Where the US cities with the highest average mortgages were all out west, the 15 cities where Credit Karma members had the lowest average mortgage according to our data* spread all over the country: the Midwest, South and Northeast.
Despite this geographic diversity, the cities share some commonalities. Median household income falls below the U.S. average for every entry, and most local unemployment rates fall above the national figure, according to the U.S. Census.
Lower housing costs leave the cities on this list primed for resurgence. Buffalo, which tops this list, is experiencing a 15-year high in employment thanks to a local construction boom. Brownsville, Texas—sixth on the list—will soon be home to a SpaceX spaceport. Forbes recently ranked Akron, Warren and Detroit from our list as some of the most affordable places to live in America.
15 US Cities With the Lowest Average Mortgage
* Based on all Credit Karma members who pulled their credit profile data from July 2014 through June 2015 and live in a city with a population greater than 100,000.