Richmond Is the 120th-Most Affordable U.S. City for Homebuyers in 2026

Richmond, Va., ranks 120th 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 Richmond

Richmond has the 66th-lowest homeowners insurance premiums in the U.S., plus the 71st-lowest cost of living. As a result, homeowners will have more room in their budgets for mortgage payments.

Richmond is less attractive to homebuyers in other areas, though. For example, it has the 131st-lowest home price appreciation in the nation, which means that houses aren't necessarily a great investment. It also has the 101st-most expensive home energy and phone service costs.

When you combine all 10 of the metrics, Richmond ends up in 120th place overall out of the 300 cities included in WalletHub's study.

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