Small towns don’t have a monopoly on low living costs. In our search for the cheapest places to live in the U.S., we found three big cities that rank surprisingly high for affordability. Is one of these sizable cities right for you?
Indianapolis
City Population: 853,173
Cost of Living: 16.2% below U.S. average
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Become a smarter, better informed investor. Subscribe from just $107.88 $24.99, plus get up to 4 Special Issues
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Median Household Income: $41,987 (U.S.: $53,889)
Median Home Value: $118,300 (U.S.: $178,600)
Average Monthly Rent: $690 (U.S.: $1,004)
Unemployment Rate: 4.0% (U.S.: 4.9%)
Highlight: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Memphis
City Population: 655,770
Cost of Living: 17.0% below U.S. average
Median Household Income: $36,445 (U.S.: $53,889)
Median Home Value: $94,000 (U.S.: $178,600)
Average Monthly Rent: $685 (U.S.: $1,004)
Unemployment Rate: 5.3% (U.S.: 4.9%)
Highlight: Graceland
Oklahoma City
City Population: 631,346
Cost of Living: 15.5% below U.S. average
Median Household Income: $47,779 (U.S.: $53,889)
Median Home Value: $138,600 (U.S.: $178,600)
Average Monthly Rent: $818 (U.S.: $1,004)
Unemployment Rate: 4.2% (U.S.: 4.9%)
Highlight: NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder
See the full list of the cheapest U.S. cities to live in.
-
AI Stocks Lead Nasdaq's 398-Point Nosedive: Stock Market TodayThe major stock market indexes do not yet reflect the bullish tendencies of sector rotation and broadening participation.
-
Top Tech Gifts to Grab at Walmart Before ChristmasBig savings on Apple, Bose, HP, Vizio and more while there's still time to shop.
-
AI Appliances Aren’t Exciting Buyers…YetThe Kiplinger Letter Artificial intelligence is being embedded into all sorts of appliances. Now sellers need to get customers to care about AI-powered laundry.
-
Should You Rent in Retirement?Making Your Money Last Renting isn't right for all retirees, but it does offer flexibility, and it frees up cash.
-
Debit Cards vs Charge Cardscredit & debt Whether sticking to a budget or reaping big rewards, understand whether debit cards vs charge cards are right for you.
-
Four Smart Steps To Take Before Buying Your First Homehome Buying your first home can be daunting. Here are four things you need to do years before you start house-hunting to prepare financially for the biggest purchase of your life.
-
Five Big Steps to Buying Your First Homereal estate We told you how to prepare years ahead of your first home purchase. Now here is how to close the deal.
-
The 15 Cheapest Places to Live: US Cities Editionplaces to live Have a look at the cheapest places to live in America for city dwellers. Is one of the cheapest places to live in the U.S. right for you?
-
Sharing His Path to SuccessStarting Out: New Grads and Young Professionals This Native American studied tech in the Air Force and landed his dream job. Now he’s giving back.
-
How Big Should My Emergency Fund Be?Feature NFL linebacker and Kiplinger contributing editor Brandon Copeland discusses the importance of building an emergency fund.
-
PODCAST: How to Find a Job After Graduation, with Beth Hendler-GruntStarting Out: New Grads and Young Professionals Today’s successful job applicants need to know how to ace the virtual interview and be prepared to do good old-fashioned research and networking. Also, gas prices are high, but try a little global perspective.
