Seattle Culture
Where Are The Most Affordable Houses in Washington State?
Even then, the cost is surprising
By Rob Smith December 30, 2024
You’d have to live without urban amenities. The population is dropping, only 486 people. The entire town was evacuated in the summer of 2022 because of an approaching wildfire that destroyed 10 houses.
But in Lind — 216 miles southeast of Seattle — you can buy a house for an average of just $183,774, making the tiny city in Adams County the most affordable place to purchase a home in Washington state.
GoBankingRates analyzed data from the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) and the U.S. Census Bureau to determine the most affordable median home values in every state.
Never heard of Lind? Me either, though the town is known for its annual combine demolition derby and was also featured in Playboy’s 50th Year Anniversary issue back in 2004. The town, in the middle of a wheatfield, was first settled in 1888 along the Northern Pacific Railway’s main line.
Open to moving to a different state for a good bargain? Turns out that housing in Washington state — even in a place like Lind — is comparatively expensive. In Detroit, for instance, 55.3% of all active listings are under $100,000. It’s 36.1% in Cleveland and 26.3% in Memphis.
Nationwide, Zillow says the typical home value is about $350,091.
Follow Us
Master of Transparency
Award-winning architect Eric Cobb’s work seamlessly meshes glass, space and light
Noted architect Eric Cobb is collaborating on a second-home project near The Gorge Amphitheatre with a former junior high school soccer teammate, embodying a classic Seattle story of connection. The new Cliffe Pointe at the Gorge project located within the Cave B Estate grounds features 60 second homes surrounded by vineyards, natural sage, and rolling…
Sandy Sanctuary
Mercer Island couple find bliss with a cabana on the beach
With 8,000 lakes, fifth most in the country, Washington is a happy hunting ground for waterfront lots. Highly popular Lake Chelan, the third-deepest lake in the United States, is not on the top of the list of affordable freshwater options, at least not anywhere near Chelan, where scarce waterfront residential lots start at $2 million….
The Space Arranger
Kyle Gaffney and SkB take a holistic approach to building design
To say that Kyle Gaffney backed into a career in architecture may be a bit exaggerated, but he did get a late start. Gaffney, a cofounder and principal at Seattle architecture firm SkB, suffered a devastating knee injury and lost a soccer scholarship to the University of Puget Sound. Instead of college he went to…
Prairie Townhome Companions
Couple remakes Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired property
Place two architects, a hedgehog, and more than $100,000 under house arrest, and watch the magic unfold. Sandy Wolf founded Seattle’s Office of Ordinary Architecture in the belief that beauty is found in everyday objects. She and her husband — fellow architect Daniel Ash — were not disappointed in that regard in their long search…