Spoiler alert: Bay Area cities made the list.
Where there are good options, there are also options that are not as ideal. So, while there arebest metro areas for first-time homebuyers
study, which looks at 50 metro areas, scoring each on affordability, wellness, job market, market tightness and safety. The scores were then combined to create a final ranking, with affordability counting for 30%, wellness and culture counting for 10%, and housing market tightness, safety and employment factors each counting for 20%.
Unsurprisingly, Los Angeles ranks No. 50 overall for first-time homebuyers, due largely to its expensive real estate and low median income. L.A.'s median income is similar to that of Pittsburgh — the No. 1 city on the list — but it has a much tighter housing market.Stay informed about local news and weather. Get the NBC Bay Area app for