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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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)