This list doesn't factor in other issues (like anti-discrimination ordinances and access to healthcare), but it's a handy guide to where living is the least expensive.
February 03 2016 12:46 PM EST
February 04 2016 4:31 AM EST
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This list doesn't factor in other issues (like anti-discrimination ordinances and access to healthcare), but it's a handy guide to where living is the least expensive.
Ben Franklin once said, “nothing is certain except death and taxes.” If he were alive today, he very well might add “rent” to that list. Major U.S. Census Bureau surveys show that 2014 marked 10 years of consecutive renter household growth. And, according to the Housing Vacancy Survey, this trend is on track to continue. More people are choosing to rent, even as they enter their “home-buying” years.
One common reason is the high cost of owning. In 2013, American housing prices began to see a slow but steady increase. They have not yet returned to pre-recession peak prices, but that’s where they are headed. Additionally, some popular cities are experiencing a sharper increase than others. In San Francisco, for example, the tech boom and geographically confined region create a high-demand, low-supply scenario that is driving housing prices through the roof.
For those looking to pay less for housing, the experts at FindTheHome are here to help. Using data from the 2014 American Community Survey, they looked at cities with populations greater than 15,000 people and found the cheapest city to live in each state.
Population: 32,200
Gross Median Rent: $1,169 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $38,057
Population: 71,263
Gross Median Rent: $909 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $25,686
Population: 16,007
Gross Median Rent: $872 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $28,702
Population: 44,549
Gross Median Rent: $850 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $24,384
Population: 39,521
Gross Median Rent: $844 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $18,282
Population: 16,072
Gross Median Rent: $827 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $24,865
Population: 17,845
Gross Median Rent: $810 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $16,655
Population: 41,136
Gross Median Rent: $805 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $21,716
Population: 16,217
Gross Median Rent: $775 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $23,808
Population: 31,601
Gross Median Rent: $727 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $22,097
Population: 40,079
Gross Median Rent: $697 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $21,671
Population: 16,038
Gross Median Rent: $690 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $14,279
Population: 25,865
Gross Median Rent: $678 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $10,931
Population: 16,410
Gross Median Rent: $675 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $20,681
Population: 16,830
Gross Median Rent: $648 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $22,893
Population: 29,175
Gross Median Rent: $638 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $17,737
Population: 15,886
Gross Median Rent: $637 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $21,870
Population: 24,021
Gross Median Rent: $635 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $10,029
Population: 26,798
Gross Median Rent: $630 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $18,974
Population: 54,466
Gross Median Rent: $625 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $21,326
Population: 24,364
Gross Median Rent: $613 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $23,656
Population: 22,189
Gross Median Rent: $613 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $18,024
Population: 15,407
Gross Median Rent: $613 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $27,478
Population: 29,403
Gross Median Rent: $596 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $18,479
Population: 33,481
Gross Median Rent: $596 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $23,848
Population: 42,704
Gross Median Rent: $595 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $20,569
Population: 24,787
Gross Median Rent: $590 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $18,678
Population: 18,037
Gross Median Rent: $590 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $20,459
Population: 18,514
Gross Median Rent: $585 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $26,637
Population: 16,200
Gross Median Rent: $584 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $19,056
Population: 20,557
Gross Median Rent: $581 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $19,982
Population: 15,122
Gross Median Rent: $577 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $14,346
Population: 26,979
Gross Median Rent: $576 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $25,468
Population: 26,697
Gross Median Rent: $574 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $12,060
Population: 17,578
Gross Median Rent: $573 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $16,763
Population: 16,190
Gross Median Rent: $572 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $17,727
Population: 16,668
Gross Median Rent: $567 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $13,948
Population: 24,846
Gross Median Rent: $562 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $22,434
Population: 15,873
Gross Median Rent: $555 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $16,592
Population: 34,578
Gross Median Rent: $551 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $19,616
Population: 15,799
Gross Median Rent: $548 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $16,841
Population: 17,931
Gross Median Rent: $546 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $24,340
Population: 28,129
Gross Median Rent: $544 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $24,831
Population: 20,276
Gross Median Rent: $530 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $15,698
Population: 20,320
Gross Median Rent: $529 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $17,610
Population: 18,375
Gross Median Rent: $525 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $18,263
Population: 20,699
Gross Median Rent: $514 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $14,638
Population: 15,015
Gross Median Rent: $509 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $20,436
Population: 16,271
Gross Median Rent: $480 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $12,458
Population: 20,576
Gross Median Rent: $466 per month
Average Per Capita Income: $16,153