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It would be nearly impossible to be a new homeowner of a single family home in a nice neighborhood in the Washington DC area today. Because we bought our home 10 years ago when prices were more reasonable, it is possible to survive today on middle class wages. But not for a newcomer today.
I wonder if there is any place left where one can be a middle class person and own a nice home and live a comfortable middle class lifestyle. But with a healthy job market. (Many places have affordable housing but there is 2000 applicants for a single job opening at Walmart)
I dont think people on the East coast are familiar with the situation in the mid-west every city besides Minneapolis and Chicago has lots of vacant houses and the housing market has been depressed for years and it shows. The midwest didnt have a bubble in the first place and its gotten weaker and weaker over the last several years.
It all depends on what sort of environment you want as far as where its very affordable. If you want a very safe, small city that has 10 minute commutes try to Sioux Falls, Fargo or Duluth. If you want a medium-sized affordable place which has alot of amenities but has low commute times and is very easy to live in try Des Moines, Omaha or Wichita (probubly the cheapest out of three) If you like a larger city with more amenities then Louisville, Oklahoma City or Fort Worth would more then likely fit your needs. If you like being near the mountains Greeley, Colorado which is just NE of Denver.
Here are some cities
Ohio cities (Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo)
Indiana (Indianapolis, Fort Wayne)
Louisville (Louisville)
Iowa (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo)
Nebraska (Omaha, Lincoln)
Kansas (Wichita)
Colorado (Pueblo, Greeley)
Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, Tulsa)
Missouri (Kansas City, St. Louis)
South Dakota (Sioux Falls)
North Dakota (Fargo)
I would say all the midwestern cities except for Minneapolis and Chicago in fact.
As far as the west probubly much fewer and far between maybe Cheyenne, Wyoming and in Pueblo and Greeley, Colorado could probubly fit that label.
ditto Wichita, AOL just listed the top 5 or so areas where real estate continues to experience steady growth and Wichita was on the list. I have family in the 'burbs of Wichita, blue collar workers, and they live quite comfortably.
I dont think people on the East coast are familiar with the situation in the mid-west every city besides Minneapolis and Chicago has lots of vacant houses and the housing market has been depressed for years and it shows. The midwest didnt have a bubble in the first place and its gotten weaker and weaker over the last several years.
It all depends on what sort of environment you want as far as where its very affordable. If you want a very safe, small city that has 10 minute commutes try to Sioux Falls, Fargo or Duluth. If you want a medium-sized affordable place which has alot of amenities but has low commute times and is very easy to live in try Des Moines, Omaha or Wichita (probubly the cheapest out of three) If you like a larger city with more amenities then Louisville, Oklahoma City or Fort Worth would more then likely fit your needs. If you like being near the mountains Greeley, Colorado which is just NE of Denver.
Here are some cities
Ohio cities (Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo)
Indiana (Indianapolis, Fort Wayne)
Louisville (Louisville)
Iowa (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo)
Nebraska (Omaha, Lincoln)
Kansas (Wichita)
Colorado (Pueblo, Greeley)
Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, Tulsa)
Missouri (Kansas City, St. Louis)
South Dakota (Sioux Falls)
North Dakota (Fargo)
I would say all the midwestern cities except for Minneapolis and Chicago in fact.
As far as the west probubly much fewer and far between maybe Cheyenne, Wyoming and in Pueblo and Greeley, Colorado could probubly fit that label.
Our friend NAH should see this list. Besides the relatively inexpensive housing, he'll have the cooler temps he seeks as well as access to some amenities that I suspect he will realize he misses once in the OC.
I dont think people on the East coast are familiar with the situation in the mid-west every city besides Minneapolis and Chicago has lots of vacant houses and the housing market has been depressed for years and it shows. The midwest didnt have a bubble in the first place and its gotten weaker and weaker over the last several years.
It all depends on what sort of environment you want as far as where its very affordable. If you want a very safe, small city that has 10 minute commutes try to Sioux Falls, Fargo or Duluth. If you want a medium-sized affordable place which has alot of amenities but has low commute times and is very easy to live in try Des Moines, Omaha or Wichita (probubly the cheapest out of three) If you like a larger city with more amenities then Louisville, Oklahoma City or Fort Worth would more then likely fit your needs. If you like being near the mountains Greeley, Colorado which is just NE of Denver.
Here are some cities
Ohio cities (Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Dayton, Toledo)
Indiana (Indianapolis, Fort Wayne)
Louisville (Louisville)
Iowa (Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo)
Nebraska (Omaha, Lincoln)
Kansas (Wichita)
Colorado (Pueblo, Greeley)
Oklahoma (Oklahoma City, Tulsa)
Missouri (Kansas City, St. Louis)
South Dakota (Sioux Falls)
North Dakota (Fargo)
I would say all the midwestern cities except for Minneapolis and Chicago in fact.
As far as the west probubly much fewer and far between maybe Cheyenne, Wyoming and in Pueblo and Greeley, Colorado could probubly fit that label.
All of those places might be inexpensive, but I don't know if many Midwestern cities outside of Chicago and Minneapolis address the other part of the question, which is also having a healthy job market.
For the most part, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Texas all have very strong economies with relatively inexpensive housing even in the largest metro areas.
Oregonrain -
still lots of places left to try but the way things are now and given my age, I doubt I'll ever be a homeowner on a single parent salary. Even a small starter bungalow is beyond our budget, the ones I have seen haven't been near to good (not great) salaries. I think we missed the chance by not buying sooner. Still...
The Atlanta area is very affordable and has a lot of jobs.
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Besides the relatively inexpensive housing, he'll have the cooler temps he seeks as well as access to some amenities that I suspect he will realize he misses once in the OC. 
but the way things are now and given my age, I doubt I'll ever be a homeowner on a single parent salary. Even a small starter bungalow is beyond our budget, the ones I have seen haven't been near to good (not great) salaries. I think we missed the chance by not buying sooner. Still...
