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: 28

Avg Home Value Savings

$331,775

vs national average

States Represented

of 50 states

Full Rankings

#	City	Index	Home Value	Rent	Income	Pop.
1	Youngstown, OH	28	$58,400	$718	$34,746	59,605
2	Flint, MI	30	$47,600	$859	$36,194	80,835
3	Warren, OH	32	$80,100	$759	$36,955	39,057
4	Saginaw, MI	33	$54,000	$909	$37,298	43,879
5	Bay City, MI	33	$89,900	$739	$47,904	32,445
6	Decatur, IL	35	$97,300	$796	$50,809	70,368
7	Pine Bluff, AR	35	$86,400	$831	$41,250	40,436
8	Canton, OH	36	$94,400	$826	$39,754	70,105
9	Niagara Falls, NY	36	$104,400	$784	$48,535	48,198
10	Mansfield, OH	36	$110,600	$768	$42,605	47,686
11	Gadsden, AL	36	$101,900	$787	$38,699	33,617
12	Dayton, OH	37	$93,200	$866	$43,454	136,741
13	Muncie, IN	37	$92,000	$867	$43,395	64,739
14	Springfield, OH	37	$107,600	$805	$45,883	58,410
15	Richmond, IN	37	$107,600	$815	$46,395	35,551
16	Lima, OH	37	$95,900	$865	$43,370	35,304
17	Jackson, MI	37	$94,700	$874	$42,848	31,206
18	Cleveland, OH	38	$94,100	$894	$39,187	367,523
19	Erie, PA	38	$108,200	$836	$43,397	94,156
20	Altoona, PA	38	$113,600	$789	$50,171	43,508
21	Danville, VA	38	$110,200	$808	$42,778	42,239
22	Marion, OH	38	$105,900	$848	$45,829	35,771
23	Meridian, MS	38	$100,800	$865	$34,657	34,466
24	Pekin, IL	38	$118,200	$792	$58,355	31,812
25	Toledo, OH	39	$107,000	$880	$47,532	268,461

📊 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 28, meaning costs are 72% 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, 10 different states are represented. Southern and Midwestern states tend to dominate the affordability rankings.