Where Houses List Below $310,000

Buyers shopping for a house can find the lowest advertised prices in West Virginia, Louisiana and Ohio. All three states listed homes below $285,000 in September 2026, according to median figures published by Realtor.com and distributed through the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. The data covers asking prices on active listings, not the prices buyers ultimately paid at closing.

West Virginia posted a median listing price of $259,997, the lowest figure in the country. Louisiana followed at $270,000, Ohio at $284,000, Iowa at $284,900 and Mississippi at $292,250. Kansas, Oklahoma, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Kentucky and Pennsylvania also appear in the first dozen, with Pennsylvania highest among them at $309,000.

The spread between first place and 12th place is about $49,000. Prices within individual states can vary far more than that. In Louisiana, insurance costs tied to flood and hurricane exposure can raise the monthly bill even when the purchase price looks low. In Ohio, property taxes and repairs on older houses can change the math. The same holds in West Virginia, where rural properties may need broadband upgrades, road access work or maintenance on steep terrain.

The figures measure what sellers advertise, not what buyers pay, and they do not account for local income levels. They also reflect the mix of homes on the market. A state with more small or older houses will post a lower median price than one with newer, larger stock.

Here is how the ranking of the cheapest states took shape:

Realtor.com collected listing prices for homes advertised for sale in September 2026. Those figures moved through the Federal Reserve Economic Data system at the St. Louis Fed. The resulting state-by-state medians show West Virginia at $259,997, Louisiana at $270,000, Ohio at $284,000, Iowa at $284,900, Mississippi at $292,250, Kansas at $296,000, Oklahoma at $296,643, Indiana at $299,000, Michigan at $299,900, Missouri at $300,000, Kentucky at $307,775 and Pennsylvania at $309,000.

The data does not include property taxes, insurance premiums, utility costs, maintenance, homeowners association fees or commuting expenses. A purchase price alone does not determine what a household spends each month to keep a house.

An illustrative calculation shows how a mortgage payment is built. On a $280,000 home with 20% down, the loan balance comes to $224,000. At an illustrative 6.5% fixed rate over 30 years, principal and interest would total about $1,416 a month. That figure excludes taxes, insurance and association fees, which are added to the payment.

In Louisiana, buyers can look at Baton Rouge, Shreveport and communities outside New Orleans. Ohio offers Cleveland, Cincinnati and Columbus, where demand around Columbus can push prices above those in older industrial cities. Iowa lists homes in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. Mississippi includes Jackson, Hattiesburg and parts of northern Mississippi. Kansas lists in Wichita and Topeka, while prices in the Kansas City suburbs rise with location and commute access. Oklahoma City and Tulsa carry lower prices than many large coastal markets. Indiana includes Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and South Bend. Michigan covers Detroit, Grand Rapids and Lansing. Missouri has St. Louis, Kansas City and Springfield. Kentucky includes Louisville and Lexington. Pennsylvania lists in Pittsburgh, with prices in Philadelphia and its suburbs varying widely.

The next step for buyers is a cost comparison that goes beyond the sticker price. Mortgage payments depend on the loan amount, rate, term, taxes and insurance. Local employment, school districts and commute times also factor in. Buyers should price out insurance and repairs before making an offer.

Pennsylvania's median listing price was $309,000 in September 2026.