50 Most Affordable Big US Cities To Live In

Inflation has spurred high cost of living across America, and added tariffs and possible trade wars portend even higher prices as well as a possible bear market on Wall Street. This all has many Americans worried about costs — especially if they live in big cities.

Recently, GOBankingRates collated the cost of living for American cities with populations over 100,000, researching such statistics as home values and income levels within those cities. Within that matrix, GOBankingRates selected the 50 most affordable cities.

Curious which large American cities are the most affordable?

• Perhaps unsurprisingly, major coastal metropolitan areas are scarce on the list, with no cities from California or Hawaii making an appearance, while only three cities in New York made the cut.
• Most of America’s most affordable cities are centered in the Midwest.
• Texas has the most cities on the list, with a whopping 14.

• Median income: $39,575
• Average home value: $71,236
• Monthly cost of living: $2,485
• Annual cost of living: $29,821

• Median income: $48,544
• Average home value: $125,929
• Monthly cost of living: $2,619
• Annual cost of living: $31,432

• Median income: $44,376
• Average home value: $120,191
• Monthly cost of living: $2,703
• Annual cost of living: $32,440

• Median income: $55,687
• Average home value: $140,703
• Monthly cost of living: $2,716
• Annual cost of living: $32,588

• Median income: $43,238
• Average home value: $68,122
• Monthly cost of living: $2,734
• Annual cost of living: $32,806

• Median income: $56,622
• Average home value: $157,850
• Monthly cost of living: $2,740
• Annual cost of living: $32,879

• Median income: $51,211
• Average home value: $142,525
• Monthly cost of living: $2,749
• Annual cost of living: $32,983

• Median income: $47,532
• Average home value: $117,989
• Monthly cost of living: $2,775
• Annual cost of living: $33,300

• Median income: $39,187
• Average home value: $107,118
• Monthly cost of living: $2,818
• Annual cost of living: $33,812

• Median income: $58,716
• Average home value: $126,336
• Monthly cost of living: $2,821
• Annual cost of living: $33,854

• Median income: $65,537
• Average home value: $156,245
• Monthly cost of living: $2,842
• Annual cost of living: $34,105

• Median income: $58,568
• Average home value: $163,628
• Monthly cost of living: $2,851
• Annual cost of living: $34,213

• Median income: $53,328
• Average home value: $154,013
• Monthly cost of living: $2,894
• Annual cost of living: $34,733

• Median income: $55,902
• Average home value: $184,065
• Monthly cost of living: $2,984
• Annual cost of living: $35,812

• Median income: $43,454
• Average home value: $140,907
• Monthly cost of living: $3,002
• Annual cost of living: $36,028

• Median income: $48,465
• Average home value: $129,937
• Monthly cost of living: $3,011
• Annual cost of living: $36,136

• Median income: $59,623
• Average home value: $179,216
• Monthly cost of living: $3,012
• Annual cost of living: $36,141

• Median income: $62,469
• Average home value: $194,049
• Monthly cost of living: $3,018
• Annual cost of living: $36,221

• Median income: $55,279
• Average home value: $169,710
• Monthly cost of living: $3,058
• Annual cost of living: $36,701

• Median income: $52,251
• Average home value: $182,845
• Monthly cost of living: $3,074
• Annual cost of living: $36,891

• Median income: $51,468
• Average home value: $188,005
• Monthly cost of living: $3,088
• Annual cost of living: $,37,053

• Median income: $56,395
• Average home value: $214,574
• Monthly cost of living: $3,100
• Annual cost of living: $37,199

• Median income: $48,050
• Average home value: $220,734
• Monthly cost of living: $3,130
• Annual cost of living: $37,559

• Median income: $52,512
• Average home value: $172,077
• Monthly cost of living: $3,130
• Annual cost of living: $37,559

• Median income: $60,165
• Average home value: $225,315
• Monthly cost of living: $3,142
• Annual cost of living: $37,707

• Median income: $52,170
• Average home value: $146,159
• Monthly cost of living: $3,173
• Annual cost of living: $38,076

• Median income: $51,090
• Average home value: $186,905
• Monthly cost of living: $3,173
• Annual cost of living: $38,080

• Median income: $64,497
• Average home value: $173,851
• Monthly cost of living: $3,176
• Annual cost of living: $38,122

• Median income: $60,293
• Average home value: $228,361
• Monthly cost of living: $3,183
• Annual cost of living: $38,192

• Median income: $62,720
• Average home value: $189,231
• Monthly cost of living: $3,195
• Annual cost of living: $38,335

• Median income: $59,183
• Average home value: $184,256
• Monthly cost of living: $3,203
• Annual cost of living: $38,441

• Median income: $62,995
• Average home value: $223,828
• Monthly cost of living: $3,206
• Annual cost of living: $38,478

• Median income: $46,628
• Average home value: $214,412
• Monthly cost of living: $3,219
• Annual cost of living: $38,634

• Median income: $45,845
• Average home value: $188,708
• Monthly cost of living: $3,221
• Annual cost of living: $38,658

• Median income: $64,137
• Average home value: $222,059
• Monthly cost of living: $3,235
• Annual cost of living: $38,817

• Median income: $57,530
• Average home value: $151,700
• Monthly cost of living: $3,237
• Annual cost of living: $38,849

• Median income: $51,888
• Average home value: $202,003
• Monthly cost of living: $3,241
• Annual cost of living: $38,889

• Median income: $64,270
• Average home value: $218,274
• Monthly cost of living: $3,244
• Annual cost of living: $38,928

• Median income: $58,734
• Average home value: $224,105
• Monthly cost of living: $3,245
• Annual cost of living: $38,935

• Median income: $66,325
• Average home value: $216,065
• Monthly cost of living: $3,255
• Annual cost of living: $39,061

• Median income: $60,583
• Average home value: $209,283
• Monthly cost of living: $3,256
• Annual cost of living: $39,071

• Median income: $60,487
• Average home value: $199,846
• Monthly cost of living: $3,271
• Annual cost of living: $39,257

• Median income: $58,339
• Average home value: $217,504
• Monthly cost of living: $3,279
• Annual cost of living: $39,346

• Median income: $66,702
• Average home value: $198,126
• Monthly cost of living: $3,284
• Annual cost of living: $39,414

• Median income: $60,698
• Average home value: $212,215
• Monthly cost of living: $3,289
• Annual cost of living: $39,471

• Median income: $57,789
• Average home value: $209,623
• Monthly cost of living: $3,299
• Annual cost of living: $39,586

• Median income: $49,944
• Average home value: $224,180
• Monthly cost of living: $3,307
• Annual cost of living: $39,680

• Median income: $63,264
• Average home value: $212,832
• Monthly cost of living: $3,317
• Annual cost of living: $39,806

• Median income: $51,707
• Average home value: $237,204
• Monthly cost of living: $3,325
• Annual cost of living: $39,905

• Median income: $48,675
• Average home value: $188,841
• Monthly cost of living: $3,331
• Annual cost of living: $39,974

Methodology: GOBankingRates analyzed the cost of living for cities over 100,000 population, as sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, along with data from Sperling’s BestPlaces, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, AreaVibes, Zillow Home Value Index, and the Federal Reserve Economic Data to find the cheapest places to live among big American cities. All data was collected on and is up to date as of March 10, 2025.