Rank: 18

Boston Metro (Mass.-N.H.)
Own/rent ratio: 139%
Annual cost to own: $27,251
Annual cost to rent: $19,548

The housing market in Massachusetts' is showing tentative signs of bottoming out, making this a good time to buy a house in the Boston metro, which extends far beyond the city of Boston into parts of New Hampshire. In June the median single-family home price rose above $300,000 for the first time since last August. June also had the smallest year-over-year price drop in 2009. The metropolitan area is home to Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Boston University. The city has entertainment of every variety, from the Red Sox to the Boston Symphony Orchestra.