Affordable small towns within an hour of a big city

The book's rule of thumb: if you'll miss big-city sports, concerts and theater, stay within about 60 miles. These towns are that close, with typical home values below the U.S. typical value of $332,700.

How we picked

Within 60 miles (straight line) of a metro area of about 1 million people or more
Typical home value below the U.S. typical value
2,500 to 75,000 people, and not a suburb of a bigger city
An emergency room within 30 miles (straight line)
Population not down more than 5% since 2020 (the book warns against dying towns)
Ranked by typical home value

#	Town	Big city	Typical home	Household income	Emergency room
1	Johnstown, PA	56 mi to Pittsburgh	$45,400	$37,888	In town
2	Charleroi, PA	21 mi to Pittsburgh	$52,800	$43,265	3 mi
3	Donora, PA	19 mi to Pittsburgh	$62,300	$39,544	3 mi
4	Youngstown, OH	57 mi to Pittsburgh	$63,300	$34,408	In town
5	New Castle, PA	43 mi to Pittsburgh	$77,400	$42,219	In town
6	Wellsville, OH	37 mi to Pittsburgh	$78,600	$31,720	4 mi
7	Okemah, OK	53 mi to Tulsa	$79,300	$32,386	In town
8	Salem, NJ	35 mi to Philadelphia	$79,800	$38,721	14 mi
9	Salamanca, NY	51 mi to Buffalo	$80,900	$41,667	16 mi
10	East Liverpool, OH	34 mi to Pittsburgh	$81,300	$34,009	In town
11	Hominy, OK	34 mi to Tulsa	$82,200	$37,193	9 mi
12	Albion, NY	29 mi to Rochester	$82,300	$41,581	11 mi
13	La Grange, NC	60 mi to Raleigh	$83,800	$48,078	11 mi
14	Ford City, PA	33 mi to Pittsburgh	$84,400	$57,971	3 mi
15	Marion, IN	59 mi to Indianapolis	$85,300	$43,343	In town
16	Drumright, OK	40 mi to Tulsa	$85,600	$45,580	In town
17	Olean, NY	60 mi to Buffalo	$86,100	$51,261	In town
18	Austin, IN	41 mi to Louisville/Jefferson County	$86,200	$31,520	3 mi
19	Jamestown, NY	58 mi to Buffalo	$87,700	$43,523	In town
20	Farrell, PA	60 mi to Pittsburgh	$87,800	$42,595	In town
21	Henryetta, OK	48 mi to Tulsa	$88,600	$45,259	In town
22	Anadarko, OK	50 mi to Oklahoma City	$89,300	$43,105	In town
23	Pacolet, SC	34 mi to Greenville	$89,600	$42,359	11 mi
24	Watonga, OK	56 mi to Oklahoma City	$89,700	$54,081	In town
25	Nowata, OK	42 mi to Tulsa	$89,900	$47,776	In town
26	Sebring, OH	51 mi to Cleveland	$90,300	$49,541	4 mi
27	Gillespie, IL	41 mi to St. Louis	$91,000	$82,772	8 mi
28	Mount Morris, NY	33 mi to Rochester	$91,200	$51,125	13 mi
29	Karnes City, TX	55 mi to San Antonio	$93,400	$55,354	3 mi
30	Hornell, NY	58 mi to Rochester	$94,500	$47,385	In town
31	Dunkirk, NY	37 mi to Buffalo	$94,700	$53,299	In town
32	Monessen, PA	20 mi to Pittsburgh	$95,900	$52,889	3 mi
33	Vinita, OK	59 mi to Tulsa	$96,200	$47,025	5 mi
34	Muncie, IN	49 mi to Indianapolis	$97,300	$44,471	In town
35	Bogalusa, LA	50 mi to New Orleans	$97,600	$30,749	In town
36	Alexandria, IN	42 mi to Indianapolis	$97,800	$64,317	9 mi
37	Elwood, IN	38 mi to Indianapolis	$97,800	$53,280	In town
38	Canton, OH	49 mi to Cleveland	$97,800	$43,188	In town
39	New Castle, IN	42 mi to Indianapolis	$98,000	$51,606	In town
40	Pauls Valley, OK	55 mi to Oklahoma City	$98,200	$50,357	In town
41	Okmulgee, OK	35 mi to Tulsa	$98,400	$41,848	In town
42	Nelsonville, OH	54 mi to Columbus	$99,200	$49,750	11 mi
43	Rockville, IN	58 mi to Indianapolis	$99,600	$57,083	12 mi
44	Red Oak, IA	46 mi to Omaha	$99,700	$50,109	In town
45	Kittanning, PA	36 mi to Pittsburgh	$101,300	$51,711	3 mi
46	Bath, NY	60 mi to Rochester	$101,700	$47,150	3 mi
47	Westfield, NY	54 mi to Buffalo	$102,600	$46,774	11 mi
48	Fairmount, IN	52 mi to Indianapolis	$103,200	$51,739	10 mi
49	Seminole, OK	51 mi to Oklahoma City	$103,600	$39,121	18 mi
50	Alton, IL	19 mi to St. Louis	$103,700	$54,568	In town

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2025 population estimates; American Community Survey 2020-2024), Medicare hospital data, NOAA climate normals, the National Park Service and the Education Department, as on each town page. Census survey figures are estimates; towns where the survey is too thin for a figure are left off lists that use it. Miles are straight-line. Data last updated October 5, 2026.

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