When it comes to deciding where to put down one's roots, there's a lot to consider — especially if kids are involved or could be one day.
Midsize cities with moderate costs of living, suburban feels, and good schools are the best choices if you're buying a home with kids in mind, a new Rocket Mortgage report detailing some of the best states and cities for raising a family said.
Long-term mortgage rates at two-decade highs have made homebuying far more difficult financially, so affordability is usually topping considerations these days. Generally speaking, a home is considered affordable for a family if monthly mortgage payments, taxes, and insurance are under 30% of the household income, according to Insider's personal-finance team.
Other things to consider when choosing a place to buy a house in, according to the personal-finance team, are proximity to hospitals and everyday conveniences like grocery stores, and the value of the property, should a sale be necessary down the road.
The pandemic has motivated many buyers to also value a quiet neighborhood. If that's you, it's important to consider when choosing where to settle down.
To be sure, the factors identified by Rocket aren't the only ones to consider, as the report's authors noted. There are cities not named that are still worth a look, depending on how much you can spend on a house and where in the country you hope to settle.
The places that made Rocket's ranking are mostly near big cities. They vary in population, location, and price.
Here they are — in order of most expensive listing price to least expensive listing price.