The 15 Most Affordable Cities to Live in the U.S.

How many times have you heard the phrase, “It’s really expensive to live here.” Maybe you’ve even said it a few times about where you live.

Well, there are places in the U.S. where you might not hear that too often. U.S. News & World Report has identified these cheaper locales in its latest annual ranking of the most affordable places to live in the U.S.

But don’t look to the West. Tulsa, Oklahoma — ranked 20th — is the closest you’ll get to the West Coast on this list.

To determine its rankings, U.S. News & World Report looked at the median gross rent and annual housing costs for mortgage-paying homeowners in metro areas across the country. To determine overall, value and quality of life scores, U.S. News utilized data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI and the U.S. Department of Labor.

Value scores were determined by looking at housing affordability, household income, annual housing cost and price parity. Quality of life scores were determined by looking at crime rates, qualify of education, commuting, air quality, health care and natural disaster potential.

Let’s take a look at the cheapest places to live in the U.S., according to U.S. News & World Report.

15. Brownsville, Texas

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 5.7 out of 10

Value score for this city: 7.7 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 6.0 out of 10

It’s a good thing housing costs are cheaper in this city of about 187,000 at the southern tip of Texas on the border with Mexico. That’s because workers’ wages in the Brownsville area are 33% below the national average.

14. South Bend, Indiana

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 6.3 out of 10

Value score for this city: 7.7 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 6.5 out of 10

According to Salary.com, the cost of living in this city, which is home to the University of Notre Dame on the St. Joseph River, is 3.9% lower than the national average.

13. Fayetteville, Arkansas

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 6.7 out of 10

Value score for this city: 7.8 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 6.9 out of 10

The cost of living is in this college town — you’ll find the University of Arkansas here — is well below the national average, and there is plenty to do for anyone considering a move here. Options include the 40-mile stretch of the Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway, Southeastern Conference football and basketball games, and something called the Winslow Death March Loop.

12. Greenville, South Carolina

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 6.5 out of 10

Value score for this city: 7.8 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 6.4 out of 10

It’s a risk-reward living in this city in the northwestern part of the state — there’s the reward of cheaper housing costs but that comes with the risk of living in one of the U.S. counties most prone to natural disasters.

11. Spartanburg, South Carolina

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 6.4 out of 10

Value score for this city: 7.8 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 6.3 out of 10

The average hourly wage for workers in this city of around 39,000 people is $24.05 — 19% below the U.S. average of $29.76 — but the cost of living is nearly 10% less.

10. Knoxville, Tennessee

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 6.5 out of 10

Value score for this city: 7.9 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 6.3 out of 10

There’s a ton to do in this city that’s home to the University of Tennessee — Southeastern Conference sports and the Market Square downtown to name two. What’s more, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are both within an hour-and-a-half drive from the city. The cost of energy, food, health care and transportation is lower than the national average.

9. The Quad Cities: Davenport-Bettendorf, Iowa, and Moline-Rock Island, Illinois

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 6.4 out of 10

Value score for this city: 7.9 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 6.6 out of 10

There’s a lot of craft beer, outdoor adventures, entertainment and family fun in this region spanning the Mississippi River that boasts of being in the “center of it all.” If you’re not convinced that the Quad Cities is the place for you, this podcast might help win you over.

8. Green Bay, Wisconsin

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 6.9 out of 10

Value score for this city: 8.0 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 7.3 out of 10

Yes, this city is home to the legendary Green Bay Packers, the third-oldest team in NFL history and the only nonprofit franchise. Take a tour at legendary Lambeau Field, home to some of the greatest moments in pro football history.

7. Peoria, Illinois

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 6.3 out of 10

Value score for this city: 8.0 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 6.7 out of 10

If you’re considering a move to this city 166 miles from Chicago, check out the Forbes Advisor cost of living calculator. You can compare the cost of living in your current city or town with Peoria’s and see how much income you need to maintain your standard of living.

6. Beaumont, Texas

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 5.7 out of 10

Value score for this city: 8.0 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 5.5 out of 10

This city of 112,000 near the Texas border with Louisiana got a cost-of-living grade of B+ in a recent report of “The 25 Cheapest Places to Live in America.” Beaumont is also within a two hours’ drive of Houston, Lake Charles, Louisiana, and the Gulf of Mexico.

5. Fort Wayne, Indiana

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 6.5 out of 10

Value score for this city: 8.1 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 6.5 out of 10

This city of more than a quarter-million people in the northeastern part of Indiana has a lower cost of living than the state and U.S. in such categories as groceries, utilities and transportation.

4. Huntsville, Alabama

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 6.9 out of 10

Value score for this city: 8.2 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 7.0 out of 10

Sadly, for this city located in the Appalachian region of Alabama, it won’t become the new U.S. Space Command headquarters. But it still has the incredible U.S. Space & Rocket Center and the pride of being the birthplace of the legendary Saturn V moon rocket.

3. Huntington, West Virginia, and Ashland, Kentucky-Ohio

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 6.3 out of 10

Value score for this city: 8.2 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 6.6 out of 10

This metro area along the Ohio River was named “America’s Best Community” and won a $3 million grand prize in 2017 in a community revitalization competition that included 350 communities nationwide. The plans for Huntington include four major projects.

2. Youngstown, Ohio

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 6.3 out of 10

Value score for this city: 8.4 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 6.7 out of 10

This city, located halfway between fellow Rust Belt cities Pittsburgh and Cleveland, has a cost of living 14% lower than the national average. With those savings, you’ll have more money to spend at The Amish Market only five miles away in Boardman, Ohio.

1. Hickory, North Carolina

Overall U.S. News score for this city: 6.5 out of 10

Value score for this city: 8.6 out of 10

Quality of life score for this city: 6.4 out of 10

An ambitious project known as “The Hickory Trail” will, when completed, span the city for 10 miles and “provide bicycle and pedestrian safety while connecting popular destinations and amenities.” The trail will include the City Walk, Riverwalk, Aviation Walk, Historic Ridgeview Walk and OLLE Art Walk.