The Most Affordable Garage Space in America

A new study by our garage door experts has exposed massive price differences for garage spaces across America, with Midwestern cities offering substantially more affordable options compared to coastal metropolitan areas.

By: Bryan | Published: July 23, 2025

Key Findings

Toledo, Ohio, takes the crown as America’s most affordable city for garage space, with garage spaces costing an average of $101,326.
The price difference between the most and least affordable cities is staggering, with Cambridge, Massachusetts, garage spaces costing 13 times more than those in Toledo.
California dominated the expensive list with 23 cities ranking among the 30 worst for garage affordability nationwide.

Massive Garage Price Differences Revealed Across America

Our analysis used listing data from Realtor.com to determine which US cities have the largest garage parking spaces at the cheapest price. All US cities with a population greater than 100,000 were analyzed and a sample of up to 1,000 properties (including only those with garages) was taken from each city. For each city, the average listing price was divided by the average number of garage parking spaces to approximate a price-per-space.

Top 5 Most Affordable Cities for Garage Space

Toledo, Ohio, comes out on top for garage affordability across the nation. Drivers seeking covered parking pay $101,326 per space on average. The city’s modest $230,171 average home price combined with a healthy 2.27 garage spaces per property creates this advantage.
Santa Maria, California, surprisingly lands second place despite sitting in expensive California. Garage spaces here average just $115,933 each. This surprising value comes from properties boasting an incredible 6.34 garage spaces per home, spreading the $735,548 property cost across multiple parking spots.
Warren, Michigan, takes third place with garage spaces priced at $121,068 on average. The city’s average property price of $226,146 coupled with 1.87 garage spaces per home contributes to its ranking.
Rockford, Illinois, scores fourth place for affordability at $124,583 per garage space. Houses typically sell for around $252,081 with 2.02 garage spaces each.
Lafayette, Louisiana, rounds out the top five at $130,145 per space. Lafayette stands as the only non-Midwest city breaking the top five cheapest locations but follows the same pattern of affordable property prices ($261,858) plus decent garage space allocation (2.01 spaces per property).

Other budget-friendly spots include Lansing, Michigan, ($145,038), Detroit, Michigan, ($145,347), Jackson, Mississippi, ($146,047), Killeen, Texas, ($146,558), and Springfield, Illinois, ($147,508). Michigan places three cities in the top ten while Illinois scores two, reinforcing the Midwest’s total dominance in parking space value.

America’s 10 Most Affordable Cities for Garage Space

Rank	City	State	Average Garage Space Cost	Average Home Listing Price	Average Garage Spaces Per Home
1	Toledo	Ohio	$101,326	$230,171	2.27
2	Santa Maria	California	$115,933	$735,548	6.34
3	Warren	Michigan	$121,068	$226,146	1.87
4	Rockford	Illinois	$124,583	$252,081	2.02
5	Lafayette	Louisiana	$130,145	$261,858	2.01
6	Lansing	Michigan	$145,038	$244,855	1.69
7	Detroit	Michigan	$145,347	$245,255	1.69
8	Jackson	Mississippi	$146,047	$296,619	2.03
9	Killeen	Texas	$146,558	$289,453	1.98
10	Springfield	Illinois	$147,508	$303,527	2.06

The Most Expensive Cities for Garage Space

Cambridge, Massachusetts, ranks as America’s most expensive city for garage space, with an average cost of $1,318,306 per parking spot. Cambridge properties squeeze in 1.15 garage spaces per home on average which sends costs soaring despite already high property prices of $1,521,122.
San Francisco, California, takes second place for expense with garage spaces at $1,143,183 each. The city’s notorious housing bubble ($1,579,672 average listing) coupled with tiny garage allocations (1.38 spaces per property) creates parking spots worth more than luxury homes in other states.
Boston, Massachusetts, ranks third with parking spaces costing $1,130,277 each. Just like neighboring Cambridge, Boston has high property values ($1,510,898) with scarce parking space (1.34 spaces per property).
Berkeley, California, sits fourth at $1,013,188 per garage spot. Berkeley follows the Bay Area formula with huge home prices ($1,519,783) plus limited garage space (1.50 per property).
Bellevue, Washington, completes the top five priciest cities at $992,457 per garage space. Unlike other expensive cities, Bellevue offers a decent 2.12 garage spaces per property but the city’s significant average home price of $2,099,241, the highest among all cities examined, pushes costs.

The remaining most expensive locations include Sunnyvale, California, ($990,101), Irvine, California, ($971,979), Santa Clara, California, ($857,538), Boulder, Colorado, ($857,268), and Carlsbad, California ($845,692).

America’s Least Affordable Cities for Garage Space

Rank	City	State	Average Garage Space Cost	Average Home Listing Price	Average Garage Spaces Per Home
1	Cambridge	Massachusetts	$1,318,306	$1,521,122	1.15
2	San Francisco	California	$1,143,183	$1,579,672	1.38
3	Boston	Massachusetts	$1,130,277	$1,510,898	1.34
4	Berkeley	California	$1,013,188	$1,519,783	1.50
5	Bellevue	Washington	$992,457	$2,099,241	2.12
6	Sunnyvale	California	$990,101	$1,768,643	1.79
7	Irvine	California	$971,979	$1,953,733	2.01
8	Santa Clara	California	$857,538	$1,561,695	1.82
9	Boulder	Colorado	$857,268	$1,513,115	1.77
10	Carlsbad	California	$845,692	$1,793,665	2.12

Expert Analysis: Regional Patterns and Market Forces

“Clear regional patterns leap out from the garage space figures. Midwest cities typically charge around $150,000 per space while West Coast cities, particularly California, slam buyers much harder at over $600,000 per space.”

“The massive price differences show more than just property values at work. Construction styles and regional housing needs play huge roles too. Midwest homes prioritize garage space for brutal winter weather while coastal cities face space restrictions that transform garage parking into luxury items.”

Bryan Testerman

Head of Marketing
Garage.com

Complete Top 50 Cities With The Most Affordable Garage Space

Rank	City	State	Average Garage Space Cost	Average Home Listing Price	Average Garage Spaces Per Home
1	Toledo	Ohio	$101,326	$230,171	2.27
2	Santa Maria	California	$115,933	$735,548	6.34
3	Warren	Michigan	$121,068	$226,146	1.87
4	Rockford	Illinois	$124,583	$252,081	2.02
5	Lafayette	Louisiana	$130,145	$261,858	2.01
6	Lansing	Michigan	$145,038	$244,855	1.69
7	Detroit	Michigan	$145,347	$245,255	1.69
8	Jackson	Mississippi	$146,047	$296,619	2.03
9	Killeen	Texas	$146,558	$289,453	1.98
10	Springfield	Illinois	$147,508	$303,527	2.06
11	Wichita Falls	Texas	$148,390	$304,275	2.05
12	Peoria	Illinois	$151,134	$306,828	2.03
13	Cedar Rapids	Iowa	$152,611	$307,296	2.01
14	Cleveland	Ohio	$152,886	$272,251	1.78
15	Davenport	Iowa	$156,198	$285,257	1.83
16	Akron	Ohio	$157,087	$291,534	1.86
17	Wichita	Kansas	$158,874	$358,262	2.26
18	Sioux Falls	South Dakota	$159,822	$340,047	2.13
19	Dayton	Ohio	$160,365	$301,066	1.88
20	Independence	Missouri	$161,342	$291,483	1.81
21	Rochester	New York	$161,513	$275,170	1.70
22	Yonkers	New York	$163,152	$778,203	4.77
23	Des Moines	Iowa	$165,867	$307,448	1.85
24	Oklahoma City	Oklahoma	$166,038	$358,808	2.16
25	Macon-Bibb	Georgia	$166,257	$354,519	2.13
26	Broken Arrow	Oklahoma	$167,220	$389,624	2.33
27	Beaumont	Texas	$167,413	$359,012	2.14
28	Fort Wayne	Indiana	$169,077	$363,348	2.15
29	El Paso	Texas	$169,976	$323,976	1.91
30	Kansas City	Kansas	$170,174	$318,152	1.87
31	Syracuse	New York	$171,271	$280,931	1.64
32	Lubbock	Texas	$171,863	$342,352	1.99
33	Conroe	Texas	$173,175	$366,958	2.12
34	Joliet	Illinois	$173,790	$342,186	1.97
35	Evansville	Indiana	$174,145	$340,957	1.96
36	Palm Bay	Florida	$177,296	$352,466	1.99
37	Milwaukee	Wisconsin	$180,245	$325,706	1.81
38	Edinburg	Texas	$180,518	$357,466	1.98
39	Las Cruces	New Mexico	$180,777	$440,298	2.44
40	Pasadena	Texas	$181,093	$344,284	1.90
41	Abilene	Texas	$181,493	$367,038	2.02
42	Amarillo	Texas	$182,036	$390,651	2.15
43	Pueblo	Colorado	$182,382	$381,268	2.09
44	Topeka	Kansas	$183,200	$380,492	2.08
45	Hartford	Connecticut	$184,166	$354,590	1.93
46	Corpus Christi	Texas	$184,635	$370,193	2.01
47	Yuma	Arizona	$185,666	$417,453	2.25
48	Indianapolis	Indiana	$185,986	$350,213	1.88
49	Norman	Oklahoma	$186,250	$445,369	2.39
50	Wilmington	North Carolina	$187,236	$753,321	4.02

This analysis used listing data from Realtor.com to determine which US cities have the most affordable garage parking spaces. All US cities with a population at or greater than 100,000 were analyzed resulting in data from Realtor.com for 333 cities.

A sample of up to 1,000 properties (including only those with garages) was taken from each city. The properties had listing prices between $100,000 and $5 million to exclude outliers. For each city, the average listing price was divided by the average number of garage parking spaces to approximate a price-per-space. Cities were then ranked with the cheapest price-per-space at the top.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Cost of Garage Space

Midwest cities dominate the affordable rankings due to several key factors. First, overall property values are significantly lower compared to coastal areas – for example, Toledo’s average home price of $230,171 is a fraction of San Francisco’s $1,579,672. Second, Midwest homes are typically built with more generous garage space allocations (often 2+ spaces per home) due to harsh winter weather conditions that make covered parking essential. Finally, land availability and lower construction costs in these regions allow for larger properties with multiple garage spaces without dramatically increasing home prices.

The number of garage spaces per home has a major impact on cost per space. Santa Maria, California, provides a perfect example – despite being in expensive California, it ranks #2 most affordable because homes there average an incredible 6.34 garage spaces each. This spreads the $735,548 average home cost across multiple parking spots, bringing the per-space cost down to just $115,933. Conversely, expensive cities like Cambridge, MA, only average 1.15 garage spaces per home, concentrating the high property value ($1,521,122) into fewer spaces and driving the per-space cost up to $1,318,306.

High garage space costs in cities like San Francisco, Boston, and Cambridge result from a combination of factors. These cities have extremely high overall property values (often $1.5+ million average), but more importantly, they have very limited garage space per property – typically only 1.15-1.50 spaces per home. This scarcity is driven by dense urban development, limited land availability, older housing stock not designed for multiple cars, and zoning restrictions. Additionally, in these markets, any parking space becomes a premium amenity, with some garage spaces literally costing more than entire luxury homes in affordable Midwest cities.

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