6 Beautiful Places To Live in the US That Are So Cheap You Could Quit Your Job
The average American household now has to spend an extra $11,434 annually to maintain the same standard of living it had in January 2021. Whether you’re sick of trying to keep up or are ready to work part time, one solution is finding a cheaper place to live.
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The average U.S. household spends $61,344 on living expenses, according to World Population Review. Moving to a city with a lower cost of living can bring your expenses down with reduced housing, food and entertainment costs. But you don’t want to sacrifice your quality of life to save.
Luckily, there are still some places in the United States where the annual cost of living is below average and beauty abounds. Here are some places so cheap to live you could quit your job — or at least reduce your hours to part time.
Hickory, North Carolina
Annual Cost of Living: $48,960 for families, $28,400 for individuals
Livability Score: 70/100
Median Home Price: $255,500
Nearest Major City: Charlotte, North Carolina (45 miles)
Hickory is located at the eastern base of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. It has a small but clean downtown area and temperate weather most of the year. It’s also under an hour from Charlotte, so it’s easy to get to a major city and all of its amenities.
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Athens, Georgia
Annual Cost of Living: $53,640 for families, $36,400 for individuals
Livability Score: 80/100
Median Home Price: $280,500
Nearest Major City: Atlanta (70 miles)
Athens is home to the University of Georgia and its famous football team. It’s also just north of Oconee National Forest and full of beautiful trees. Home prices have increased rapidly in recent years, but you can still find great deals away from the city center.
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Knoxville, Tennessee
Annual Cost of Living: $60,120 for families, $39,200 for individuals
Livability Score: 73/100
Median Home Price: $314,700
Nearest Major City: Nashville, Tennessee (180 miles)
Knoxville is a gem nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It’s a lively city with a major college campus and breathtaking natural landmarks, like the Tennessee River. You’ll find more to do here than the average affordable U.S. city thanks to the region’s museums, live music festivals and opportunities for natural exploration.
However, crime in Knoxville is meaningfully higher than the national average, so it may not be the best fit for families looking to prioritize safety.
Klamath Falls, Oregon
Annual Cost of Living: $51,840 for families, $29,200 for individuals
Livability Score: 77/100
Median Home Price: $269,900
Nearest Major City: Portland, Oregon (270 miles)
If you want an affordable, beautiful place to live in the Western United States, Klamath Falls is tough to beat. It’s located on the dryer side of the state, near the California border and the Cascade Mountains. A perfect fit for outdoor enthusiasts, it’s close to forests, mountains and the Oregon Coast. However, Klamath Falls lacks some of the city amenities you’ll find in other locations on this list.
Cincinnati, Ohio
Annual Cost of Living: $40,320 for families, $32,800 for individuals
Livability Score: 80/100
Median Home Price: $210,800
Nearest Major City: N/A
Cincinnati is a Midwestern city with a ton of charm and a cost of living that rivals almost any city of its size. It has a vibrant riverfront area, an NFL team and plenty of nearby natural attractions thanks to its location along the Ohio River. Winters can be cold and rainy, but Cincinnati averages less snowfall and more sun than much of the Midwest.
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Green Bay, Wisconsin
Annual Cost of Living: $40,680 for families, $29,600 for individuals
Livability Score: 71/100
Median Home Price: $212,700
Nearest Major City: Milwaukee, Wisconsin (115 miles)
Green Bay is located in Northern Wisconsin, which means it has cold, snowy winters. But if you enjoy that kind of weather, it could be just what you’ve been searching for. The city is full of museums, parks and some of the friendliest people in the country. You’re also right on Lake Michigan, which offers plenty of opportunities for summer fun. Plus, if you love football, few franchises can match the historic allure of the Green Bay Packers.
The Bottom Line
As living costs continue to increase, more and more Americans are considering moving to brighten their financial futures. The cities on this list can help you do the same by decreasing the percentage of your paychecks you have to spend on living expenses — maybe even enough to cut back on the time you spend at work.
However, you’ll likely still need to develop smart money habits to maintain a good quality of life and achieve long-term goals like retiring.
Cost of living and median home prices were sourced from BestPlaces. Livability scores were sourced from AreaVibes.
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