The Town Files

The 50 Best Places for First-Time Home Buyers in America

Ranked on The Town Files lifestyle rankings among 12,622 towns and cities of 2,500+ people in the U.S.. #1 is Knightdale, NC.

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Numbers match the ranking.
The 50 Best Places for First-Time Home Buyers in America1. Knightdale, NC100th pct2. Lake Monticello, VA100th pct3. Westwood, MI100th pct4. Topsham, ME100th pct5. Bath, ME100th pct6. Berwick, ME100th pct7. Hapeville, GA100th pct8. Ave Maria, FL100th pct9. Orangetree, FL100th pct10. Newmarket, NH100th pct11. New Gloucester, ME100th pct12. Thiells, NY100th pct13. Chester, NH100th pct14. Timber Pines, FL100th pct15. The Meadows, FL100th pct16. Delhi Hills, OH100th pct17. Bridgeport, PA100th pct18. Los Chaves, NM100th pct19. Silverton, OH100th pct20. Pleasant Run Farm, OH100th pct21. Hollis, ME100th pct22. West Bay Shore, NY100th pct23. West Reading, PA100th pct24. Penn Estates, PA100th pct25. Lee, NH100th pct
  1. 50Farmingdale, Maine

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    2,995 people · Kennebec County · median home $249,700 · income $71,635 · Jan low 9°F · 69 in snow

  2. 49Bowdoinham, Maine

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,047 people · Sagadahoc County · median home $405,500 · income $108,479 · Jan low 10°F · 72 in snow

  3. 48Oracle, Arizona

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,051 people · Pinal County · median home $239,900 · income $63,774 · Jan low 35°F · 11 in snow

  4. 47Woolwich, Maine

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,068 people · Sagadahoc County · median home $254,500 · income $102,175 · Jan low 12°F · 72 in snow

  5. 46Bowdoin, Maine

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,136 people · Sagadahoc County · median home $292,800 · income $91,239 · Jan low 8°F · 78 in snow

  6. 45Wilder, Kentucky

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,176 people · Campbell County · median home $159,900 · income $70,893 · Jan low 24°F · 18 in snow

  7. 44Penbrook, Pennsylvania

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,274 people · Dauphin County · median home $168,100 · income $62,312 · Jan low 22°F · 24 in snow

  8. 43Campton, New Hampshire

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,343 people · Grafton County · median home $356,300 · income $118,870 · Jan low 7°F · 68 in snow

  9. 42Shark River Hills, New Jersey

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,583 people · Monmouth County · median home $523,400 · income $139,524 · Jan low 25°F

  10. 41Shaftsbury, Vermont

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,598 people · Bennington County · median home $267,300 · income $86,071 · Jan low 13°F · 75 in snow

  11. 40Hazlehurst, Mississippi

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,619 people · Copiah County · median home $110,500 · income $43,552 · Jan low 39°F · 0 in snow

  12. 39Green, New Jersey

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,627 people · Sussex County · median home $472,200 · income $141,875 · Jan low 19°F · 30 in snow

  13. 38Casco, Maine

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,646 people · Cumberland County · median home $355,500 · income $69,313 · Jan low 11°F · 70 in snow

  14. 37Loxley, Alabama

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,710 people · Baldwin County · median home $398,500 · income $108,488 · Jan low 39°F · 0 in snow

  15. 36Greenhills, Ohio

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,741 people · Hamilton County · median home $174,100 · income $70,250 · Jan low 21°F · 16 in snow

  16. 35Edgecliff Village, Texas

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,788 people · Tarrant County · median home $280,000 · income $85,242 · Jan low 33°F · 0 in snow

  17. 34Hardin, Montana

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,818 people · Big Horn County · median home $147,100 · income $60,423 · Jan low 11°F · 28 in snow

  18. 33Dillon, Montana

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,880 people · Beaverhead County · median home $256,700 · income $61,134 · Jan low 15°F · 11 in snow

  19. 32Cisco, Texas

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,883 people · Eastland County · median home $104,300 · income $58,550 · Jan low 30°F · 2 in snow

  20. 31Naples, Maine

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,925 people · Cumberland County · median home $340,100 · income $78,188 · Jan low 7°F · 70 in snow

  21. 30Rossville, Georgia

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    3,980 people · Walker County · median home $133,000 · income $59,191 · Jan low 29°F · 1 in snow

  22. 29Stepney, Connecticut

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    4,280 people · median home $475,800 · income $153,966 · Jan low 18°F · 44 in snow

  23. 28Wanamassa, New Jersey

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    4,344 people · Monmouth County · median home $570,100 · income $140,972 · Jan low 25°F · 25 in snow

  24. 27Bonanza, Georgia

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    4,406 people · Clayton County · median home $204,200 · income $60,260 · Jan low 32°F · 1 in snow

  25. 26Dover-Foxcroft, Maine

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    4,422 people · Piscataquis County · median home $162,600 · income $63,344 · Jan low 3°F · 77 in snow

  26. 25Lee, New Hampshire

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    4,520 people · Strafford County · median home $480,600 · income $131,579 · Jan low 14°F · 39 in snow

  27. 24Penn Estates, Pennsylvania

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    4,546 people · Monroe County · median home $283,100 · income $118,681 · Jan low 19°F · 42 in snow

  28. 23West Reading, Pennsylvania

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    4,553 people · Berks County · median home $173,100 · income $65,885 · Jan low 23°F · 27 in snow

  29. 22West Bay Shore, New York

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    4,625 people · Suffolk County · median home $584,400 · income $137,083 · Jan low 25°F · 28 in snow

  30. 21Hollis, Maine

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    4,745 people · York County · median home $338,900 · income $95,950 · Jan low 8°F · 81 in snow

  31. 20Pleasant Run Farm, Ohio

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    4,779 people · Hamilton County · median home $229,400 · income $73,725 · Jan low 21°F · 14 in snow

  32. 19Silverton, Ohio

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    4,908 people · Hamilton County · median home $200,500 · income $72,143 · Jan low 24°F · 16 in snow

  33. 18Los Chaves, New Mexico

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    4,997 people · Valencia County · median home $285,700 · income $79,662 · Jan low 19°F · 5 in snow

  34. 17Bridgeport, Pennsylvania

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    5,015 people · Montgomery County · median home $341,100 · income $82,705 · Jan low 23°F · 25 in snow

  35. 16Delhi Hills, Ohio

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    5,022 people · Hamilton County · median home $226,600 · income $99,049 · Jan low 23°F · 23 in snow

  36. 15The Meadows, Florida

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    5,037 people · Sarasota County · median home $382,400 · income $69,774 · Jan low 52°F · 0 in snow

  37. 14Timber Pines, Florida

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    5,163 people · Hernando County · median home $278,200 · income $59,185 · Jan low 44°F · 0 in snow

  38. 13Chester, New Hampshire

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    5,232 people · Rockingham County · median home $552,300 · income $142,212 · Jan low 15°F · 76 in snow

  39. 12Thiells, New York

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    5,240 people · Rockland County · median home $579,700 · income $133,623 · Jan low 17°F · 36 in snow

  40. 11New Gloucester, Maine

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    5,676 people · Cumberland County · median home $357,100 · income $108,797 · Jan low 11°F · 80 in snow

  41. 10Newmarket, New Hampshire

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    5,797 people · Rockingham County · median home $423,500 · income $87,196 · Jan low 14°F · 39 in snow

  42. 9Orangetree, Florida

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    5,896 people · Collier County · median home $498,600 · income $112,857 · Jan low 52°F · 0 in snow

  43. 8Ave Maria, Florida

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    6,242 people · Collier County · median home $459,200 · income $102,949 · Jan low 52°F · 0 in snow

  44. 7Hapeville, Georgia

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    6,553 people · Fulton County · median home $312,100 · income $95,714 · Jan low 36°F · 2 in snow

  45. 6Berwick, Maine

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    7,950 people · York County · median home $369,100 · income $94,771 · Jan low 15°F · 55 in snow

  46. 5Bath, Maine

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    8,766 people · Sagadahoc County · median home $310,900 · income $69,390 · Jan low 10°F · 72 in snow

  47. 4Topsham, Maine

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    9,560 people · Sagadahoc County · median home $360,800 · income $91,028 · Jan low 12°F · 67 in snow

  48. 3Westwood, Michigan

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    9,621 people · Kalamazoo County · median home $193,400 · income $58,205 · Jan low 18°F · 88 in snow

  49. 2Lake Monticello, Virginia

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    10,126 people · Fluvanna County · median home $325,900 · income $106,818 · Jan low 25°F · 12 in snow

  50. 1Knightdale, North Carolina

    Better for first-time buyers than 100% of U.S. towns

    19,435 people · Wake County · median home $380,100 · income $103,220 · Jan low 30°F · 3 in snow

Price vs ranking

Median home value vs ranking, U.S. towns0255075100$37K$341K$645K$948K$1252KMedian home valuePercentile
Orange squares are the 50 towns on this list; green dots are other towns on The Town Files in the U.S..

More U.S. rankings

Methodology. We ranked 12,622 towns and cities of 2,500+ people in the U.S. (2020 Census population; towns with 2,500+ people have pages so far). Lifestyle measures are The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025), shown as percentiles. Only towns better than 60% of their peers on this measure qualify, so lists can be shorter than 25. Sources: