Affordability index: Areas in the U.S. that tick the renovation budget list

Typical street scene. Image (C) Tim Sandle

A recent study revealed the top ten big U.S. cities with the most affordable house renovations and Fort Worth is first, with an affordable median house price and one of the cheapest average prices for a house renovation. The outcome demonstrates that Austin is ideal for modern renovation projects, with the highest share of houses built since 2010 and a relatively new median house age of 20 years.

Another finding from the assessment is that Atlanta stands out for its strong per capita income and the highest rate of home improvement loans per 100,000.

These outcomes are from recent study by Highland Cabinetry. The assessment reveals the top ten big U.S. cities with the most affordable house renovations. The analysis evaluated key factors influencing renovation affordability, including median house price, average contractor rates, median house age, and the share of homes built since 2010. Additional metrics, such as income per capita, housing unit occupancy rates, and home improvement loan activity (total and per 100K residents), were incorporated. Each city was scored and ranked based on these parameters.

The top ten were found to be:

1. Fort Worth
2. Miami
3. Atlanta
4. Austin
5. Raleigh
6. Nashville
7. Jacksonville
8. Memphis
9. Houston
10. Mesa

From the list, Fort Worth, Texas, ranks first with a score of 89.87. The city offers an affordable median house price of $299,000 and some of the lowest renovation costs starting at $54,000. With 22.5 percent of its homes built after 2010, Fort Worth provides ample opportunities for affordable and modern updates.

Miami, Florida, takes second place with a score of 77.48. While its median house price of $584,000 is nearly double that of Fort Worth, Miami stands out with the lowest contractor rates in the study at $23.46 per hour. It also leads in home improvement loans per capita, showing its homeowners’ strong interest in renovations.

Atlanta, Georgia, comes in third with a score of 75.43. The city has the highest per capita income on the list at $64,000 and the most active home improvement loan market, issuing about 2.3K loans per 100,000 residents.

Austin, Texas, comes in fourth with a score of 75.25. Its housing stock is the most modern, with 33.3 percent of homes built after 2010 and a median house age of just 20 years. This contrasts sharply with cities like Providence or Pittsburgh, where older homes dominate, and renovations are often driven by necessity rather than preference.

Raleigh, North Carolina, takes fifth place with a score of 74.42. With a median house price of $437,704 and 27.3 percent of homes built in the last decade, Raleigh is both relatively affordable and has a strong demand for home improvements.

Nashville, Tennessee, ranks sixth with a score of 73.22. This is followed by Jacksonville, Florida, takes seventh place with a score of 72.23. It has the lowest median house price on the list at $290,000, making it a more affordable option for homebuyers compared to Miami or Austin.

Memphis, Tennessee, holds the eighth spot with a score of 71.59. Houston, Texas, takes ninth place with a score of 71.38. As the third Texas city on the list, it has 23.1 percent of its homes built after 2010. Mesa, Arizona, rounds out the top ten with a score of 70.46. Homeowners here are taking action, with the city issuing the second-highest number of home improvement loans per capita.