It’s not news to anyone: Life in the United States can be expensive. But if you’re willing to forgo the fancier coastal cities, you can find a place to live more easily within your budget.
Niche.com, a neighborhood data platform, publishes an annual list of the most affordable U.S. cities. The list is based on the site’s analysis of government data to determine the cost of living in cities across America.
The analysis considers such factors as housing, food and fuel costs, median tax rates and other elements that affect an area’s overall affordability.
Here’s a look at the cheapest places to live in America, according to Niche.
1. Brownsville, Texas
Cost-of-living grade: A-
Estimated population: 193,000
Brownsville sits at the southern tip of Texas on the U.S.-Mexico border, along the western coast of the Gulf of Mexico. With an area of about 150 square miles, it is the largest city in the Rio Grande Valley.
2. Wichita Falls, Texas
Cost-of-living grade: A-
Estimated population: 102,000
Wichita Falls gets its name from the Wichita Indians and the Wichita River falls that once existed there, but those falls were swept away by a flood in 1886. A new falls was recreated as a tourist attraction. The area is prone to other natural disasters as it’s located in Tornado Alley.
3. South Bend, Indiana
Cost-of-living grade: A-
Estimated population: 103,000
If you’re a fan of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, you certainly have heard of South Bend. The University of Notre Dame was founded there in 1842, and it’s consistently ranked high among American universities.
If football’s not your game, Notre Dame also boasts the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art and hosts the annual Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival.
4. Evansville, Indiana
Cost-of-living grade: A-
Estimated population: 116,000
Evansville is the third-largest city in the Hoosier State, following Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. It’s home to the University of Evansville and the larger University of Southern Indiana.
5. Toledo, Ohio
Cost-of-living grade: A-
Estimated population: 263,000
Toledo sits at the western tip of Lake Erie, along Ohio’s border with Michigan. The phrase “Holy Toledo!” comes not from this city but from the far-older Toledo in Spain.
6. Dayton, Ohio
Cost-of-living grade: A-
Estimated population: 137,000
There’s a ton to do and see daily in Dayton, a big city with a suburban feel. The city is home to the Dayton Ballet, Dayton Philharmonic and Dayton Opera, as well as the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and the Dayton Art Institute.
7. Springfield, Illinois
Cost-of-living grade: A-
Estimated population: 113,000
Springfield is known as the home of Abraham Lincoln and his presidential library and museum. It is also the state capital — thanks to the efforts of Lincoln himself, back when he was a state legislator.
8. Amarillo, Texas
Cost-of-living grade: A-
Estimated population: 205,000
“The Yellow Rose of Texas” — a title the city shares with a song, a film and a flower — is also known as “The Helium Capital of the World.” The city’s actual name, Amarillo, is the Spanish word for the color yellow.
9. Laredo, Texas
Cost-of-living grade: A-
Estimated population: 270,000
Founded way back in 1755, this town on the southern Texas border is home to the Republic of the Rio Grande Museum and San Agustin Cathedral.
10. McAllen, Texas
Cost-of-living grade: A-
Estimated population: 151,000
McAllen is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States. It has a reputation as a shopping destination and features nearly 700 restaurants. But the border city on the Rio Grande might be most renowned as one of the nation’s best spots for birding.
The rest of the top 25
The rest of these cities may not have made the top 10, but their cost of living is still low, according to Niche. Here are their cost-of-living grades:
- Fort Wayne, Indiana: A-
- Montgomery, Alabama: A-
- Beaumont, Texas: A-
- Rockford, Illinois: B+
- Abilene, Texas: B+
- Akron, Ohio: B+
- El Paso, Texas: B+
- Jackson, Mississippi: B+
- Cleveland, Ohio: B+
- Topeka, Kansas: B+
- Peoria, Illinois: B+
- Erie, Pennsylvania: B+
- Davenport, Iowa: B+
- Memphis, Tennessee: B+
- Detroit, Michigan: B+
Add a Comment