If you’ve ever visited a college town, you’ve likely experienced the strong sense of community, the vibrant youthful energy surrounding the area, and the overall lively atmosphere. College towns can be more spirited than others, coming to life with sporting events, nightlife, restaurants, and more. If this is something you seek and would like to be immersed in this community, these budget-friendly homes might be for you.
To determine the most budget-friendly homes in charming college towns, Moms Who Think reviewed five-year data on median household value and median household income from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey.
Cities, towns, and Census-designated places were ranked based on the ratio of median home value to median household income. Only places with at least 10,000 residents where at least 15% of the population is enrolled in college or graduate school were considered.
50. Cape Girardeau, Missouri
©"Greetings from Cape Girardeau, Missouri - Large Letter Postcard" by Shook Photos is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $177,500 (3.4 times income)
- Median household income: $51,671
- Total population: 39,795
49. Middletown, Connecticut
©"Middletown, Connecticut" by jjbers is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $257,800 (3.4 times income)
- Median household income: $75,120
- Total population: 48,152
48. Waterville, Maine
©"Waterville Maine Town Square" by tiarescott is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $154,400 (3.4 times income)
- Median household income: $45,208
- Total population: 15,785
47. Moorhead, Minnesota
©"Exit to Moorhead, Minnesota" by Ken Lund is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $234,300 (3.4 times income)
- Median household income: $68,680
- Total population: 44,443
46. Winona, Minnesota
©"Winona, Minnesota skyline" by Wikideas1 is licensed under CC0 1.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $176,600 (3.4 times income)
- Median household income: $52,500
- Total population: 26,083
45. Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
©"Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania" by Dougtone is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $220,100 (3.3 times income)
- Median household income: $66,640
- Total population: 11,805
44. Tahlequah, Oklahoma
©"Water park on the NSU campus in Tahlequah, Oklahoma." by mrjacobwilson24 is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $163,300 (3.3 times income)
- Median household income: $49,444
- Total population: 16,389
43. Duluth, Minnesota
©"Downtown Duluth, Minnesota Skyline (25406820466)" by Tony Webster from San Francisco, California is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $209,800 (3.3 times income)
- Median household income: $63,545
- Total population: 86,772
42. Maryville, Missouri
©"Welcome to Missouri" by daveandlolo is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $162,100 (3.3 times income)
- Median household income: $49,144
- Total population: 10,691
41. Stevens Point, Wisconsin
©"University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point / Old Main Hall" by royal_broil is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $176,400 (3.3 times income)
- Median household income: $53,611
- Total population: 25,549
40. Champaign, Illinois
©"Champaign - University of Illinois Football" by roger4336 is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $191,200 (3.3 times income)
- Median household income: $58,273
- Total population: 88,628
39. Glassboro, New Jersey
©"2020-07-12 10 38 40 View south along New Jersey State Route 700 (New Jersey Turnpike) at Exit 2 (U.S. Route 322, Swedesboro, Glassboro) in Woolwich Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey" by Famartin is licensed under BY-SA 4.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $256,900 (3.3 times income)
- Median household income: $78,518
- Total population: 23,014
38. Kirksville, Missouri
©"20190919 54 Kirksville, Missori" by davidwilson1949 is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $133,100 (3.2 times income)
- Median household income: $41,089
- Total population: 17,533
37. St. Peter, Minnesota
©"File:Gustavus Adolphus College in Winter, St. Peter, Minnesota (26819602508).jpg" by Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $217,400 (3.2 times income)
- Median household income: $67,255
- Total population: 12,039
36. Troy, New York
©"Troy, New York" by Dougtone is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $177,100 (3.2 times income)
- Median household income: $54,837
- Total population: 51,268
35. Keene, New Hampshire
©"Old Stone Arch Bridge - Keene, New Hampshire" by Dougtone is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $221,400 (3.2 times income)
- Median household income: $69,381
- Total population: 22,907
34. Edwardsville, Illinois
©"Edwardsville, Illinois" by pasa47 is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $277,000 (3.2 times income)
- Median household income: $87,094
- Total population: 26,622
33. Plattsburgh, New York
©"Plattsburgh, New York" by Dougtone is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $172,900 (3.1 times income)
- Median household income: $55,049
- Total population: 19,907
32. Kalamazoo, Michigan
©"Skydeck Restaurant Birdseye View of Downtown Kalamazoo Photo by Michigan Municipal League" by Michigan Municipal League (MML) is licensed under BY-ND 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $152,700 (3.1 times income)
- Median household income: $48,649
- Total population: 73,342
31. Indiana, Pennsylvania
©"Greetings from Indiana, Pennsylvania, Amid the Rolling Hills of Pennsylvania - Large Letter Postcard" by Shook Photos is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $124,100 (3.1 times income)
- Median household income: $40,013
- Total population: 14,082
30. Lubbock, Texas
©Nick Fox/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $181,600 (3.1 times income)
- Median household income: $58,734
- Total population: 258,190
29. Berea, Kentucky
©"Berea College - Kentucky" by US Department of State is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $167,200 (3.1 times income)
- Median household income: $54,481
- Total population: 15,404
28. Bourbonnais, Illinois
©iStock.com/pabradyphoto
- Median home value: $238,000 (3.1 times income)
- Median household income: $77,738
- Total population: 18,125
27. Normal, Illinois
©"File:Sprague's Super Service in Normal, Illinois on Route 66..jpg" by William Wesen Appraiser is licensed under BY-SA 3.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $194,400 (3.0 times income)
- Median household income: $63,965
- Total population: 52,920
26. Macomb, Illinois
©"Macomb, Illinois" by Roadgeek Adam is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $103,800 (3.0 times income)
- Median household income: $35,064
- Total population: 15,207
25. Meadville, Pennsylvania
©"Meadville, Pennsylvania" by Dougtone is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $136,200 (3.0 times income)
- Median household income: $46,157
- Total population: 12,929
24. Huntington, West Virginia
©"U.S. 52 Crossing Ohio, River, Huntington, West Virginia and Cheapeake, Ohio" by Ken Lund is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $114,800 (2.9 times income)
- Median household income: $39,066
- Total population: 46,637
23. Canyon, Texas
©iStock.com/leekris
- Median home value: $198,600 (2.9 times income)
- Median household income: $67,631
- Total population: 15,089
22. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
©"Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania" by Javcon117* is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $171,800 (2.9 times income)
- Median household income: $60,187
- Total population: 303,843
21. Williamsport, Pennsylvania
©"Greetings from Williamsport, Pennsylvania - Large Letter Postcard" by Shook Photos is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $136,400 (2.8 times income)
- Median household income: $48,388
- Total population: 27,755
20. Binghamton, New York
©"Binghamton New York ~ Phelps Mansion Museum ~ Historical Mansion" by Onasill ~ Bill - 78.8M is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $117,400 (2.8 times income)
- Median household income: $42,031
- Total population: 47,617
19. Pella, Iowa
©gustavofrazao/iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $240,100 (2.8 times income)
- Median household income: $86,025
- Total population: 10,556
18. Oneonta, New York
©"Oneonta, New York" by Dougtone is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $170,900 (2.7 times income)
- Median household income: $62,188
- Total population: 14,097
17. Syracuse, New York
©littlenySTOCK/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $117,900 (2.7 times income)
- Median household income: $43,584
- Total population: 146,134
16. Waverly, Iowa
©"Waverly iowa" by Billwhittaker (talk) is licensed under BY-SA 3.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $211,000 (2.7 times income)
- Median household income: $78,278
- Total population: 10,399
15. Marshall, Missouri
©"Marshall, Missouri (2016)" by David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $137,100 (2.6 times income)
- Median household income: $52,171
- Total population: 13,687
14. Carnot-Moon, Pennsylvania
©PeterHermesFurian/ via Getty Images
- Median home value: $231,900 (2.6 times income)
- Median household income: $89,573
- Total population: 13,345
13. Charleston, Illinois
©iStock.com/pabradyphoto
- Median home value: $122,700 (2.6 times income)
- Median household income: $47,533
- Total population: 17,795
12. Tiffin, Ohio
©"Bascom, Ohio as viewed from Tiffin Street" by Photo by and ©2008 Dustin M. Ramsey (Kralizec!) is licensed under BY-SA 2.5. - Original / License
- Median home value: $123,600 (2.5 times income)
- Median household income: $48,869
- Total population: 17,894
11. Emporia, Kansas
©SevenMaps/Shutterstock.com
- Median home value: $125,200 (2.5 times income)
- Median household income: $49,661
- Total population: 24,118
10. Portales, New Mexico
©"Greyhound Stadium Portales New Mexico 2023 (Quintin Soloviev)" by Quintin Soloviev is licensed under BY 4.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $124,000 (2.5 times income)
- Median household income: $49,313
- Total population: 12,085
9. Brent, Florida
©gguy44/iStock via Getty Images
- Median home value: $106,500 (2.4 times income)
- Median household income: $44,053
- Total population: 22,969
4. University Heights, Ohio
©"Rodman Hall, John Carroll University, University Heights, OH" by w_lemay is licensed under BY-SA 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $209,800 (2.3 times income)
- Median household income: $91,960
- Total population: 13,649
3. Atchison, Kansas
©"McInteer Villa - Atchison, Kansas" by US Department of State is licensed under PDM 1.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $113,900 (2.3 times income)
- Median household income: $50,344
- Total population: 10,834
2. Muncie, Indiana
©"Greetings from Ball State Teachers' College, Muncie, Indiana - Large Letter Postcard" by Shook Photos is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $88,000 (2.2 times income)
- Median household income: $40,309
- Total population: 65,167
1. Geneva, New York
©"20150828 116 Geneva, New York" by davidwilson1949 is licensed under BY 2.0. - Original / License
- Median home value: $123,100 (1.9 times income)
- Median household income: $63,602
- Total population: 12,670
The image featured at the top of this post is ©"Troy, New York" by Dougtone is licensed under BY-SA 2.0..