Third place: Syracuse, N.Y.
Four bedrooms, three baths and in town for just $165,000.
Median home price: $93,000
Median family income: $64,300
Affordability score: 92.9%
This old city grew prosperous on the Erie Canal trade. It became an industrial town where many different products from traffic signals to chemicals were made. Today, most of its biggest employers are in the educational and service fields.
The metro area has grown very slowly during its post-industrial age, leaving a large inventory of housing that sells off slowly. Meanwhile, Syracuse-area workers are quite well paid, with a median wage of close to $65,000. Unemployment, at 8.3%, is below the national average.
High income and depressed home prices result in excellent housing affordability scores.
NEXT: Fourth place: Warren, Mich.
Last updated February 23 2011: 3:17 PM ET
