The 20 Best Affordable Suburbs in the West
If I move back to the states, these are my targets:
Originally from: http://images.businessweek.com/ss/07/05/0510_affsub_west/index_01.htm, from bestplaces.net
Anchorage, Alaska 99516
Metro: Anchorage
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Anchorage
Median Home Price: $550,000
Cost of Living Index: 135.4
Primary School Test Score Index*: 143
Violent Crime Index: 50
Average Commute Time: 23.7 minutes
*Secondary school test scores not available
Bellingham, Wash. 98226
Metro: Bellingham
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Seattle (78.3 miles)
Median Home Price: $359,500
Cost of Living Index: 120.5
Secondary School Test Score Index: 113
Violent Crime Index: 100
Average Commute Time: 21.2 minutes
Castle Rock, Colo. 80104
Metro: Denver
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Aurora (22 miles)
Nearest city with pop. 500,000-plus: Denver (28 miles)
Median Home Price: $240,000
Cost of Living Index: 107.2
Secondary School Test Score Index: 137
Violent Crime Index: 22
Average Commute Time: 32 minutes
Eagle, Idaho 83616
Metro: Boise
Nearest city with pop. 100,000-plus: Boise (9.3 miles)
Median Home Price: $569,900
Cost of Living Index: 107.8
Secondary School Test Score Index: 98
Violent Crime Index: 82
Average Commute Time: 24.5 minutes
Eugene, Ore. 97405
Metro: Eugene
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Portland (106.4 miles)
Median Home Price: $429,000
Cost of Living Index: 110.8
Secondary School Test Score Index: 108
Violent Crime Index: 100
Average Commute Time: 19.4 minutes
Folsom, Calif. 95630
Metro: Sacramento
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Sacramento (22.8 miles)
Median Home Price: $551,600
Cost of Living Index: 158.7
Secondary School Test Score Index: 145
Violent Crime Index: 34
Average Commute Time: 29.3 minutes
Fort Collins, Colo. 80526
Metro: Fort Collins-Loveland
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Denver (58.1 miles)
Median Home Price: $245,500
Cost of Living Index: 107.3
Secondary School Test Score Index: 135
Violent Crime Index: 81
Average Commute Time: 20.7 minutes
Grants Pass, Ore. 97526
Metro: Josephine County
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Portland (218.5 miles)
Median Home Price: $310,000
Cost of Living Index: 98.9
Secondary School Test Score Index: 95
Violent Crime Index: 117
Average Commute Time: 18.6 minutes
Kaysville, Utah 84037
Metro: Salt Lake City
Nearest city with pop. 100,000-plus: Salt Lake City (20 miles)
Median Home Price: $442,900
Cost of Living Index: 100.1
Secondary School Test Score Index: 102
Violent Crime Index: 36
Average Commute Time: 27 minutes
Logan, Utah 84321
Metro: Logan
Nearest city with pop. 100,000-plus: Salt Lake City (69 miles)
Median Home Price: $183,500
Cost of Living Index: 88
Secondary School Test Score Index: 87
Violent Crime Index: 80
Average Commute Time: 16.6 minutes
Louisville, Colo. 80027
Metro: Boulder
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Denver (21.2 miles)
Median Home Price: $297,500
Cost of Living Index: 117.7
Secondary School Test Score Index: 120
Violent Crime Index: 36
Average Commute Time: 20.7 minutes
Minden, Nev. 89423
Metro: Douglas County
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Sacramento, Calif. (120 miles)
Median Home Price: $499,900
Cost of Living Index: 147.2
Secondary School Test Score Index: 131
Violent Crime Index: 40
Average Commute Time: 25.8 minutes
Mount Vernon, Wash. 98273
Metro: Mount Vernon-Anacortes
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Seattle (54.9 miles)
Median Home Price: $298,000
Cost of Living Index: 105.8
Secondary School Test Score Index: 97
Violent Crime Index: 94
Average Commute Time: 24.2 minutes
Mukilteo, Wash. 98275
Metro: Seattle-Bellevue-Everett
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Seattle (20.1 miles)
Median Home Price: $699,900
Cost of Living Index: 126.8
Secondary School Test Score Index: 104
Violent Crime Index: 49
Average Commute Time: 31.1 minutes
Olympia, Wash. 98501
Metro: Olympia
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Seattle (55.8 miles)
Median Home Price: $369,900
Cost of Living Index: 102
Secondary School Test Score Index: 110
Violent Crime Index: 97
Average Commute Time: 21.3 minutes
Reno, Nev. 89523
Metro: Reno
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Sacramento, Calif. (131.6 miles)
Median Home Price: $439,000
Cost of Living Index: 147.6
Secondary School Test Score Index: 123
Violent Crime Index: 168
Average Commute Time: 19.8 minutes
Sandia Heights, N.M. 87122
Metro: Albuquerque
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Albuquerque (0 miles)
Median Home Price: $332,800
Cost of Living Index: 130.9
Secondary School Test Score Index: 90
Violent Crime Index: 36
Average Commute Time: 24.8 minutes
Spokane, Wash. 99223
Metro: Spokane
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Seattle (338.3 miles)
Median Home Price: $264,000
Cost of Living Index: 102.2
Secondary School Test Score Index: 135
Violent Crime Index: 140
Average Commute Time: 20.9 minutes
Valencia (Santa Clarita), Calif. 91354
Metro: Los Angeles
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Los Angeles (24.5 miles)
Median Home Price: $624,900
Cost of Living Index: 186
Secondary School Test Score Index: 104
Violent Crime Index: 47
Average Commute Time: 40.2 minutes
Winters, Calif. 95694
Metro: Yolo County
Nearest city with pop. 200,000-plus: Sacramento (34.8 miles)
Median Home Price: $479,900
Cost of Living Index: 146.2
Secondary School Test Score Index: 96
Violent Crime Index: 131
Average Commute Time: 27.4 minutes