17 Amazing East Coast Cities With Affordable Housing

East Coast cities often get a bad rap for being unaffordable for the average American.

While that can be true in big cities in states like California and New York, there’s a wide range of East Coast states with surprisingly affordable little pockets in cities you might not have considered, until now. Among them, Virginia took 7 slots on our list, and Maryland and South Carolina took 2 each.

GOBankingRates looked at the states along the East Coast from north to south — Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida — to determine their affordability.

Considering average monthly wages, rent no more than 30% of income level, cost of living compared to the national average and livability scores, we came up with 17 east coast cities that could be considered affordable — and hopefully wonderful — places to live.

• State Average Monthly Income: $5,848 
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,741.95

Laurel is a town with the second lowest population on this list, just 29,438 but the highest cost of living, which is 23% higher than the national average. It has a moderate livability score, as well, of 68.

• State Average Monthly Income:  $7,160
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent:  $2,127.47

Lowell has a population of 114,804. Its cost of living is 15% above the national average, and its livability score is even lower than Laurel’s, at 67.

• State Average Monthly Income:  $5,936
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent:  $1,776.97

Another New England city, Manchester, which has a population of 114,730, is more affordable than its Massachusetts cousin-at only 5% higher cost of living than the national average. Its livability is on the lower side for this list, at 65.

• State Average Monthly Income: $4,444
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,308.95

The small South-Eastern city of Aiken, South Carolina has a population of only 31,516 and a cost of living that is 14% below the national average. Its livability score hangs out at 67.

• State Average Monthly Income:  $5,664
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,609.23  

The first of seven Virginia cities to make it to this list, Suffolk has a sizable population of 93,268, and a cost of living that is right at the national average. It’s got one of the better livability scores on the list, too, at 72.

• State Average Monthly Income: $4,444
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,126.94 

Anderson, South Carolina, has the smallest population on this list at 28,796. Its cost of living is also smaller, at 15% below the national average. Livability score here is a middle of the road 67.

• State Average Monthly Income: $5,156 
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,300.00

Another relatively small Southern city makes this list. Dalton, Georgia has a population of 34,255, and a cost of living that is 19% below the national average. Its livability score is just 66, however.

• State Average Monthly Income: $5,664
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,562.57

The second Virginia city to hit this list also has the second-largest population on this list, at 238,556. Its cost of living is just 8% below the national average but its livability score is only 66.

• State Average Monthly Income:  $4,940
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,196.98 

Jacksonville, North Carolina finds itself in the middle of things-its population is neither the highest nor lowest, at 73,224. Its cost of living is 17% below the national average, and its livability score is 71.

• State Average Monthly Income: $5,664
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,485.44

Hampton, the third Virginia city on this list, is decently sized, with a population of 136,748. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, and it has a decent livability score of 72.

• State Average Monthly Income: $5,156 
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,131.25

Another of the smaller cities on this list, Rome, Georgia’s population is just 37,509. Its cost of living is a significant 30% lower than the national average, however, with a livability score of 70.

• State Average Monthly Income: $5,848 
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,177.76 

Hagerstown, the second Maryland city on this list has a modest population of 43,015. Unlike Laurel, where cost of living is above national average, in Hagerstown it’s 17% lower than the national average. Livability score is 66.

• State Average Monthly Income:  $5,664
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,497.88 

The fifth Virginia city on this list is also one of the biggest, the capital city of Richmond, with a population of 225,676. The cost of living is only 4% below national average, here, however. Its livability score is a solid 72.

• State Average Monthly Income: $4,940 
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,400.88 

Greensboro is the biggest city on this list, with a population that is nearly 300,000. However, despite its size, cost of living is still 17% lower here than the national average. Livability is just 66.

• State Average Monthly Income:  $5,664
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent:  $1,383.38 

The sixth Virginia city on this list, Newport News, is not nearly as affordable as cities like Norfolk and Hampton, with a cost of living that’s just 9% below the national average. It’s not a small city either, with a population of 185,069, but it has one of the higher livability scores, of 73.

• State Average Monthly Income: $5,664 
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent: $1,264.27 

The seventh Virginia city on this list, Roanoke, with a population of 99,578, is a very affordable city. Its cost of living is 25% below the national cost of living and it has a great livability score of 75.

• State Average Monthly Income: $1,216.31 
• Average 1-Bedroom Rent: $5,664 

The city that takes our No. 1 spot for affordability is Lynchburg, Virginia, with a population of 78,973, a cost of living that’s 18% lower than the national average and the highest livability score on this list, 82.

Jami Farkas contributed to the reporting for this article.

Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates first determined (1) average monthly wages in Q4 2022 for Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics County Employment and Wages news release. GOBankingRates then (2) found cities within the selected states where the average 2023 rent, sourced from Zillow Observed Rental Index, was no greater than 30% of state resident average monthly income (the housing budget guideline recommended by professionals); and (3) the corresponding populations for each city, sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. Cities included in the ranking had (4) an overall cost of living index, sourced from Sperling’s Best Places, no greater than 10% higher than the national average; and (5) livability scores, sourced from Areavibes, above 65. All data was collected and is up-to-date as-of June 9, 2023.