The Top 10 Most Affordable Cities in America: Where You Can Actually Afford to Live

So where do you want to live?

More and more Americans are searching for cheap places to live as housing prices and cost of living expenses grow and grow. The rise of remote work has also given more workers more flexibility in choosing where they could live.

Budget Friendly Cities

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The majority of budget-friendly cities can be found in the mid-western and eastern regions of the country.

Wilmington, Delaware, was named the most affordable city to live in in the US in 2023, according to the Best Cities To Live in 2023 study. The comprehensive report analyzed the 150 cities nationwide in terms of cost of living, median home value, and rent cost and found that Wilmington is followed by Detroit (#2), and Lansing (#3) -both Michigan cities- in terms of affordability.

Do you want to know what are the ten most affordable cities in the U.S.? Here they are!

(ranked from best to worst)

Wilmington, Delaware

The rock climbing wall at Alapocas Run State Park, Wilmington, Delaware, USA in the colorful fall.
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Affordability breakdown for Wilmington, Delaware:
 
#42 Median Home Value
#46 Rent Cost
#106 Cost of Living
#1 Sales Taxes

Detroit, Michigan

View of abandoned downtown of Detroit, Michigan.
Image Credit: duha127/Depositphotos.com.

 

Affordability breakdown for Detroit, Michigan:
 
#1 Median Home Value
#30 Rent Cost
#41 Cost of Living
#16 Sales Taxes
 
Unfortunately, Detroit is one of the four most dangerous cities in America, so keep that in mind!

Lansing, Michigan

near Lansing, Michigan, USA - July, 3, 2021: summer landscape with lake, trees and reflection of blue sky with some clouds.
Image Credit: T-I/Shutterstock.
Affordability breakdown for Lansing, Michigan:
 
#7 Median Home Value
#13 Rent Cost
#19 Cost of Living
#16 Sales Taxes

Jackson, Mississippi

Jackson, Mississippi, USA 11-11-2020 Capitol Hill.
Image Credit: magraphy/Shutterstock.
Affordability breakdown for Jackson, Mississippi:
 
#3 Median Home Value
#31 Rent Cost
#14 Cost of Living
#51 Sales Taxes

Kalamazoo, Michigan

sunset over the Kalamazoo River, Albion, Michigan.
Image Credit: Lee Smith Media/Shutterstock.
Affordability breakdown for Kalamazoo, Michigan:
 
#18 Median Home Value
#6 Rent Cost
#11 Cost of Living
#16 Sales Taxes

Dayton, Ohio

DAYTON, OHIO - 11 JUNE, 2013: A view of the skyline of Dayton, Ohio at sunset.
Image Credit: David Harmantas/Shutterstock.
Affordability breakdown for Dayton, Ohio:
 
#2 Median Home Value
#3 Rent Cost
#69 Cost of Living
#72 Sales Taxes

Brownsville, Texas

Brownsville, Texas, USA - February 26, 2022: Charro Days Grand International Parade, a group of Classic Ford trucks part of the parade.
Image Credit: Roberto Galan/Shutterstock.
Affordability breakdown for Brownsville, Texas:
 
#5 Median Home Value
#4 Rent Cost
#4 Cost of Living
#98 Sales Taxes

Green Bay, Wisconsin

Green Bay, Wisconsin - March 9: Downtown Green Bay view from parking structure shows a couple of buildings and streets illuminated on March 9, 2015.
Image Credit: Donald Joski/Shutterstock.
 Affordability breakdown for Green Bay, Wisconsin:
 
#30 Median Home Value
#1 Rent Cost
#63 Cost of Living
#12 Sales Taxes
 

Fort Wayne, Indiana

FORT WAYNE, INDIANA – APRIL 20: City skyline on April 20, 2008 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Includes the Allen County Courthouse, completed in 1902.
Image Credit: Frank Romeo/Shutterstock.
Affordability breakdown for Fort Wayne, Indiana:
 
#17 Median Home Value
#11 Rent Cost
#12 Cost of Living
#51 Sales Taxes

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Panorama of Milwaukee at night. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Image Credit: Henryk Sadura/Shutterstock.

 

Affordability breakdown for Milwaukee, Wisconsin:
 
#19 Median Home Value
#32 Rent Cost
#91 Cost of Living
#12 Sales Taxes

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