When families choose a place to live, one of the deciding factors is the cost of living. In a survey done by US News, they surveyed over 3000 U.S. residents on what was most important to them about where they move. At no surprise affordability was at the top of the list.
To calculate affordability US News looked at the proportion of the median annual income, cost of utilities, tax and compared cost of goods and services across the country to come up with the list. Sadly, California did not make this list. Are you shocked? Not I. Here is the run down of the top 10 affordable cities in the United States. Where would you move to?
10. Knoxville, Tennessee
Best Places 2023 Rank: 21
Metro Population: 873,816
Average Annual Salary: $49,290
Income Spent on Living Expenses: 21.13%
If you plan to move to Tennessee, Knoxville is the more affordable version of Nashville. The cost of living in Knoxville requires 23..99% of the median household income. Homes are also less expensive in Knoxville with the median home price of $360,500.
9. Quad Cities – Davenport-Bettendorf, Iowa, and Moline-Rock Island, Illinois
Best Places 2023 Rank: 54 Metro Population: 384,055 Average Annual Salary: $51,240 Income Spent on Living Expenses: 20.14%
This metro area straddles the state line between Iowa and Illinois, and residents of both states benefit from an overall low cost of living in the Quad Cities area.
8. Green Bay, Wisconsin
Best Places 2023 Rank: 1 Metro Population: 326,590 Average Annual Salary: $51,510 Income Spent on Living Expenses: 19.92%
Among northern U.S. metro areas that offer low costs of living, Green Bay might be the best option for you, as it’s the No. 1 Best Place to Live in the U.S. in 2023-2024. Green Bay residents spend just 19.92% of the area’s median household income on housing costs.
7. Peoria, Illinois
Best Places 2023 Rank: 70 Metro Population: 404,226 Average Annual Salary: $54,370 Income Spent on Living Expenses: 20.62% As you can see from the list thus far, Midwest metro offer low cost living just like Peoria. Residents of this central Illinois spot spend just 20.62% of the median household income on rent or mortgage payments, plus property taxes, utilities and other housing costs.
6. Beaumont, Texas
Best Places 2023 Rank: 131 Metro Population: 397,924 Average Annual Salary: $50,750 Income Spent on Living Expenses: 20.31% Near the Texas border with Louisiana, living at a lower price point is possible in the Beaumont metro area. Beaumont continues to get smaller, however, as more residents are leaving the area than moving in.
5. Fort Wayne, Indiana
Best Places 2023 Rank: 33 Metro Population: 415,887 Average Annual Salary: $50,330 Income Spent on Living Expenses: 20.07% Fort Wayne has fewer than 500,000 residents, but those residents benefit from being able to spend less on housing than residents of all but four of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. he low cost of living is particularly helpful, as the average annual salary in the Fort Wayne area is $50,330, below the national average of $58,260.
4. Huntsville, Alabama
Best Places 2023 Rank: 2 Metro Population: 483,366 Average Annual Salary: $61,140 Income Spent on Living Expenses: 19.62% Huntsville is the fourth-most affordable place to live out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S., after ranking in the top three for four years in a row. An above-average individual annual salary and low cost of living mean Huntsville residents are keeping more money in their pockets to devote to other things.
3. Huntington, West Virginia, and Ashland, Kentucky
Best Places 2023 Rank: 66 Metro Population: 361,177 Average Annual Salary: $45,520 Income Spent on Living Expenses: 20.69% At the borders of Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia, the metro area made up of Huntington, West Virginia, and Ashland, Kentucky, plus a bit of the Buckeye State, allows residents to enjoy a low cost of living.
2. Youngstown, Ohio
Best Places 2023 Rank: 62 Metro Population: 542,459 Average Annual Salary: $45,090 Income Spent on Living Expenses: 20.29% With a little more than a half-million residents, the Youngstown metro area has a cost of living that requires 20.29% of the median household income. When comparing the cost of goods and services with other metro areas, Youngstown ranks No. 2 out of the 150 most populous metro areas in the U.S. Homebuyers in the Youngstown area also don’t have to worry as much as those in other parts of the U.S. about covering a large down payment for a house, as the median home price is just $137,546.
1. Hickory, North Carolina
Best Places 2023 Rank: 25 Metro Population: 364,877 Average Annual Salary: $44,470 Income Spent on Living Expenses: 18.95% This metro area in North Carolina’s Catawba Valley offers a small-town atmosphere that is seeing growth from larger metro areas within a couple of hours’ drive, including Charlotte and Asheville. Hickory residents enjoy a lower cost of living than those in the more populated parts of the state and spend just 18.95% of the median household income on housing, making it the Best Affordable Place to Live in the U.S. in 2023-2024. You can see the full list HERE.
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