Don’t mess with Texas when it comes to affordability. Major metropolitan areas in the Lone Star State reign supreme on Kiplinger’s annual ranking of the least expensive places to live in the U.S. Indeed, all of our picks are cities located either in Texas or the heartland of middle America.

The cities on our least-expensive list all have housing prices well under $250,000; homes in one city average less than $200,000. Overall cost of living in these metro areas falls 15% to 20% below the national average.

We ranked the least expensive places to live using data from the U.S. Census (metropolitan statistical areas only) and the ACCRA Cost of Living Index, which is assembled by the Council for Community and Economic Research. The index measures relative prices in several categories, including consumer goods, housing, transportation, utilities and health care, to come up with a composite score for each city. The national average is 100. So a score of 80, for example, indicates that the cost of living is 20% below the national average. (For perspective, the most expensive city in the survey –- New York, N.Y. -- is 218, indicating that the cost of living is 118% higher than the national average.) Population and median household income data are from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

Take a look.

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10 U.S. Cities With the Cheapest Cost of Living

Cost-of-Living Index: 80

Metro Population: 383,171

Median Household Income: $30,034

Average Home Price: $209,177

This metro area, which includes Harlingen and San Benito, is at the southwestern tip of the Lone Star State, hard against the Mexican border. The Gulf of Mexico and the popular beaches of South Padre Island are just a stone’s throw away. Rents in Brownsville average $659, that's 4.2 times less than New York, the most expensive city in our annual rankings, where rents average $2,778. Utilities can be pricey, but costs for groceries and other consumer goods are exceptionally low. An affordable South Texas alternative to Brownsville is the McAllen metro area, just an hour’s drive away along the Rio Grande.

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1. Brownsville, Tex.

Cost-of-Living Index: 84.1

Metro Population: 153,814

Median Household Income: $40,805

Average Home Price: $194,302

Located about 100 miles south of Denver, Pueblo has an enviable combination of decent paychecks and super-low housing costs. Median household income ranks in the top five among the cities on our least-expensive list, yet the average home price is the lowest here. Grocery prices are higher relative to a place like Brownsville, where a T-bone steak, for example, will run you about $8.49 per pound. The same cut of beef costs about a buck more in Pueblo. The metropolitan area includes Boone, Avondale and Stone City.

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2. Pueblo, Colo.

Cost-of-Living Index: 84.8

Metro Population: 368,682

Median Household Income: $46,183

Average Home Price: $210,383

The Fort Hood metropolitan area, which includes Killeen and Temple, is about 60 miles north of Austin, the capital of Texas. The local economy is anchored in part by a major U.S. Army base. The high concentration of soldiers and military families may help explain why close to 15% of the population is 25- to 34-year-olds. Rent averages $596, and home prices are among the five least expensive in our ranking.

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3. Ft. Hood, Tex.

Cost of Living Index: 85

Metro Population: 288,468

Median Household Income: $37,363

Average Home Price: $235,168

Nestled in a bend of the Arkansas River and bordering Oklahoma, the Fort Smith metro area includes Van Buren and Ozark. Low prices for groceries and utilities make it a budget-friendly place, as does a meager average rent of just $456 per month. Owning a home runs a bit higher than some other cities on our least-expensive list, but the average cost of a house is still $320,000 less than in San Diego, the tenth-ranked city on our most-expensive list.

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4. Fort Smith, Ark.

Cost of Living Index: 86

Metro Population: 117,913

Median Household Income: $45,171

Average Home Price: $213,485

Located 60 miles north of Dallas, the Sherman metropolitan area includes Denison and Pottsboro. The population is the lowest of any of the city metro areas that comprise our least-expensive list. Families make up about 70% of the population. Health care is one of the leading industries, providing one of the highest median incomes in our least-expensive rankings. The extra money can go a long way, considering the relatively affordable costs of food and utilities. Monthly apartment rents run just $595, on average.

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5. Sherman, Tex.

Cost of Living Index: 86

Metro Population: 206,509

Median Household Income: $51,001

Average Home Price: $207,599

Springfield is about a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Chicago. It boasts two claims to fame that the Windy City can’t: It’s the state capital, and Abraham Lincoln was a longtime resident. A third may be its affordability. Average home prices are ideal for families, which make up 63% of the population. Rent averages $556. The metropolitan area includes Riverton, Auburn and Chatham.

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6. Springfield, Ill.

Cost of Living Index: 86

Metro Population: 228,639

Median Household Income: $40,038

Average Home Price: $240,543

Waco lies midway between Dallas and Austin, giving residents access to big-city amenities such as cultural events, international airports, and multinational employers. The metropolitan area includes Beverly Hills, Crawford and Woodway. About 20% of the population is college-educated. The leading industries are educational services and health care. But proximity to two big cities also contributes to the highest average home prices on our least-expensive list. Typical apartment rent is $805 (about the national average), but expenses for groceries and other consumer goods remain low.

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7. Waco, Tex.

Cost of Living Index: 87

Metro Population: 441,652

Median Household Income: $45,757

Average Home Price: $227,723

Food and utilities costs in the Fayetteville metro area, which includes Springdale and Rogers, are far below the national average. Apartment rent averages $584. Health care expenses are the lowest (tied with Waco, Tex.). Fayetteville is home to the University of Arkansas.

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8. Fayetteville, Ark.

Cost of Living Index: 87

Metro Population: 1,589,393

Median Household Income: $57,109

Average Home Price: $229,145

The Austin metropolitan area includes Round Rock, Georgetown and Cedar Park, and it is home to numerous technology companies, most famously Dell. The result is that median household income is relatively high here, just $2,000 less than the median income of Los Angeles, one of the most expensive metro areas in America to live. But Austin’s housing, transportation and food costs remain very low compared to national averages. And like all Texas residents, workers in Austin aren’t subject to state income tax.

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9. Austin, Tex.

Cost of Living Index: 87

Metro Population: 417,635

Median Household Income: $41,632

Average Home Price: $222,830

The third largest city in Missouri after St. Louis and Kansas City, Springfield shares a distinction with Fayetteville, Ark., 90 miles to its south, in having exceptionally low living costs. The average home price is lower than four other higher-ranked cities on our least-expensive list. Apartment rents average $629. Food is inexpensive, as are utilities, which are second-cheapest among the cities on our list (only Springfield, Ill., has lower utilities). The resort town of Branson is also a short drive to the south.

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10. Springfield, Mo.

SLIDE SHOW: Cheapest U.S. Cities to Live In 2012

SLIDE SHOW: Most Expensive U.S. Cities to Live In 2012

SLIDE SHOW: 10 U.S. Cities With the Most Expensive Cost of Living 2011

SLIDE SHOW: 10 Cities Where Home Prices Have Held Up Most

SLIDE SHOW: 10 Cities Where Home Prices Have Fallen Most

SLIDE SHOW: What $300K Buys You Around the World

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