The Best US Counties for First-Time Home Buyers in 2026
Affordable, stable and big enough to have a real market — the US counties that are easiest to break into.
The best big US counties for first-time buyers combine low price-to-income with a stable-to-rising market — here are the top 30.
For a first purchase, the two things that matter most are whether you can afford the payment and whether the market is steady. Screening counties of 100,000+ people by price-to-income and recent momentum, the most first-time-friendly is Cambria County, PA at just 1.9× local income ($107,147). Most of the leaderboard sits in the Midwest and South, where incomes buy far more home than on the coasts.
| # | County | Value | × income | Past year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cambria County, PA | $107,147 | 1.9× | -2.4% |
| 2 | Macon County, IL | $126,920 | 2.1× | +8.0% |
| 3 | Rock Island County, IL | $158,998 | 2.5× | +5.1% |
| 4 | Saint Lawrence County, NY | $144,982 | 2.5× | +4.2% |
| 5 | Tazewell County, IL | $190,037 | 2.6× | +9.1% |
| 6 | Peoria County, IL | $164,333 | 2.6× | +7.2% |
| 7 | Hinds County, MS | $134,543 | 2.6× | +1.7% |
| 8 | Schuylkill County, PA | $168,308 | 2.7× | +4.8% |
| 9 | La Salle County, IL | $194,342 | 2.7× | +8.2% |
| 10 | Kanawha County, WV | $152,842 | 2.7× | +0.5% |
| 11 | Madison County, IL | $199,040 | 2.7× | +5.9% |
| 12 | Sangamon County, IL | $199,486 | 2.7× | +8.8% |
| 13 | Saint Clair County, IL | $180,517 | 2.7× | +2.8% |
| 14 | Fayette County, PA | $148,339 | 2.7× | +1.4% |
| 15 | Comanche County, OK | $156,576 | 2.7× | +5.2% |
| 16 | Montgomery County, AL | $166,219 | 2.8× | +2.3% |
| 17 | Wichita County, TX | $172,004 | 2.8× | +0.5% |
| 18 | Allen County, OH | $192,174 | 2.9× | +8.1% |
| 19 | Saginaw County, MI | $173,333 | 2.9× | +7.4% |
| 20 | Mercer County, PA | $181,049 | 2.9× | +0.3% |
| 21 | Lucas County, OH | $178,791 | 3.0× | +4.7% |
| 22 | Jefferson County, TX | $175,275 | 3.0× | +2.8% |
| 23 | Potter County, TX | $152,159 | 3.0× | +3.1% |
| 24 | Terrebonne Parish, LA | $182,695 | 2.9× | -6.0% |
| 25 | Oswego County, NY | $205,512 | 3.0× | +8.0% |
| 26 | Westmoreland County, PA | $209,480 | 3.0× | -1.2% |
| 27 | Caddo Parish, LA | $155,220 | 3.1× | +1.0% |
| 28 | Black Hawk County, IA | $189,011 | 3.1× | +1.6% |
| 29 | Delaware County, IN | $171,824 | 3.1× | +3.9% |
| 30 | Madison County, IN | $191,719 | 3.1× | +3.7% |
Source: Zillow ZHVI, US Census (income, population) and Realtor.com, as of 2026-05. Figures are estimates — see methodology.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place for a first-time home buyer in the US?
Among large counties, Cambria County, PA scores highest — about 1.9× local income at $107,147.
What makes a county good for first-time buyers?
A low price-to-income ratio (the home costs a manageable multiple of local earnings) plus a stable-to-rising market, so you are not buying into a decline.