The top 10 affordable suburbs

2. Mill Creek, Wash.

Nearest major city: Seattle

Population: 13,626  

Median household income: $83,818

Median home price: $398,000

Unemployment rate: 4%

Violent crime index:  24

Mill Creek, a Seattle suburb incorporated in 1983, has an 18-hole golf course, trails, parks and a mall. About 36% of residents are married with children. Average commutes are 29 minutes.

3. Brandon, S.D.

Nearest major city: Sioux Falls

Population: 6,793   

Median household income: $71,405

Median home price: N/A

Unemployment rate: 2.5%

Violent crime index: 21 

Fast-growing Brandon is a suburb east of Sioux Falls, known for its good schools and has great access to nearby nature parks, such as the Beaver Creek Nature Area. About 48% of residents are married with children. The average commute is 19 minutes.

4. Munford, Tenn.

Nearest major city: Memphis

Population: 5,476

Median household income: $53,931

Median home price: $142,500

Unemployment rate: 5.2%

Violent crime index: 3

Munford, 25 miles north of Memphis, is a small town in Tipton County, which was voted the third safest rural community in America by The Progressive Farmer, an agricultural and country living magazine. The Munford High School band won the state championship in 2007. About 40% of residents are married with children. The average commute is 32 minutes.

5. East Norriton, Pa.

Nearest major city: Philadelphia

Population: 13,530  

Median household income: $73,773

Median home price: $242,500

Unemployment rate: 3.4%

Violent crime index: 11

East Norriton, a former farming community 22 miles north of Philadelphia, has a mix of stores, offices, industrial areas, single-family homes and apartments. The nearest large shopping mall is the Plymouth Meeting Mall four miles away. About 33% of residents are married with children. Average commutes are 21 minutes.

6. South Weber, Utah

Nearest major city: Salt Lake City

Population: 5,676  

Median household income: $89,355

Median home price: $210,000

Unemployment rate: 2.6%

Violent crime index: 57

South Weber, known for its occasional Big Foot sightings, is a rural area in Davis County known as "The Garden Spot of Utah" because of its rich agricultural land. About 58% of residents are married with children. Average commutes are 17 minutes.

7. Cornelius, N.C.

Nearest major city: Charlotte

Population: 17,290  

Median household income: $87,016

Median home price: $206,000

Unemployment rate: 3.3%

Violent crime index: 48 

The fast-growing bedroom community, 30 miles north of Charlotte, has some beautiful homes on Lake Norman, North Carolina’s largest lake. About 31% of residents are married with children. The average commute is 31 minutes. 

8. West Des Moines, Iowa

Nearest major city: Des Moines 

Population: 52,138  

Median household income: $66,306

Median home price: $173,000

Unemployment rate: 3%

Violent crime index: 21

West Des Moines, the largest suburb of Des Moines, is covered with lakes, parks and trails. The highly educated population is growing quickly and many of the residents work in the financial industry. About 38% of residents are married with children. Average commutes are 16 minutes.

9. Pataskala, Ohio

Nearest major city: Columbus

Population: 11,919   

Median household income: $65,274

Median home price: $142,314

Unemployment rate: 5.2%

Violent crime index: 18

Pataskala, a suburb 20 miles east of Columbus, is one of a couple municipalities in the state that operates without an income tax. The city has three downtowns and a number of sites designated for new development. About 37% of residents are married with children. Average commutes are 27 minutes.

10. Fort Mill, S.C.

Nearest major city: Charlotte, N.C.

Population: 9,943   

Median household income: $57,648

Median home price: N/A

Unemployment rate: 5.6%

Violent crime index: 93

Fort Mill, located just south of the North Carolina border and 18 miles from Charlotte, is home to the Charlotte Knights baseball stadium. About 36% of residents are married with children. Average commutes are 22 minutes.

Find the most affordable suburb in your state. Visit BusinessWeek.com for the complete state-by-state list.