The Cheapest Town to Live in Every State, According to Zillow Data

Finding room in a tight budget sometimes means looking beyond your current zip code. In an economy still absorbing the aftershocks of pandemic-era inflation and the costs that come from ongoing trade disruptions, where you live can matter as much as any financial decision you make. Housing alone, typically the single largest monthly expense for most households, can vary by thousands of dollars a year depending on which side of a state line, or even a county line, you happen to be on.

To identify the most affordable cities in each state, GOBankingRates analyzed Zillow data across the 2,500 largest cities in the US by housing market size, then identified the one in each state with the lowest combination of rent and key cost-of-living factors, including groceries, healthcare, transportation, and utilities.

The result is a state-by-state look at where your dollar actually goes further, based on 2025 data, as well as looking at average home value and median household income provided by Censusreporter.

• Annual cost of living: $31,807
• Annual rent: $9,000
• Average home value: $114,518
• Median household income: $40,345

• Annual cost of living: $46,262
• Annual rent: $19,296
• Average home value: $414,014
• Median household income: $105,356

• Annual cost of living: $39,046
• Annual rent: $16,956
• Average home value: $298,883
• Median household income: $70,291

• Annual cost of living: $32,020
• Annual rent: $10,992
• Average home value: $204,826
• Median household income: $61,149

• Annual cost of living: $39,321
• Annual rent: $15,024
• Average home value: $326,900
• Median household income: $60,461

• Annual cost of living: $36,344
• Annual rent: $15,288
• Average home value: $334,786
• Median household income: $64,787

• Annual cost of living: $42,706
• Annual rent: $16,908
• Average home value: $300,292
• Median household income: $70,778

• Annual cost of living: $42,867
• Annual rent: $19,332
• Average home value: $339,650
• Median household income: $60,199

• Annual cost of living: $42,867
• Annual rent: $19,332
• Average home value: $208,535
• Median household income: $36,485

• Annual cost of living: $42,867
• Annual rent: $19,332
• Average home value: $146,386
• Median household income: $38,301

• Annual cost of living: $58,317
• Annual rent: $26,652
• Average home value: $858,314
• Median household income: $87,143

• Annual cost of living: $33,299
• Annual rent: $12,432
• Average home value: $420,170
• Median household income: $50,617

• Annual cost of living: $31,245
• Annual rent: $8,448
• Average home value: $134,809
• Median Household income: $32,128

• Annual cost of living: $29,157
• Annual rent: $9,336
• Average home value: $156,500
• Median Household income: $45,399

• Annual cost of living: $29,386
• Annual rent: $8,400
• Average home value: $184,800
• Median Household income: $58,117

• Annual cost of living: $29,877
• Annual rent: $8,676
• Average home value: $146,981
• Median Household income: $53,073

• Annual cost of living: $32,454
• Annual rent: $11,760
• Average home value: $242,983
• Median Household income: $58,687

• Annual cost of living: $33,595
• Annual rent: $11,712
• Average home value: $200,000
• Median Household income: $52,738

• Annual cost of living: $36,531
• Annual rent: $15,396
• Average home value: $243,116
• Median Household income: $53,580

• Annual cost of living: $33,347
• Annual rent: $12,408
• Average home value: $152,202
• Median Household income: $48,162

• Annual cost of living: $41,141
• Annual rent: $18,420
• Average home value: $322,895
• Median Household income: $53,605

• Annual cost of living: $33,520
• Annual rent: $11,640
• Average home value: $128,098
• Median Household income: $38,579

• Annual cost of living: $30,132
• Annual rent: $10,512
• Average home value: $185,650
• Median Household income: $68,057

• Annual cost of living: $35,645
• Annual rent: $13,812
• Average home value: $87,200
• Median Household income: $44,516

• Annual cost of living: $29,662
• Annual rent: $8,196
• Average home value: $237,605
• Median Household income: $46,204

• Annual cost of living: $33,130
• Annual rent: $11,676
• Average home value: $334,708
• Median household income: $63,373

• Annual cost of living: $34,130
• Annual rent: $10,740
• Average home value: $256,000
• Median household income: $58,884

• Annual cost of living: $38,539
• Annual rent: $16,104
• Average home value: $368,640
• Median household income: $62,109

• Annual cost of living: $43,374
• Annual rent: $20,856
• Average home value: $403,700
• Median household income: $80,836

• Annual cost of living: $42,685
• Annual rent: $19,656
• Average home value: $252,660
• Median household income: $70,275

• Annual cost of living: $32,853
• Annual rent: $13,740
• Average home value: $161,214
• Median household income: $54,820

• Annual cost of living: $31,821
• Annual rent: $10,956
• Average home value: $118,000
• Median household income: $43,523

• Annual cost of living: $32,662
• Annual rent: $11,676
• Average home value: $240,877
• Median household income: $47,197

• Annual cost of living: $32,323
• Annual rent: $10,812
• Average home value: $272,695
• Median household income: $73,219

• Annual cost of living: $31,989
• Annual rent: $10,500
• Average home value:
• Median household income: $47,873

• Annual cost of living: $32,883
• Annual rent: $8,676
• Average home value: $187,363
• Median household income: $55,941

• Annual cost of living: $34,981
• Annual rent: $14,124
• Average home value: $308,370
• Median household income: $46,693

• Annual cost of living: $29,811
• Annual rent: $8,736
• Average home value: $154,203
• Median household income: $43,308

• Annual cost of living: $42,655
• Annual rent: $18,672
• Average home value: $380,892
• Median household income: $61,059

• Annual cost of living: $30,381
• Annual rent: $10,224
• Average home value: $188,180
• Household income: $41,150

• Annual cost of living: $34,940
• Annual rent: $13,788
• Average home value: $312,178
• Household income: $63,493

• Annual cost of living: $32,092
• Annual rent: $10,908
• Average home value: $229,000
• Household income: $46,975

• Annual cost of living: $30,770
• Annual rent: $9,624
• Average home value:
• Household income: $40,438

• Annual cost of living: $36,876
• Annual rent: $16,200
• Average home value: $153,823
• Household income: $63,589

• Annual cost of living: $49,474
• Annual rent: $24,372
• Average home value: $506,784
• Household income: $71,109

• Annual cost of living: $35,677
• Annual rent: $14,172
• Average home value: $156,000
• Household income: $44,423

• Annual cost of living: $35,811
• Annual rent: $15,120
• Average home value: $363,768
• Household income: $63,781

• Annual cost of living: $33,414
• Annual rent: $10,800
• Average home value: $114,200
• Household income: $47,386

• Annual cost of living: $32,113
• Annual rent: $11,196
• Average home value: $240,743
• Household income: $64,389

• Annual cost of living: $36,846
• Annual rent: $13,008
• Average home value: $287,179
• Household income: $69,168