If price is no object and your clients are able to live wherever they’d like, more power to them (and you too if you’re working in their city of choice.) If not, here is a list of kindred metro match-ups that are affordable alternatives to some favorite pricey places.
This list was limited to America’s 150 largest metros that have median home prices at or less than $350,000, housing stock, occupational opportunities in finance, government and tourism, ethnic diversity, a number of pro/amateur sports teams, restaurants/art galleries/nightlife/bars per capita and lots to do.
San Francisco and Raleigh (runner up – New Orleans)
San Francisco median listing price = $868,000
Raleigh median listing price = $339,200
The matching metric here is tech jobs – Raleigh has the
5th highest concentration of tech jobs anywhere
Los Angeles and Savannah (runner up – Las Vegas)
Los Angeles median listing price = $699,600
Savannah median listing price = $249,900
Matching metrics here are movie production/beaches-
Savannah known as “Hollywood of the South)
Boston and Philadelphia (runner up – Chicago)
Boston median listing price = $489,500
Philadelphia median listing price = $249,400
Matching metrics are historical brownstones/buildings,
finance jobs and good sports towns
Seattle and Minneapolis (runner up – Philadelphia)
Seattle median listing price = $485,000
Minneapolis median listing price = $311,300
Matching metrics are tech jobs (start-up gardens of Eden) and music
New York City and Chicago (runner up – Baltimore)
NYC median listing price = $472,500
Chicago median listing price – $279,700
Matching metrics are financial capitals, unbeatable
night life and great food
Portland and Columbus (runner-up – Madison)
Portland median listing price = $450,000
Columbus median listing price = $241,300
Matching metrics are occupation, art, music action
Washington DC and Trenton (runner-up – Tallahassee)
DC median listing price = $429,500
Trenton median listing price = $290,00
Matching metrics a bit of a stretch here but lots of
government and non-profit jobs
Miami and Phoenix (runner-up – Virginia Beach)
Miami median listing price = $387,500
Phoenix median listing price = $317,200
Matching metrics are sunshine, Boomers, tourism
The data sources include the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US Census Bureau, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Nielsen, Yelp, Google Trends.
