10 Southern Cities With Plenty of Jobs and Cheap Housing

If you’re looking for a mix of Southern charm, affordable housing and ample job opportunities, there are a few cities that will fit the bill.

GOBankingRates identified the top Southern cities for cheap housing and job availability by analyzing the 200 biggest housing markets in the U.S. as identified by Zillow across several factors, including the typical home value and monthly rent as of February 2023, as well as its metro statistical area unemployment rate, as sourced from December 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The cities included in the final ranking have values lower than the U.S. national average in all of the above factors.

Here’s a look at the Southern cities where you can find affordable places to live and steady employment.

• Typical home value: $90,289
• Typical rent: $1,184
• 2022 unemployment rate: 2.0%

• Typical home value: $257,800
• Typical rent: $1,434
• 2022 unemployment rate: 1.8%

• Typical home value: $127,789
• Typical rent: $1,168
• 2022 unemployment rate: 2.5%

• Typical home value: $193,301
• Typical rent: $1,215
• 2022 unemployment rate: 2.4%

• Typical home value: $186,905
• Typical rent: $1,166
• 2022 unemployment rate: 2.7%

• Typical home value: $300,135
• Typical rent: $1,626
• 2022 unemployment rate: 2.0%

• Typical home value: $185,392
• Typical rent: $1,095
• 2022 unemployment rate: 2.8%

• Typical home value: $233,846
• Typical rent: $1,207
• 2022 unemployment rate: 2.6%

• Typical home value: $238,068
• Typical rent: $1,572
• 2022 unemployment rate: 2.3%

Methodology: In order to identify cities in the U.S. that have plenty of jobs and cheap housing, GOBankingRates gathered information on the top 200 biggest housing markets in the U.S., according to Zillow. To be considered for ranking, each city had to have data available on: (1) its February 2023 typical home value, according to Zillow, (2) its February 2023 typical monthly rent, according to Zillow and (3) its Metro Statistical Area unemployment rate, according to the December 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The 65 cities in the final ranking have values lower than the U.S. national average in all 3 of the above factors. The highlighted cities were then scored on all three factors and ranked against each other, with factors (1) and (2) carrying half as much weight as factor (3). All data was collected on and up to date as of March 14, 2023.