This City In The Blue Ridge Foothills Was Crowned The Top Hidden Gem For Homebuyers Seeking Affordability

There are so many things to consider when buying a new home: public transportation connectivity, safety and security, proximity to nature and good schools, friendliness and quality-of-life indicators, and job and higher-education opportunities. But all of this counts for naught if you can't afford the place. And in a post-pandemic world, people everywhere have watched costs for pretty much everything balloon, not least in housing markets. Realtor.com, a consumer insight provider for homebuyers, noted that since March 2019, the typical list price of a house in America has climbed almost 39%, while the price per square foot has more than doubled.

Surprisingly, though, new home sales in the U.S. recently jumped to their fastest pace in three years, which economists called a burst of activity in a frozen market. This was likely at least partially driven by price discounts and the Federal Reserve's interest-rate cut, meaning now might be a good time to go house hunting — especially if you hunt in the right places. And there might be no better place in the country than Lynchburg, Virginia.

According to data compiled by the personal finance website GOBankingRates, the small city in the Blue Ridge foothills ranked No. 1 in a list of America's 30 best hidden-gem housing markets for 2025. The list aimed to identify those cities where affordability and livability intersect, meaning places where housing prices are lower than the state average, mortgage rates are fair, and indicators of a high quality of life — safety, friendliness, and access to leisure, health care, and social opportunities — are strong.

GOBankingRates analyzed data from real estate and neighborhood index websites, like Zillow and AreaVibes, as well as from the Federal Reserve and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Lynchburg earned first place largely for its livability score of 91 out of 100, the highest of any ranked city. The median household income of $59,808 might seem low on a list where many cities' household incomes exceeded $70,000. But the average home value in Lynchburg — $264,559 — is considerably lower than the state average of $417,032. Interestingly, Lynchburg's median age of 29 is below the national average, so it could be a left-field option for young professionals struggling to get into the property market in America's more traditionally glamorous cities.

Lynchburg's livability ranking comes from AreaVibes, which listed numerous pros of living in the central Virginia city, and importantly, zero cons. Amenities are plentiful in Lynchburg, with good restaurants, coffee shops, and grocery stores available to the city's approximately 80,000 residents. Transportation infrastructure is reliable, while the cost of living is deemed fair because goods and services, housing, utilities, and health care are all relatively affordable. Lynchburg is also known for high-quality education opportunities at both secondary and tertiary levels.

It's also a city that fosters healthy living, with tree-lined streets and spacious parks encouraging active lifestyles. You can lace up your trail shoes and hit Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains (and the funky college towns they're home to) or hike the Appalachian Trail, swim in nearby Smith Mountain Lake, or ski and snowboard at Wintergreen Resort. Cool day trips are also possible, such as visiting the trails and wineries of a small mountain town like Crozet.