Suburbs, residential areas detached but linked to nearby cities, have grown over the past century to represent family living for much of the population in the United States. Americans often choose life in the suburbs because there they can afford bigger houses, a yard, and a quieter environment to raise a family. Some suburbs are drastically more expensive than average city neighborhoods, but others offer comparable housing prices.
Suburbs began to spring up during the latter part of the 19th century, when transportation technology had advanced to the point people could live outside a city and still commute in for work. In the United States, suburban living exploded after the end of World War II as veterans moved out of cities in search of affordable places to buy their own houses and raise families.
From the 1950s to the 1990s, a majority of young, college-educated professionals preferred suburbs over living in downtown areas of cities, according to C+R Research. In the 2000s, this trend reversed, and there has been increased demand in many urban areas. However, suburban homes remain popular, and finding affordable ones can be difficult, especially in today’s housing market. (The best suburb for city-like living.)
Nationwide storage space marketplace, StorageCafe, defines suburbs as municipalities that are near cities and have populations between 10,000 and 100,000. StorageCafe ranked suburbs using factors like greenspace, crime rates, and employment opportunities to come up with a list of the 100 best suburbs in the United States. Of these, they have identified the most affordable ones. 24/7 Wall Street reviewed StorageCafe’s list of cheapest suburbs to determine the best suburbs for home buyers.
These suburbs offer both a relatively high quality of life while being cheaper, with comparable housing prices to nearby urban areas. Chicago is especially notable for having affordable suburbs with 12 of the top 20 best suburbs for home buyers in the Windy City. (On the other end of the spectrum, check out metro areas where families pay the most for housing.)
Click here to see the best suburbs for home buyers
Source: via Facebook / courtesy of City of Rogers, MN - Government
20. Rogers, MN
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $431,902
> Principal city: Minneapolis, MN (home price: $330,879)
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Source: marvod / iStock via Getty Images
19. Rockwall, TX
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $431,628
> Principal city: Dallas, TX (home price: $302,809)
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Source: Art Wager / iStock via Getty Images
18. Saint Augustine, FL
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $427,304
> Principal city: Jacksonville, FL (home price: $279,696)
17. Venice, FL
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $424,174
> Principal city: North Port, FL (home price: $342,256)
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16. Geneva, IL
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $420,398
> Principal city: Chicago, IL (home price: $309,268)
Source: awalby / iStock via Getty Images
15. Brookfield, WI
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $410,670
> Principal city: Milwaukee, WI (home price: $171,664)
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Source: 129679309@N05 / Flickr
14. Pewaukee, WI
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $402,372
> Principal city: Milwaukee, WI (home price: $171,664)
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Source: John Sommers II / Getty Images News via Getty Images
13. Frankfort, IL
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $398,387
> Principal city: Chicago, IL (home price: $309,268)
12. Downers Grove, IL
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $396,702
> Principal city: Chicago, IL (home price: $309,268)
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Source: via Facebook / courtesy of Village of Lake Zurich
11. Lake Zurich, IL
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $391,454
> Principal city: Chicago, IL (home price: $309,268)
10. North Haven, CT
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $375,380
> Principal city: New Haven, CT (home price: $259,497)
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9. Morton Grove, IL
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $374,168
> Principal city: Chicago, IL (home price: $309,268)
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8. Orland Park, IL
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $368,057
> Principal city: Chicago, IL (home price: $309,268)
7. Buffalo Grove, IL
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $366,486
> Principal city: Chicago, IL (home price: $309,268)
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Source: Alex Potemkin / E+ via Getty Images
6. Vernon Hills, IL
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $351,844
> Principal city: Chicago, IL (home price: $309,268)
Source: DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
5. Bloomingdale, IL
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $344,964
> Principal city: Chicago, IL (home price: $309,268)
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4. Snellville, GA
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $335,538
> Principal city: Atlanta, GA (home price: $395,088)
Source: ajlavin / Flickr
3. Elk Grove Village, IL
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $331,338
> Principal city: Chicago, IL (home price: $309,268)
2. Algonquin, IL
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $331,258
> Principal city: Chicago, IL (home price: $309,268)
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Source: Jacob Boomsma / iStock via Getty Images
1. Crystal Lake, IL
> Typical home price, Feb 2022: $301,757
> Principal city: Chicago, IL (home price: $309,268)
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