50 Most Affordable Cities To Live on the East Coast

According to a recent discussion on NPR, one of the primary frustrations that drove Americans to the polls in the 2024 presidential election was dissatisfaction with inflation and increases in cost of living — with a sense among consumers that the prices of groceries, rent, mortgages, insurance and more have all spiked to untenable levels.

Additionally, cost of living in America is especially high in the cities that dot both the East and West coastlines, making life for some simply unaffordable.

Recently, GOBankingRates amassed a large amount of data concerning over 1,000 cities on the East Coast, measuring such factors as cost of living, mortgage rates, median household incomes and overall livability — all in an effort to locate the most affordable cities in the region.

Do you hope to retire on the East Coast or perhaps simply raise a family there? Want a career that keeps you near the Atlantic? Check out the 50 cheapest cities on America’s right coast.

• Pennsylvania has the two most affordable cities on the list.
• Pennsylvania and Georgia are tied for the most cities in the top 50, with 11 each.
• The biggest cities on the list are Columbus, Georgia (204,383), and Erie, Pennsylvania (94,156).
• The cities with the highest livability scores are Meadville, Pennsylvania; Erie, Pennsylvania, and Huntington, West Virginia.

• Annual cost of living: $25,797
• Livability score: 67
• Median household income: $44,595
• Average monthly mortgage: $342

• Annual cost of living: $29,570
• Livability score: 78
• Median household income: $34,784
• Average monthly mortgage: $542

• Annual cost of living: $29,823
• Livability score: 68
• Median household income: $44,878
• Average monthly mortgage: $641

• Annual cost of living: $29,977
• Livability score: 51
• Median household income: $39,527
• Average monthly mortgage: $627

• Annual cost of living: $30,214
• Livability score: 53
• Median household income: $31,564
• Average monthly mortgage: $690

• Annual cost of living: $30,547
• Livability score: 70
• Median household income: $31,854
• Average monthly mortgage: $487

• Annual cost of living: $30,672
• Livability score: 72
• Median household income: $49,003
• Average monthly mortgage: $678

• Annual cost of living: $30,678
• Livability score: 71
• Median household income: $48,810
• Average monthly mortgage: $607

• Annual cost of living: $30,745
• Livability score: 79
• Median household income: $41,478
• Average monthly mortgage: $756

• Annual cost of living: $30,759
• Livability score: 56
• Median household income: $53,981
• Average monthly mortgage: $609

• Annual cost of living: $30,954
• Livability score: 78
• Median household income: $50,171
• Average monthly mortgage: $718

• Annual cost of living: $30,988
• Livability score: 57
• Median household income: $37,398
• Average monthly mortgage: $686

• Annual cost of living: $31,044
• Livability score: 64
• Median household income: $45,201
• Average monthly mortgage: $675

• Annual cost of living: $31,092
• Livability score: 69
• Median household income: $42,434
• Average monthly mortgage: $716

• Annual cost of living: $31,105
• Livability score: 62
• Median household income: $42,900
• Average monthly mortgage: $763

• Annual cost of living: $31,214
• Livability score: 82
• Median household income: $46,859
• Average monthly mortgage: $613

• Annual cost of living: $31,230
• Livability score: 56
• Median household income: $39,258
• Average monthly mortgage: $714

• Annual cost of living: $31,271
• Livability score: 78
• Median household income: $47,819
• Average monthly mortgage: $781

• Annual cost of living: $31,276
• Livability score: 67
• Median household income: $50,959
• Average monthly mortgage: $796

• Annual cost of living: $31,506
• Livability score: 68
• Median household income: $37,979
• Average monthly mortgage: $796

• Annual cost of living: $31,571
• Livability score: 52
• Median household income: $33,066
• Average monthly mortgage: $835

• Annual cost of living: $31,658
• Livability score: 85
• Median household income: $46,012
• Average monthly mortgage: $789

• Annual cost of living: $31,680
• Livability score: 56
• Median household income: $39,939
• Average monthly mortgage: $730

• Annual cost of living: $31,736
• Livability score: 63
• Median household income: $43,089
• Average monthly mortgage: $641

• Annual cost of living: $32,158
• Livability score: 67
• Median household income: $48,498
• Average monthly mortgage: $737

• Annual cost of living: $32,196
• Livability score: 74
• Median household income: $53,465
• Average monthly mortgage: $725

• Annual cost of living: $32,263
• Livability score: 71
• Median household income: $44,675
• Average monthly mortgage: 753

• Annual cost of living: $32,296
• Livability score: 77
• Median household income: $42,778
• Average monthly mortgage: $803

• Annual cost of living: $32,302
• Livability score: 58
• Median household income: $35,250
• Average monthly mortgage: $751

• Annual cost of living: $32,332
• Livability score: 68
• Median household income: $56,699
• Average monthly mortgage: $735

• Annual cost of living: $32,509
• Livability score: 60
• Median household income: $40,253
• Average monthly mortgage: $949

• Annual cost of living: $32,517
• Livability score: 67
• Median household income: $80,231
• Average monthly mortgage: 703

• Annual cost of living: $32,555
• Livability score: 58
• Median household income: $41,531
• Average monthly mortgage: $854

• Annual cost of living: $32,646
• Livability score: 61
• Median household income: $43,114
• Average monthly mortgage: $815

• Annual cost of living: $32,939
• Livability score: 72
• Median household income: $60,340
• Average monthly mortgage: $781

• Annual cost of living: $33,043
• Livability score: 76
• Median household income: $47,970
• Average monthly mortgage: $860

• Annual cost of living: $33,063
• Livability score: 67
• Median household income: $47,885
• Average monthly mortgage: $955

• Annual cost of living: $33,105
• Livability score: 81
• Median household income: $43,146
• Average monthly mortgage: $702

• Annual cost of living: $33,212
• Livability score: 76
• Median household income: $51,667
• Average monthly mortgage: $791

• Annual cost of living: $33,352
• Livability score: 64
• Median household income: $56,662
• Average monthly mortgage: $859

• Annual cost of living: $33,429
• Livability score: 75
• Median household income: $52,037
• Average monthly mortgage: $752

• Annual cost of living: $33,503
• Livability score: 70
• Median household income: $40,450
• Average monthly mortgage: $754

• Annual cost of living: $33,687
• Livability score: 64
• Median household income: $40,496
• Average monthly mortgage: $908

• Annual cost of living: $33,783
• Livability score: 59
• Median household income: $38,780
• Average monthly mortgage: $957

• Annual cost of living: $34,150
• Livability score: 70
• Median household income: $49,644
• Average monthly mortgage: $877

• Annual cost of living: $34,163
• Livability score: 66
• Median household income: $41,214
• Average monthly mortgage: $953

• Annual cost of living: $34,185
• Livability score: 82
• Median household income: $43,397
• Average monthly mortgage: $984

• Annual cost of living: $34,198
• Livability score: 64
• Median household income: $49,386
• Average monthly mortgage: $844

• Annual cost of living: $34,249
• Livability score: 59
• Median household income: $48,535
• Average monthly mortgage: $844

• Annual cost of living: $34,313
• Livability score: 61
• Median household income: $53,393
• Average monthly mortgage: $975

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities in East Coast states to find the cheapest city to retire in each state. First GOBankingRates identified cities in East Coast states: Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia, Vermont. Once the cities were identified, GOBankingRates found total population, population ages 65 and over, total households and household median income, all sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. Using this data, the percentage of the population ages 65 and over was calculated. The cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces and include the grocery, healthcare, housing, utilities, transportation and miscellaneous cost-of-living indexes. Using the cost-of-living indexes and the national average expenditure costs for retired residents, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure cost for retired residents for each location was calculated. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes for each location. The average single-family home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index for November 2024. Using the average home value, assuming a 10% down payment, and using the most recent national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate (sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data), the average mortgage was calculated. Using the average mortgage and average expenditure costs, the average cost of living was calculated. The cities with the lowest cost of living for each state were found to determine the cheapest cities for retirees in each state. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Jan. 8, 2025.