When people leave big cities to live in smaller towns, the decision often comes down to affordability — the assumption being that towns cost less to live in. But that’s not always the case. Prices in some U.S. towns are comparable to those in expensive metropolitan areas like San Francisco and Los Angeles, according to a recent study from LendingTree.

Analyzing census data from the 2022 American Community Survey, the study ranked 50 “micropolitan” areas — referenced in the study as “towns” and defined by the Census Bureau as having a population between 10,000 and 50,000 — based on median home value. Researchers then paired each micropolitan area with a larger metropolitan area that had a comparable median home value.

High-end vacation spots were among the pricier spots. The micropolitan area of Vineyard Haven, Mass., which includes the entirety of Martha’s Vineyard and the nearby Elizabeth Islands, was found to be the most expensive, with a median home value of $998,100. A comparable median home value of $1.073 million was found across the country in the San Francisco metropolitan area. But while San Francisco’s median home price was almost nine times the local median income, Vineyard Haven’s was roughly 11 times the local median income, making it less affordable.

The micropolitan areas of Jackson, Wyo., and Breckenridge, Colo., both popular for winter vacations, took the second and third spots, with median home values of $847,300 and $760,000. These were considered comparable to the Los Angeles metropolitan area and its median of $772,000, though the home value-to-income ratio in Los Angeles (8.7) was still greater than in Breckenridge (7.6) and Jackson (8.3).

Only one of the 20 most expensive micropolitan areas had a median home value of less than four times the area’s median income: Los Alamos, N.M., at 3.04. In the other 19 places, it ranged from 4.2 times greater (Juneau, Alaska) to 10.7 times greater (Vineyard Haven), unaffordable to almost everyone.

Small Communities, Big Prices

The 20 most-expensive micropolitan areas (population 10,000–50,000) and the median home value in each.

Median

home value

Micropolitan area

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Vineyard Haven, Mass.

Jackson, Wyo.

Breckenridge, Colo.

Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Hailey, Idaho

Gardnerville Ranchos, Nev.

Hood River, Ore.

Ellensburg, Wash.

Los Alamos, N.M.

Astoria, Ore.

Juneau, Alaska

Fredericksburg, Texas

Kill Devil Hills, N.C.

Easton, Md.

Sandpoint, Idaho

Prineville, Ore.

Ketchikan, Alaska

Brookings, Ore.

Sheridan, Wyo.

Montrose, Colo.

$998,100

$847,300

$760,000

$691,800

$534,900

$529,600

$492,500

$417,600

$412,700

$407,700

$404,600

$399,400

$386,600

$382,000

$378,200

$368,200

$361,000

$353,200

$342,400

$338,000

Median

home value

Median

home value

Micropolitan area

Micropolitan area

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

Vineyard Haven, Mass.

Jackson, Wyo.

Breckenridge, Colo.

Steamboat Springs, Colo.

Hailey, Idaho

Gardnerville Ranchos, Nev.

Hood River, Ore.

Ellensburg, Wash.

Los Alamos, N.M.

Astoria, Ore.

$998,100

$847,300

$760,000

$691,800

$534,900

$529,600

$492,500

$417,600

$412,700

$407,700

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

Juneau, Alaska

Fredericksburg, Texas

Kill Devil Hills, N.C.

Easton, Md.

Sandpoint, Idaho

Prineville, Ore.

Ketchikan, Alaska

Brookings, Ore.

Sheridan, Wyo.

Montrose, Colo.

$404,600

$399,400

$386,600

$382,000

$378,200

$368,200

$361,000

$353,200

$342,400

$338,000

Source: LendingTree

By The New York Times

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