34 properties from government open data (Public Domain)
π‘ Fun fact: The cheapest property here costs about 0.3 years of local average salary!
The United States offers the world's largest and most diverse real estate market, spanning from $5,000 vacant lots in Detroit to $100+ million penthouses in Manhattan. The market is fundamentally local β conditions in San Francisco bear little resemblance to those in Memphis or Miami. Nationally, the median home price sits around $400,000, but this average masks extreme variations: San Jose's median exceeds $1.5 million while cities in the Midwest and South offer family homes under $200,000.
The US property market is uniquely accessible to foreign buyers, with no federal restrictions on foreign ownership. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage β rare in most countries β provides exceptional payment stability, though rates have risen significantly from historic lows. Property taxes vary enormously by state and locality, from under 0.5% annually in Hawaii to over 2% in New Jersey and Illinois. The market is driven by the Federal Reserve's monetary policy, housing supply constraints in coastal cities, and demographic shifts including millennial household formation and Sun Belt migration. Real estate investment is deeply embedded in American culture, with homeownership viewed as a cornerstone of wealth building.
Cleveland, Ohio
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Detroit, Michigan
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Memphis, Tennessee
Anchorage, Alaska
Baltimore, Maryland
Phoenix, Arizona
Indianapolis, Indiana
Las Vegas, Nevada
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Columbus, Ohio
Miami, Florida
Atlanta, Georgia
Tampa, Florida
Charlotte, North Carolina
Portland, Oregon
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Portland, Oregon
Nashville, Tennessee
Las Vegas, Nevada
Austin, Texas
Denver, Colorado
Washington, District of Columbia
San Francisco, California
Salt Lake City, Utah
Denver, Colorado
Nashville, Tennessee
Seattle, Washington
New York, New York
Savannah, Georgia
Miami, Florida
Boston, Massachusetts
Maui, Hawaii
A global tour of the most affordable real estate β from Detroit's dollar houses to Italian village homes and Japanese akiya.
What does $500,000 buy you around the world? A data-driven comparison of property prices across major markets using government records.
Some countries charge almost nothing β others take a fortune every year
Everything you need to know before buying your first investment property abroad.