“Bigger is better” has long been something of an American rallying cry. Bigger cars! Bigger salaries! Bigger food! So it’s little wonder in this era of hybrid and remote work that the raw allure of owning a great big home has never been greater.

Over the past several years, buyers shifted their home searches away from large coastal cities toward more affordable suburbs and cities where they could snag a luxuriously large home with a roomy yard for the kids and dogs to play. This obsessive search for more space doesn’t seem to be a fleeting, pandemic-fueled trend.

But of course, not everyone has the bulging budget to splurge on a sprawling estate—especially at a time when home affordability is taking a severe hit nationwide. So where can you find a home that offers room to breathe and won’t deplete your savings?

We’ve crunched the numbers, analyzed the data, and scoured listings across the country to bring you the top 10 U.S. cities where you can find the most sizable homes at a reasonable price. In fact, we found places with the greatest number of affordable mansions—places over 5,000 square feet and under $1 million.

To find these properties, we inspected every single-family home listing on Realtor.com® from the past year and then calculated what percentage of every metropolitan area’s single-family home listings those big, budget-friendly homes made up. (As it turns out, in the typical metro, only about seven-tenths of a percent of all single-family homes met our affordable mansion criteria.)

“Many of the metros on the list stand out for being generally affordable locales, with plenty of space to grow and sprawl,” says Hannah Jones, senior economic research analyst with Realtor.com. “They tend to be less densely populated, especially as you get farther from the city center. So buyers can get more space at a lower price.”

The list of metros with this kind of affordable luxury is geographically diverse, spanning from the industrial heartlands of the Midwest to the booming tech hubs in the South and stretching to the U.S.-Mexico border towns of Texas. There are some surprises, too, like Washington, DC, and Denver. (Despite their reps for having a high cost of living, both offer pockets of affordability, particularly in their suburban outskirts.)

Here are the places where home shoppers can expect to find an outsized portion of extra-large homes without the extra-large price tag.

1. Indianapolis, IN

Percentage of single-family home listings larger than 5,000 square feet and under $1 million: 3%

The capital of Indiana has long been a haven of Midwestern housing affordability.

“People moving here from out of state [are] usually very impressed by what they get for their money,” says Kelly Lavengood, a real estate agent and the owner of Good Living Indy.

With 1 in every 33 of Indianapolis’ single-family home listings clocking in at more than 5,000 square feet for less than $1 million, Indianapolis stands out as the city where home shoppers can score a lot of home for less.

The metro has a mix of older homes in historic neighborhoods and newer developments in the surrounding suburban areas. It’s those new suburbs, like Westfield and Noblesville, where Lavengood directs buyers looking for bigger homes.

“You can still get a really good amount of house there—bigger houses, bigger lots,” she says.

2. Atlanta, GA

Percentage of single-family home listings larger than 5,000 square feet and under $1 million: 2.3%

The bustling capital of Georgia boasts about 1 in every 43 single-family homes for sale being larger than 5,000 square feet and less than $1 million in its metro area.

This capital of the South is known for its rapid population growth and relatively affordable housing market, with a mix of historic neighborhoods like Midtown and upscale areas like Buckhead.

This 5,300-square-foot estate in the Norris Landing neighborhood has five bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, and a finished basement for $699,000. For less than $500,000, home shoppers can get this six-bedroom, 5,500-square-foot house in the southeastern suburb of Ellenwood.

3. Washington, DC

Percentage of single-family home listings larger than 5,000 square feet and under $1 million: 2.2%

Despite being one of the most expensive housing markets in the nation, the Washington, DC, metro area—which includes parts of Virginia, Maryland, and West Virginia—offers a surprising number of jumbo-sized, bargain-priced homes for sale.

For those looking for a large abode in an area rich in history, culture, and amenities, the metro offers a unique blend of urban, suburban, and even rural landscapes to choose from.

For $700,000, home buyers can purchase this 5,100-square-foot, four-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom home in Fort Washington, MD, that has a modern kitchen, a large backyard, and an expansive basement.

Those with a larger budget might want to check out this 5,400-square-foot, four-bedroom home in Fairfax, southwest of DC, for $969,000. This luxurious home has a chef’s kitchen, an executive office, and a primary suite with a luxe bathroom.

4. Cleveland, OH

Percentage of single-family home listings larger than 5,000 square feet and under $1 million: 2.1%

Cleveland’s location on the southern shore of Lake Erie helped the city to gain prominence as a major manufacturing hub by providing easy access to shipping routes and natural resources. The city’s steel and automotive industries drew influential industrialists who resided on the city’s famed Euclid Avenue, known as Millionaires Row. From the 1870s to the 1910s, Cleveland was regarded by many as the richest city in the world.

But like many of the Midwestern steel cities, the second half of the 20th century saw a decline in overall industrial might. Now, urban revitalization projects in Cleveland are breathing new life into previously neglected neighborhoods, attracting younger and more diverse residents, and adding new vibrance to the city.

And there are plenty of grand old homes that regularly come onto the market at cut-rate prices.

This five-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom home on 1.3 acre spans about 5,100 square feet and is listed for $679,900 after a $20,000 price reduction.

5. Allentown, PA

Percentage of single-family home listings larger than 5,000 square feet and under $1 million: 2%

The Allentown metro, which includes Bethlehem, NJ, and Easton, PA, has a rich history. The eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey region is where the Liberty Bell was hidden during the American Revolutionary War. This one-time industrial powerhouse was also home to Bethlehem Steel, once the second-largest producer in the nation.

More recently, the Rust Belt city has been undergoing a downtown revitalization as the city works to turn its fortunes around.

In the northwestern part of the Lehigh Valley metro, buyers can find this 5,100-square-foot home on three-quarters of an acre for $750,000. The home has four bedrooms and 3.5 baths, an eat-in kitchen with two ovens, a sunken family room with a wood-burning fireplace, and a sunroom filled with natural light.

6. Baltimore, MD

Percentage of single-family home listings larger than 5,000 square feet and under $1 million: 1.6%

The Baltimore area is home to several Fortune 1000 companies, including Under Armour and investment management firm T. Rowe Price. Its proximity to Washington, DC, about 40 miles away, also makes it an appealing commuter city for those who work in the nation’s capital.

Homes at any price range are typically quickly bought, says Jessica Young, a Realtor® with Re/Max Executive in Millersville, in the southern part of the metro area. But there are some unique opportunities in the Baltimore area.

“You can find those large, Victorian-style, 100-year-old homes that are well under a million dollars,” she says.

Those are more common closer to the Baltimore city center, where there’s been a trend to convert some of them into multiunit homes.

“You see people buying them and making them two units—living in one and renting out the other,” she says.

And farther out, in the surrounding cities and suburbs, buyers will find still larger homes.

For example, $620,000 will get a 111-year-old, 5,000-square-foot luxury condo in Pikesville, in the northern part of the Baltimore metro. The home features a blend of historical and modern elements, including original woodwork, four fireplaces, and a renovated kitchen with high-end amenities. Buyers can also find newer homes farther out, including this 5,000 square-foot, five-bedroom home on four-tenths of an acre, for $850,000 in Ellicott City, west of Baltimore.

7. McAllen, TX

Percentage of single-family home listings larger than 5,000 square feet and under $1 million: 1.5%

McAllen is located along the U.S.-Mexico border, just across from Reynosa, Mexico, about 90 minutes from the Gulf of Mexico. The area includes smaller nearby cities (Edinburg, Mission, and Pharr) and is part of the larger Rio Grande Valley.

Since its beginnings as a railroad town, McAllen has evolved into a significant port of entry for goods and people, servicing U.S.-Mexico trade.

For $600,000, buyers can get a four-bedroom, 5.5-bathroom, custom-built hacienda in Pharr, with 6,200 square feet of living space on a 2-acre lot. The home has an upstairs bedroom suite with a balcony, a barbecue area with a pit, a gazebo, and a swimming pool.

This 5,500-square-foot, five-bedroom home on three-quarters of an acre in McAllen is listed for $899,000. It features a kitchen with granite countertops, a spacious office area, and an outdoor oasis with a pool, dedicated cooking space, and a guesthouse with its own bedroom and bathroom.

8. Louisville, KY

Percentage of single-family home listings larger than 5,000 square feet and under $1 million: 1.5%

Abutting the southern edge of the Ohio River in north-central Kentucky, Louisville is one of the oldest cities west of the Appalachian Mountains, founded in 1778.

It’s perhaps best known for hosting the Kentucky Derby. The city also serves as a significant transportation hub, thanks in part to the UPS Worldport, and is a key city on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Affordable big homes here are a mix of new construction and old mansions.

This 6,000-square-foot, five-bedroom, five-bathroom Colonial is listed for $799,990 following a $25,000 price cut. It has an in-ground pool and two 2.5-car garages.

9. Denver, CO

Percentage of single-family home listings larger than 5,000 square feet and under $1 million: 1.4%

The sprawling metro centered on Colorado’s mile-high city is known for its cozy proximity to an abundance of Alpine wilderness—and for its quickly appreciating home prices over the past decade or so.

Now, single-family homes near the dense city core fetch top dollar, but there are large homes for less than $1 million, especially on the periphery of the Denver metro’s several cities.

Take this 5,400-square-foot, four-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom home in the Beacon Point neighborhood of Aurora, southeast of Denver. It sits on a quarter-acre corner lot, listed for $900,000. It features an updated kitchen with new granite countertops, a spiral staircase in the foyer, private baths in all bedrooms, a finished basement with a wet bar and steam shower, and outdoor spaces with views of the Aurora Reservoir.

This 5,000-square-foot, five-bedroom, five-bathroom house in southwest Denver’s Pinehurst Estates is listed for $995,000. The property has a koi pond, a remodeled kitchen with exposed brick, and a finished lower level complete with a built-in bar, wine cellar, and sauna.

10. Ogden, UT

Percentage of single-family home listings larger than 5,000 square feet and under $1 million: 1.4%

About 30 minutes north of Salt Lake City, the Ogden metro offers a lot of affordability, especially for buyers coming from more expensive home markets out West.

“If you’re coming from a state like California, you can definitely bring that money here and get more bang for your buck,” says Donald Gomez, an associate broker at Re/Max Community-Valley-D.I.G. Team, in Roy, UT.

It’s not just big homes, either, that will shock people coming from denser urban cities, he says

“In that higher price range, getting close to that million-dollar price, yeah, those are bigger homes. But you can also get a bigger lot,” Gomez says, “from a half-acre, all the way up to 2 or 3 acres.”

The post Big Homes With Not-So-Big Price Tags: Where To Find the Most Affordable Mansions in 2023 appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.