Greensboro Is the 81st-Most Affordable U.S. City for Homebuyers in 2026

Greensboro, N.C., ranks 81st in the country for the affordability of buying a home, according to a new WalletHub study that analyzed 300 U.S. cities using 10 key metrics. Those metrics range from home purchase and maintenance costs to taxes and vacancy rates.

Home prices have surged in recent years, with the median sales price in the U.S. rising from $355,000 in Q1 2021 to $403,200 in Q1 2026. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has also increased sharply from a historic low of 2.65% in January 2021 to 6.37% in May 2026. With both elevated home prices and higher interest rates, many consumers may question whether homeownership is still within reach. Buying real estate remains more affordable in certain cities than others, though.

“When deciding where to buy, home prices alone aren't a good enough indicator of how affordable things will be,” said WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo. “You also have to consider how prices compare to incomes in the area, plus factor in things like the cost of living, maintenance expenses and taxes.”

In-Depth Look at Greensboro

Greensboro has the 48th-lowest cost of living in the U.S., plus the 60th-lowest home price per square foot. In other words, homeowners' budgets are less likely to be stretched by mortgage payments or everyday expenses.

Greensboro is less affordable in other areas, though. For example, it has the 116th-highest median real estate tax rate in the nation. It also has the 82nd-highest home energy and phone service costs. In other words, certain monthly and yearly expenses will still take a big bite out of your income.

When you combine all 10 of the metrics, Greensboro ends up in 81st place overall out of the 300 cities included in WalletHub's study.

Most Affordable Cities for Home Buyers

The methodology can be found on the full version of the article on WalletHub.