The 25 best places to live where the average home costs less than $250,000

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Despite surging home prices across the US, it's still possible to snag something affordable in a great city.

As evidenced by U.S. News & World Report's latest ranking of the best places to live in America, the top cities for settling down tout a strong job market, low cost of living, high quality of life, and affordable housing to boot.

To find out which of the top-50 best places to live have home costs on par with the national median listing price, we filtered the ranking for cities where the median home costs $250,000 or less.

Below, check out the top-25 cities and their median home prices.

25. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

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Population: 1,318,408

Median home price: $149,646

Quality of life: 6.1

Value: 7.5

Oklahoma City's warm weather and low housing prices make it an up-and-coming place to live. Due to a recent inundation of millennials, the city now brims with energy, creativity, and new ideas, according to a local expert.

"The community's greatest asset is its people," he said. "The community is tight-knit, willing to offer a friendly hello, and ever aware that their city is really a small town at heart."

24. Tampa, Florida

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Population: 2,888,458

Median home price: $170,495

Quality of life: 6.6

Value: 5

Tampa's laid-back atmosphere, warm weather, and barrage of entertainment options make it feel like a trip to paradise. "Living in the Tampa Bay is like being on vacation all year," said a local expert.

Tampa hasn't been overtaken by tourists, however. It retains several niche communities, including a strong Cuban influence in historic Ybor City, formerly known as the "cigar capital of the world."

23. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

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Population: 558,198

Median home price: $83,500

Quality of life: 7.1

Value: 7.5

Located on the banks of the Susquehanna River and the foothills of the Appalachian Trail, Harrisburg offers residents unlimited access to the outdoors. Many are employed by the state and federal government in Harrisburg, but there's also several large private-sector companies that are top employers, including Hershey's, Rite Aid, and D&H Distributing.

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