Cheapest places to live in the US (2026)

The top 50 of 1,144 US cities, suburbs and towns.

Ranked by the typical value of a 3-bedroom home (Zillow), lowest first.

1. 1Flint, MISmall city · rent $1,270/mo · cost of living 93$70k
2. 2Youngstown, OHSmall city · rent $1,270/mo · cost of living 87$77k
3. 3Detroit, MIBig city · rent $1,720/mo · cost of living 100$79k
4. 4Jackson, MSSmall city · rent $1,540/mo · cost of living 89$86k
5. 5Gary, INSuburb · rent $1,610/mo · cost of living 104$100k
6. 6Birmingham, ALMid-size city · rent $1,580/mo · cost of living 92$109k
7. 7Pine Bluff, ARSmall city · rent $1,220/mo · cost of living 87$111k
8. 8Cleveland, OHBig city · rent $1,650/mo · cost of living 94$124k
9. 9Albany, GASmall city · rent $1,530/mo · cost of living 88$129k
10. 10Decatur, ILSmall city · rent $1,380/mo · cost of living 88$139k
11. 11Pontiac, MISuburb · rent $1,720/mo · cost of living 100$140k
12. 12Toledo, OHBig city · rent $1,380/mo · cost of living 91$141k
13. 13Lawton, OKSmall city · rent $1,390/mo · cost of living 86$144k
14. 14Akron, OHMid-size city · rent $1,550/mo · cost of living 93$146k
15. 15Dayton, OHMid-size city · rent $1,650/mo · cost of living 93$147k
16. 16Memphis, TNBig city · rent $1,680/mo · cost of living 92$148k
17. 17Altoona, PASmall city · rent $1,460/mo · cost of living 90$151k
18. 18Shreveport, LAMid-size city · rent $1,460/mo · cost of living 85$152k
19. 19Peoria, ILMid-size city · rent $1,350/mo · cost of living 91$152k
20. 20Huntington, WVSmall city · rent $1,250/mo · cost of living 88$152k
21. 21Moline, ILSmall city · rent $1,500/mo · cost of living 89$153k
22. 22Saginaw, MISmall city · rent $1,440/mo · cost of living 91$155k
23. 23Montgomery, ALMid-size city · rent $1,300/mo · cost of living 90$155k
24. 24Euclid, OHSuburb · rent $1,650/mo · cost of living 94$156k
25. 25Anderson, INSmall city · rent $1,590/mo · cost of living 88$156k
26. 26Lorain, OHSmall city · rent $1,650/mo · cost of living 94$156k
27. 27Enid, OKSmall city · rent $1,340/mo · cost of living 88$158k
28. 28Monroe, LASmall city · rent $1,320/mo · cost of living 84$161k
29. 29Port Arthur, TXSmall city · rent $1,450/mo · cost of living 90$162k
30. 30Pharr, TXSmall city · rent $1,380/mo · cost of living 86$162k
31. 31Columbus, GAMid-size city · rent $1,450/mo · cost of living 89$163k
32. 32Alexandria, LASmall city · rent $1,340/mo · cost of living 86$164k
33. 33Mansfield, OHSmall city · rent $1,320/mo · cost of living 89$164k
34. 34Muncie, INSmall city · rent $1,350/mo · cost of living 88$167k
35. 35University (Tampa area), FLSuburb · rent $2,530/mo · cost of living 101$167k
36. 36Camden, NJSuburb · rent $2,170/mo · cost of living 103$168k
37. 37Waterloo, IASmall city · rent $1,360/mo · cost of living 87$171k
38. 38Canton, OHSmall city · rent $1,370/mo · cost of living 89$173k
39. 39Charleston, WVSmall city · rent $1,330/mo · cost of living 89$174k
40. 40Midwest City, OKSuburb · rent $1,680/mo · cost of living 90$174k
41. 41Roseville, MISuburb · rent $1,720/mo · cost of living 100$179k
42. 42Wichita Falls, TXMid-size city · rent $1,550/mo · cost of living 90$179k
43. 43Weslaco, TXSmall city · rent $1,380/mo · cost of living 86$180k
44. 44North Little Rock, ARSuburb · rent $1,540/mo · cost of living 89$181k
45. 45Niagara Falls, NYSuburb · rent $1,640/mo · cost of living 96$181k
46. 46Cleveland Heights, OHSuburb · rent $1,650/mo · cost of living 94$182k
47. 47Wilkes-Barre, PASmall city · rent $1,630/mo · cost of living 94$183k
48. 48Belleville, ILSuburb · rent $1,570/mo · cost of living 95$183k
49. 49Terre Haute, INSmall city · rent $1,310/mo · cost of living 88$185k
50. 50Hammond, INSuburb · rent $1,610/mo · cost of living 104$186k

Best places to live · Cheapest places to live · Safest places to live · Safest places from natural disasters · Best places to live for families

Data: US Census, Zillow, HUD, BEA, FBI 2019, FEMA, NOAA, NASA, CMS, NCES and others. How scores work.