20 Southern Cities That Could Become Unaffordable by the End of 2025

People are moving to the South in droves. According to research from HireAHelper, across all 25.6 million Americans who moved in 2023, rural states with lower costs of living brought in the most residents. The three states that saw the greatest influx were all in the South: Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee. 

Thanks to that crucial lower cost-of-living aspect, the South is picking up interest among all sorts of people, including retirees. But will these hot spots remain affordable?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like they will. In a new study, GOBankingRates analyzed Southern states to find places that could be unaffordable by the end of 2025. 

These are the top 20 Southern cities that our research found to be still only barely affordable — and possibly even less so by the end of 2025.

• Household median income: $44,125 
• Average value of a single family home: $195,953  
• Total cost of living annually: $34,174  
• Leftover savings after median income: $9,951 

• Household median income: $47,129 
• Average value of a single family home: $192,336  
• Total cost of living annually: $37,022  
• Leftover savings after median income: $10,107  

• Household median income: $51,136  
• Average value of a single family home: $380,300   
• Total cost of living annually: $50,872  
• Leftover savings after median income: $264  

• Household median income: $53,500  
• Average value of a single family home: $316,868   
• Total cost of living annually: $46,490  
• Leftover savings after median income: $7,010  

• Household median income: $54,748  
• Average value of a single family home: $325,329   
• Total cost of living annually: $44,928  
• Leftover savings after median income: $9,820   

• Household median income: $59,140  
• Average value of a single family home: $397,524   
• Total cost of living annually: $53,414  
• Leftover savings after median income: $5,726 

• Household median income: $38,954  
• Average value of a single family home: $161,818   
• Total cost of living annually: $32,424  
• Leftover savings after median income: $6,530

• Household median income: $50,278  
• Average value of a single family home: $209,742   
• Total cost of living annually: $37,372  
• Leftover savings after median income: $12,906   

• Household median income: $43,669  
• Average value of a single family home: $200,806   
• Total cost of living annually: $33,944  
• Leftover savings after median income: $9,725

• Household median income: $47,757  
• Average value of a single family home: $198,021   
• Total cost of living annually: $38,366  
• Leftover savings after median income: $9,391 

• Household median income: $47,257  
• Average value of a single family home: $221,515   
• Total cost of living annually: $38,041  
• Leftover savings after median income: $9,216    

• Household median income: $45,588  
• Average value of a single family home: $208,056   
• Total cost of living annually: $34,590  
• Leftover savings after median income: $10,998

• Household median income: $47,706  
• Average value of a single family home: $312,679   
• Total cost of living annually: $47,130  
• Leftover savings after median income: $576

• Household median income: $48,161  
• Average value of a single family home: $291,588   
• Total cost of living annually: $42,638  
• Leftover savings after median income: $5,523   

• Household median income: $59,358
• Average value of a single family home: $414,401
• Total cost of living annually: $52,633
• Leftover savings after median income: $6,725

• Household median income: $47,851  
• Average value of a single family home: $212,597   
• Total cost of living annually: $38,111  
• Leftover savings after median income: $9,740  

• Household median income: $57,403  
• Average value of a single family home: $414,101   
• Total cost of living annually: $52,315  
• Leftover savings after median income: $5,088   

• Household median income: $44,375  
• Average value of a single family home: $308,635   
• Total cost of living annually: $43,648  
• Leftover savings after median income: $727    

• Household median income: $48,088  
• Average value of a single family home: $305,617   
• Total cost of living annually: $42,554  
• Leftover savings after median income: $5,534   

• Household median income: $41,994  
• Average value of a single family home: $197,959   
• Total cost of living annually: $38,760  
• Leftover savings after median income: $3,234   

Editor’s note: Photos are for representational purposes only and might not reflect the exact locations.

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed Southern states to find places that could be unaffordable by 2025. First, GOBankingRates found cities in the Southern United States using the U.S. Census American Community Survey. For each city, total population, total households, household median income and population age 65 and over were all sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey; the cost of living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces; the average single-family home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index, and the livability index was sourced from AreaVibes. Using the average home value, assuming a 10% down payment, and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage cost was calculated for each city. Using the cost-of-living indexes and the national average expenditure costs for all residents, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure costs were calculated. The expenditure and mortgage costs were used to calculate the average cost of living. The statewide home values and mortgage were calculated using the Zillow Home Value Index and compared to each city. The places with mortgages cheaper than the statewide average mortgages were kept for this study as housing costs often represent the largest cost for a household, and an increase to housing costs are a major shift in cost of living. The cities with median household incomes above the average cost of living were kept for this study as they represent places that are still currently affordable. The leftover savings from median household income were scored and weighted at 1.00. The difference from home mortgages was scored and weighted at 1.00. Both scores were summed and sorted to show places that are still barely affordable but may not be soon due to increased costs. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Sept. 5, 2024.