Rankings

25 Most Affordable Cities in America

The cheapest cities to live in the United States, ranked by our composite Cost of Living Index using U.S. Census Bureau housing and rental data.

Data Updated: March 2026

#1 Most Affordable

Youngstown

Index: 63

Avg Home Value Savings

$203,033

vs national average

States Represented

of 50 states

Full Rankings

#	City	Index	Home Value	Rent	Income	Pop.
1	Youngstown, OH	63	$58,400	$718	$34,746	59,605
2	Flint, MI	64	$47,600	$859	$36,194	80,835
3	Pine Bluff, AR	65	$71,856	$831	$41,250	40,436
4	Muncie, IN	67	$92,000	$867	$43,395	64,739
5	Decatur, IL	68	$97,300	$796	$50,809	70,368
6	Gadsden, AL	68	$101,900	$787	$38,699	33,617
7	Port Arthur, TX	69	$96,900	$996	$45,752	55,779
8	Anderson, IN	69	$104,300	$909	$47,221	54,930
9	Mansfield, OH	69	$110,600	$768	$42,605	47,686
10	Rock Island, IL	69	$118,400	$819	$57,292	36,758
11	Marion, OH	69	$105,900	$848	$45,829	35,771
12	Richmond, IN	69	$107,600	$815	$46,395	35,551
13	Lima, OH	69	$95,900	$865	$43,370	35,304
14	Meridian, MS	69	$100,800	$865	$34,657	34,466
15	Chester, PA	69	$85,400	$1,080	$39,809	33,209
16	Jackson, MI	69	$94,700	$874	$42,848	31,206
17	Brownsville, TX	70	$122,400	$906	$48,675	188,023
18	Jackson, MS	70	$108,200	$1,018	$43,238	149,827
19	Pharr, TX	70	$111,500	$990	$49,884	79,809
20	Harlingen, TX	70	$125,700	$893	$55,891	71,669
21	Gary, IN	70	$85,300	$975	$37,380	68,604
22	Terre Haute, IN	70	$109,500	$877	$41,960	58,491
23	Weslaco, TX	70	$119,200	$942	$54,995	41,437
24	Warren, OH	70	$119,627	$759	$36,955	39,057
25	San Juan, TX	70	$118,200	$937	$53,440	35,674

Methodology: Rankings use our composite Cost of Living Index (housing 57% + rent 43%). Only cities with population > 30,000 and complete Census data are included. Data from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023. See full methodology →

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest city to live in America?

Based on our Cost of Living Index using 2023 Census data, Youngstown, OH is the most affordable major city with an index of 63, meaning costs are 37% below the national average.

How is affordability measured?

We use a composite Cost of Living Index that weights median home values (57%) and median gross rent (43%) against national averages. An index of 100 equals the national average; below 100 is more affordable.

Why are some popular cities not on this list?

This ranking only includes cities with populations over 30,000 to ensure statistical reliability. Smaller towns may be even more affordable but lack sufficient Census data.

Which states have the most affordable cities?

In our top 25, 9 different states are represented. Southern and Midwestern states tend to dominate the affordability rankings.