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The value of your dollar in real estate changes with every zip code, but where can you get the most bang (read: space) for your buck? According to Realtor.com, it’s surprisingly not the middle of nowhere. In a recent study, the site compared how much square footage the median buying price ($375,000) could get you across the country, and the winner, at 4,540 square feet, is Youngstown, Ohio.
For context, in Greenville, South Carolina, $375,000 buys you 2,451 square feet. In San Jose, California, the same amount only gets you 458 square feet—a monumental difference.
Bruce Springsteen’s “Youngstown” ballad may have painted the Rust Belt city as a not-so-great place to live, but these days we hear it’s pretty cool—the Butler Institute of American Art calls it home, as does a bustling antiques market. We found three home listings that have us considering a move.
Move-In Ready
This ’90s build sports brand-new maple cabinetry (a blank canvas for experimenting with hardware) and updated bathrooms just waiting for a fresh coat of paint.
Historic Fixer-Upper
Built in 1900, the bones of this historic home can’t be beat. It’s currently split into multiple apartments, but the 3,896 square feet could be all yours if you’re up for renovating. We’d keep the original fireplaces and floors but upgrade the finishes in the kitchen and baths.
Outdoor-Friendly
Technically in Austintown, a suburb of Youngstown, this house’s selling point is its quiet half-acre lot complete with a hot tub, firepit, and storage sheds. The newly renovated bathrooms and porch swing don’t hurt either.