Also cracking the top 10 was fellow mid-sized Midwest city Green Bay, Wisconsin, which came in at no. 8 while gaining recognition for its college campuses, Midwest small-town atmosphere and a revitalized downtown.
Although Illinois cities were not seen in the top tier of the rankings, two cities from the Land of Lincoln still found their way into the top 25.
Peoria was ranked No. 16, while Rockford, which was named “hottest housing market in America” by the Wall Street Journal earlier this year, ranked 20th.
More information about the ranking and the cities selected for the list is available here.