10 Most Livable Towns Where Your Single-Income Paycheck Goes Furthest

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What do you look for when relocating not just to a new home but to a new place? You’re probably hoping to land somewhere with low crime rates, easy access to food and healthcare and maybe some nice natural scenery and community hubs, too. These are all factors that go into a city’s livability score. Places with high livability scores generally have these desirable traits — with the aspect of affordability tied in to some degree. 

In a new study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities with high livability indexes to find the places where a single person’s paycheck will go the furthest. These are the 10 places where you’ll have the easiest time dwelling somewhere ranked highly livable. 

Key findings:

• Nine of the cities are in the Midwest, with four in Michigan.
• The most livable city on this list is University Heights in Ohio, with a livability score of 93/100. 
• In the most livable city where your single-income paycheck goes the furthest, the average home is $215,000. 

10. West Lafayette, Indiana 

• Household median income: $33,497   
• Average single-family home value: $359,002  
• Total cost of living annually: $39,224 
• Livability score: 90  

9. Fort Thomas, Kentucky

• Household median income: $100,819   
• Average single-family home value: $336,341  
• Total cost of living annually: $38,709 
• Livability score: 91 

8. Farmington, Michigan 

• Household median income: $94,115  
• Average single-family home value: $321,731  
• Total cost of living annually: $38,411 
• Livability score: 91  

7. Perrysburg, Ohio 

• Household median income: $105,226   
• Average single-family home value: $328,168  
• Total cost of living annually: $37,253 
• Livability score: 90

6. Berkley, Michigan   

• Household median income: $113,103   
• Average single-family home value: $299,196  
• Total cost of living annually: $36,641 
• Livability score: 91

5. Edwardsville, Illinois

• Household median income: $92,671   
• Average single-family home value: $304,242  
• Total cost of living annually: $36,563 
• Livability score: 90

4. Marquette, Michigan

• Household median income: $55,825   
• Average single-family home value: $297,657  
• Total cost of living annually: $36,189 
• Livability score: 90

3. Clawson, Michigan

• Household median income: $86,630   
• Average single-family home value: $279,149  
• Total cost of living annually: $34,955 
• Livability score: 92

2. University Heights, Ohio 

• Household median income: $98,474   
• Average single-family home value: $258,982  
• Total cost of living annually: $32,318 
• Livability score: 93

1. Wausau, Wisconsin

• Household median income: $61,877  
• Average single-family home value: $214,506  
• Total cost of living annually: $29,115
• Livability score: 93

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed the most livable cities to find the places where a single-income paycheck goes the furthest. Cities with a livability index of at least 90 were identified using AreaVibes as these represent cities with the highest quality of life. For each location a number of factors were found including; total population, population ages 65 and over, total households, and household median income all sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. 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 a single-income earner, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for single consumer units with one earner, the average expenditure cost for each location can be 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 April 2025. Using the average single-family home value, assuming a 10% down payment, and using the most recent national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage can be calculated. Using the average mortgage and average expenditure costs, the average total monthly and annual cost of living can be calculated. The cities were sorted to show the places where a single-income paycheck goes the furthest. All data was collected on and is up to date as of June 10, 2025.

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