c.1926 Brick Georgian Revival Ohio Home $150K

If interested in a property, pleases contact the realtor whose link is provided in the post below, or contact an agent of your own choosing. Independent verification of details and status is recommended.

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Pros

• Extremely cheap housing. The 2020–2024 median owner-occupied home value is only $63,300, and median gross rent is $728. That’s extraordinarily inexpensive.
• Much more city infrastructure than the price suggests. Youngstown has hospitals, grocery stores, restaurants, shopping, parks, colleges, cultural institutions and a regional airport. You’re not living in a tiny isolated town.
• Excellent healthcare access. Mercy Health – St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital is a major hospital in the city, providing 24/7 acute care and high-acuity services.
• Great food culture. Youngstown has a surprisingly strong Italian-American food tradition, plus Mexican, Indian and other cuisines. Long-established spots such as Cassese’s MVR and Station Square are part of the city’s distinctive food culture.
• Good grocery access. There are multiple supermarkets in the city/metro, including Rulli Brothers, Giant Eagle and ALDI. The larger Boardman/Austintown area adds even more shopping.
• Excellent outdoor recreation. Parks, trails, lakes and the surrounding Appalachian foothills give the area considerably more recreational opportunity than you’d expect from an industrial city. Niche gives Youngstown an A- for outdoor activities.
• Good location. Youngstown sits between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, with easy access to I-80, I-76 and I-680. That gives you access to two major metropolitan areas without having to live in either one.
• Short commutes. The Census reports an average commute of only 20.3 minutes.
• Youngstown State University. The university adds students, cultural activities, sports and an educated population base that many similarly sized struggling cities lack.
• Relatively diverse community. Youngstown has a substantial Black population and Hispanic/Latino population, and Niche gives the city an A for diversity.
• Potential upside for a bargain property buyer. At $60K–$100K, you can buy properties at prices that are almost impossible in many parts of the country. The question is whether the particular neighborhood will appreciate—which is much less certain.

Cons

• Crime is the biggest concern. Niche currently gives Youngstown a D+ for crime & safety. Its reported violent-crime rate is substantially above the national rate, while motor-vehicle theft is also elevated.
• Neighborhood quality varies dramatically. This is extremely important. I would not evaluate Youngstown using citywide statistics alone. There are stable, attractive neighborhoods and blocks that are much more troubled. The exact street matters enormously.
• Very high poverty. The Census reports a median household income of only $34,408 and a poverty rate of 37.3%. That’s the most concerning economic statistic among the places you’ve asked about.
• Population decline continues. Youngstown had about 67,000 people in 2010, 60,068 in 2020 and an estimated 58,832 in 2025. That’s a decline of roughly 12% since 2010.
• Schools aren’t a major strength. Niche gives Youngstown public schools a C overall. This is another area where the suburbs can look considerably better than the city itself.
• Local job market is mediocre. Niche gives Youngstown a C for jobs, reflecting relatively low incomes and limited job/business growth.
• The extremely cheap houses can be deceptive. A $50,000 house isn’t necessarily a bargain if it needs $40,000 of work, has property-tax issues, or is located on a block with substantial vacancy.
• Older housing stock. Expect lots of older homes with potential issues involving roofs, foundations, electrical systems, plumbing, insulation, furnaces and lead paint.
• Property taxes can change the affordability calculation. Ohio property taxes aren’t necessarily low simply because the purchase price is low. You’d want to look at the actual tax bill for every property.
• Rust-belt winters. Cold, snow, ice and gray weather are part of the package. If you are trying to escape winter, Youngstown is not the answer.
• Real-estate appreciation is uncertain. There has been renewed interest and redevelopment in parts of the region, but long-term population decline makes Youngstown a very different investment proposition from a growing Sun Belt city.

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