The 7 most affordable US Cities

Want to move to a city where the cost of living is relatively low to start your first job? Still struggling with where to move and how to afford living on your own in a city in the United States? Find it exhausting to take all the factors—the price of food, price of apartment renting, price of cars, and the price of clothes—into consideration when you try to find the cheapest place to live? This article takes into account the cost of housing, food, transportation, healthcare, utilities, taxes, and childcare and provides a list of cities with the lowest cost of living and relevant information on how to choose.

1. Joplin, MO

The city of Joplin located in Southern Jasper County close to Northern Newton County, in the southwestern corner of Missouri. Joplin is the largest city in Jasper County. Joplin is the center of what is regionally known as the Four State Area, including Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas. The free healthcare system and Mercy Hospital Joplin are two fields developing quickly in Joplin. Missouri Southern State University, founded in 1937 as a junior college and expanded in the following decades, is in Joplin. Joplin is also served by the Joplin Public Library. Housing-related expenses such as rent and mortgage are 24.4% below the national average. Denizens enjoy significant savings on transportation costs and groceries, too.

City population: 52,288

Cost of living: 24.4％ below U.S. average

Median housing income: $41,063

Unemployment rate: 3.1％

2. McAllen, Texas

McAllen is the largest city in Hidalgo County, Texas, and the 22nd-most populous city in the state. It is located at the southern tip of the state in the Rio Grande Valley. The Rio Grande Valley began to develop rapidly when irrigation was introduced. These major additions turned a once relatively desolate area into a major agricultural center. McAllen Public Library operates a main library and two branches, the Lark Branch and the Palm View Branch. Unfortunately, the low cost of living is based on the poverty rate of 25.2%, and obesity runs rampant. WalletHub named McAllen the fattest city in America.

City population: 142,696

Cost of living: 24.3％ below U.S. average

Median housing income: $40,057

Unemployment rate: 6.6%

3. Harlingen, Texas

Harlingen is about 30 miles east of McAllen on the Rio Grande. 29.8% of residents in Harlingen, Texas live below the poverty line. The city is covered by the Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District and South Texas Independent School District. Based on its economic and environmental status, Harlingen is similar to Mexico. In addition to its proximity to Mexico, Harlingen is about an hour's drive to the beaches of South Padre Island. In Harlingen, Valley International Airport gains access to the lower Rio Grande Valley and Northern Mexico.

City population: 65,467

Cost of living: 23.4％ below U.S. average

Median housing income: $38,122

Unemployment rate: 6.3%

4. Conway, Ark

The main industry in Conway is information technology. Several high-tech companies are based in Conway, including digital marketing firm Acxiom. The city is close to Arkansas River and Lake Conway. This means residents are can spend their spare time swimming, diving, fishing, or doing other water based activities. Easy access to water also makes boating and ship transportation available. The living expenses in Conway are modest, yet the median income of Conway citizens is also lower than the national average in the US.

City population: 65,782

Cost of living: 14.9% below U.S. average

Median housing income: $46,741

Unemployment rate: 3.9%

5. Hattiesburg, Miss

Hattiesburg is a city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, primarily in Forrest County and extending west into Lamar County. Hattiesburg has a humid subtropical climate, with short, mild winters and hot, humid summers. Industries that contribute to Hattiesburg's economy include several national business branches that hold thousands of jobs across the Pine Belt. The city is also home to the African American Military History Museum, as well as numerous other museums, galleries, and theaters. The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is also located in Hattiesburg.

City population: 46,377

Cost of living: 14.9％ below U.S. average

Median housing income: $32,009

Unemployment rate: 4.2%

6. Gulfport, Miss

Gulfport is the second-largest city in Mississippi after the state capital, Jackson. The climate in Gulfport is a humid subtropical climate, which is strongly moderated by the Gulf of Mexico. Winters are short and generally warm. Sometimes cold spells do occur, but they seldom last long. Famous for its "World's Largest Fishing Rodeo", Gulfport has a flourishing tourism industry. The City of Gulfport is served by the Gulfport School District and the Harrison County School District. The Jefferson Davis Campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is also located in Gulfport.

City population: 71,822

Cost of living: 10.0％ below U.S. average

Median housing income: $37,243

Unemployment rate: 4.9%

7. Sherman, Texas

Sherman is one of the two principal cities in the Sherman–Denison Metropolitan Statistical Area, and it is part of the Texoma region of North Texas and southern Oklahoma. Most children in Sherman are zoned to the Sherman Independent School District, which includes Sherman High School. The Sherman Public Library serves the city of Sherman and all citizens. Top employers in this region of North Texas near the Oklahoma border are Tyson Foods and Texas Instruments. Costs for groceries, transportation, and healthcare are all much less than the average in the US.

Nevertheless, citizens' utilities are pretty much the same as the national average.

City population: 41,917

Cost of living: 4.1％ below U.S. average

Median housing income: $44,884

Unemployment rate: 3.3%

Conclusion

Based on the information provided above, you have a comprehensive understanding of the factors that make up the cost of living—from various perspectives of geography, infrastructure, healthcare, education, living standards, regional characteristics, and income—in cities where the cost of living is relatively lower. Now, hope you can make your choice based on the statistics offered by Salary.com.