Millions of Americans are desperate to find an affordable place to call home, yet many struggle to identify which states, cities, and local communities offer the cheapest accommodations without skimping out on comfort. Rankings change constantly, too, making it all the more challenging for the average citizen to determine the most affordable place to live in during any given year.
Recently, however, rankings have remained fairly consistent to such a degree that a number of communities have stood out as being particularly affordable and unlikely to become more expensive. Here are America’s most affordable communities in 2019.
The South and the West dominate
For the most part, the most affordable states in the union reside in its Southern and Western regions. Mississippi, for instance, has consistently been rated the most affordable state to live in for some time by many metrics, with Oklahoma and Arkansas in the West coming in a close second and third, respectively. Determining which state is the most affordable can be deceiving, however, as living conditions can vary widely depending on which part of the state you’re observing. An urban center may be ludicrously expensive, for instance, whereas the suburbs or rural areas could be some of the most affordable areas in the developed world.
One of the reasons that Mississippi so regularly tops the list of affordable states is its absurdly affordable housing and relatively low costs of living when it comes to everyday expenses like food. The Magnolia State is famous for its hospitability, doubtlessly because so many tourists and temporary visitors can enjoy a cheap yet delicious meal in similarly affordable yet comfortable accommodations. It should be of little wonder, then, that Mississippi is a popular travel destination for those on a budget, whereas those looking to spend huge sums of cash traditional fly to New York, California, or some of Texas’ more urban areas.
While the cheapest states to live in remain relatively constant, the cities can come and go on the ranking list depending on the wellbeing of their local economy. Most costs of living indexes rate Richmond, Indiana rather highly, however, as its generally about 20% cheaper to live there than in most of the United States.
What makes a city expensive?
One of the reason certain cities and areas have more expensive real estate than others is a lack of affordable housing, a problem often exacerbated by a local refusal to permit additional construction to take place. In areas of entrenched wealth, where high-income earners wield great political power, it can be downright impossible to succeed when it comes to affordable housing initiatives aimed at bringing in more lower-income families.
Cities which have risen to the challenge when it comes to creating more affordable housing have a number of important lessons to teach the rest of us. In states like Oklahoma and Arkansas, for instance, cities generally have cheap yet satisfying food and relatively affordable home prices that don’t rapidly fluctuate. The introduction of additional development in these areas could change that in the future, however, as economic headwinds are always shifting.
Educational costs, too, must be considered; areas like Harlingen, Texas and Pueblo, Colorado, are so affordable partially because residents don’t have to bankrupt themselves in order to attain a degree. Ultimately, the average rent being low and the cost of food being affordable contribute more to an area’s overall affordability, yet skyrocketing educational costs around the country have made certain areas ludicrously more expensive than they once were.
America’s most affordable communities are never static, and we can expect changes sooner rather than later when it comes to cheap rent and fair rates for food and entertainment. Right now, however, it’s hard to beat Mississippi and Oklahoma when it comes to plain affordability.
