Yahoo Finance Cities With the Lowest and Highest Cost of Living in Each State
There are many factors that can influence where you can afford to live. It’s not just real estate that can set you back but also average monthly rents, your household income, public transportation costs or the price of commuting, job opportunities, unemployment rates and just an overall sense of the high costs of living in an expensive city — or the money-saving benefits of moving to a more affordable one.
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How much you pay can vary dramatically, not only between states but also from city to city. GOBankingRates recently explored the cities with the lowest and highest cost of living in each state, as that can significantly impact your quality of life and financial stability. Here are some key takeaways:
Though many would assume San Francisco, if you are living in Hillsborough, California, you are experiencing the highest cost of living. At around $273,632, it is much higher than the national average and the most expensive living cost in the country.
Parsons, Kansas comes in with the lowest cost of living at $23,146 on average.
For an individual in the U.S., the national average cost of living is around $38,266. For a family of four, it is closer to $83,139 annually.
Whether you’re looking for affordability or willing to pay a premium for urban amenities and other miscellaneous goods and services, understanding the cost of various cities across the United States can help you make better decisions about where to live.
Alabama
City With the Lowest Cost: Selma
Population: 17,875
Average cost of living: $26,810
City With the Highest Cost: Chelsea
Population: 15,201
Average cost of living: $40,020
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Alaska
City With the Lowest Cost: Tanana
Population: 214
Average cost of living: $35,083
City With the Highest Cost: Sitka
Population: 8,462
Average cost of living: $52,174
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Arizona
City With the Lowest Cost: Nogales
Population: 19,761
Average cost of living: $28,224
City With the Highest Cost: Flagstaff
Population: 76,177
Average cost of living: $48,194
Arkansas
City With the Lowest Cost: Tuckerman
Population: 1,654
Average cost of living: $24,182
City With the Highest Cost: Bentonville
Population: 54,513
Average cost of living: $39,016
California
City With the Lowest Cost: Susanville
Population: 15,737
Average cost of living: $34,696
City With the Highest Cost: Hillsborough
Population: 11,258
Average cost of living: $273,632
Colorado
City With the Lowest Cost: Alamosa
Population: 9,792
Average cost of living: $31,349
City With the Highest Cost: Aspen
Population: 6,952
Average cost of living: $134,310
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Connecticut
City With the Lowest Cost: Willimantic
Population: 17,762
Average cost of living: $33,916
City With the Highest Cost: Greenwich
Population: 14,051
Average cost of living: $105,573
Delaware
City With the Lowest Cost: Clayton
Population: 3,978
Average cost of living: $40,395
City With the Highest Cost: Henlopen Acres
Population: 193
Average cost of living: $147,805
Florida
City With the Lowest Cost: Alford
Population: 432
Average cost of living: $30,274
City With the Highest Cost: Key Largo
Population: 12,021
Average cost of living: $65,098
Georgia
City With the Lowest Cost: Lumber City
Population: 1,127
Average cost of living: $24,796
City With the Highest Cost: Milton
Population: 41,029
Average cost of living: $59,131
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Hawaii
City With the Lowest Cost: Hilo
Population: 47,627
Average cost of living: $51,823
City With the Highest Cost: Haleiwa
Population: 4,708
Average cost of living: $101,308
Idaho
City With the Lowest Cost: Burley
Population: 11,506
Average cost of living: $31,228
City With the Highest Cost: Eagle
Population: 30,635
Average cost of living: $62,883
Illinois
City With the Lowest Cost: Chrisman
Population: 1,457
Average cost of living: $26,130
City With the Highest Cost: Hinsdale
Population: 17,169
Average cost of living: $73,231
Indiana
City With the Lowest Cost: Swayzee
Population: 921
Average cost of living: $26,650
City With the Highest Cost: Carmel
Population: 99,453
Average cost of living: $45,082
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Iowa
City With the Lowest Cost: Sheffield
Population: 1,209
Average cost of living: $26,228
City With the Highest Cost: Waukee
Population: 25,045
Average cost of living: $36,618
Kansas
City With the Lowest Cost: Parsons
Population: 9,564
Average cost of living: $23,146
City With the Highest Cost: Mission Hills
Population: 3,567
Average cost of living: $82,467
Kentucky
City With the Lowest Cost: Middlesborough
Population: 9,383
Average cost of living: $25,714
City With the Highest Cost: La Grange
Population: 10,073
Average cost of living: $39,168
Louisiana
City With the Lowest Cost: Oak Ridge
Population: 89
Average cost of living: $29,334
City With the Highest Cost: Belle Chasse
Population: 10,781
Average cost of living: $41,356
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Maine
City With the Lowest Cost: Caribou
Population: 7,454
Average cost of living: $28,478
City With the Highest Cost: Falmouth
Population: 1,620
Average cost of living: $56,040
Maryland
City With the Lowest Cost: Frostburg
Population: 7,118
Average cost of living: $27,233
City With the Highest Cost: Chevy Chase Village
Population: 1,885
Average cost of living: $115,997
Massachusetts
City With the Lowest Cost: Pittsfield
Population: 43,730
Average cost of living: $33,820
City With the Highest Cost: Nantucket
Population: 10,479
Average cost of living: $113,264
Michigan
City With the Lowest Cost: Alpena
Population: 10,200
Average cost of living: $26,021
City With the Highest Cost: Brighton
Population: 7,486
Average cost of living: $42,441
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Minnesota
City With the Lowest Cost: Madison
Population: 1,566
Average cost of living: $23,477
City With the Highest Cost: Victoria
Population: 10,681
Average cost of living: $47,732
Mississippi
City With the Lowest Cost: Greenwood
Population: 14,242
Average cost of living: $24,895
City With the Highest Cost: Madison
Population: 27,595
Average cost of living: $38,056
Missouri
City With the Lowest Cost: Bertrand
Population: 743
Average cost of living: $25,669
City With the Highest Cost: Parkville
Population: 7,669
Average cost of living: $48,047
Montana
City With the Lowest Cost: Anaconda
Population: 9,435
Average cost of living: $28,592
City With the Highest Cost: Bozeman
Population: 53,500
Average cost of living: $54,438
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Nebraska
City With the Lowest Cost: Superior
Population: 1,905
Average cost of living: $27,164
City With the Highest Cost: Papillion
Population: 24,016
Average cost of living: $42,694
Nevada
City With the Lowest Cost: Hawthorne
Population: 2,739
Average cost of living: $27,833
City With the Highest Cost: Gardnerville
Population: 6,147
Average cost of living: $48,632
New Hampshire
City With the Lowest Cost: Berlin
Population: 9,485
Average cost of living: $25,953
City With the Highest Cost: Portsmouth
Population: 22,138
Average cost of living: $55,218
New Jersey
City With the Lowest Cost: Vineland
Population: 60,796
Average cost of living: $34,279
City With the Highest Cost: Franklin Lakes
Population: 11,007
Average cost of living: $79,262
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New Mexico
City With the Lowest Cost: Clayton
Population: 2,825
Average cost of living: $26,604
City With the Highest Cost: Santa Fe
Population: 87,617
Average cost of living: $47,083
New York
City With the Lowest Cost: Houghton
Population: 1,771
Average cost of living: $29,164
City With the Highest Cost: New York City
Population: 8,622,467
Average cost of living: $64,726
North Carolina
City With the Lowest Cost: Laurinburg
Population: 14,971
Average cost of living: $26,313
City With the Highest Cost: Nags Head
Population: 3,153
Average cost of living: $46,002
North Dakota
City With the Lowest Cost: Linton
Population: 886
Average cost of living: $29,539
City With the Highest Cost: Bismarck
Population: 73,694
Average cost of living: $39,120
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Ohio
City With the Lowest Cost: New Washington
Population: 900
Average cost of living: $26,305
City With the Highest Cost: Powell
Population: 14,113
Average cost of living: $46,468
Oklahoma
City With the Lowest Cost: Altus
Population: 18,711
Average cost of living: $24,296
City With the Highest Cost: Guthrie
Population: 10,872
Average cost of living: $33,211
Oregon
City With the Lowest Cost: Ontario
Population: 11,610
Average cost of living: $31,058
City With the Highest Cost: Lake Oswego
Population: 40,457
Average cost of living: $65,900
Pennsylvania
City With the Lowest Cost: Seneca
Population: 911
Average cost of living: $27,891
City With the Highest Cost: Newtown
Population: 2,169
Average cost of living: $57,003
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Rhode Island
City With the Lowest Cost: Warwick
Population: 82,783
Average cost of living: $39,619
City With the Highest Cost: Newport
Population: 25,087
Average cost of living: $61,034
South Carolina
City With the Lowest Cost: Fairfax
Population: 2,035
Average cost of living: $26,006
City With the Highest Cost: Sullivan’s Island
Population: 2,317
Average cost of living: $130,243
South Dakota
City With the Lowest Cost: Gettysburg
Population: 1,440
Average cost of living: $26,689
City With the Highest Cost: Box Elder
Population: 11,905
Average cost of living: $39,006
Tennessee
City With the Lowest Cost: Ridgely
Population: 1,798
Average cost of living: $24,849
City With the Highest Cost: Brentwood
Population: 44,830
Average cost of living: $69,083
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Texas
City With the Lowest Cost: Lockney
Population: 1,720
Average cost of living: $25,866
City With the Highest Cost: Bee Cave
Population: 8,771
Average cost of living: $66,104
Utah
City With the Lowest Cost: Vernal
Population: 10,141
Average cost of living: $32,168
City With the Highest Cost: Park City
Population: 8,379
Average cost of living: $78,457
Vermont
City With the Lowest Cost: Newport
Population: 4,431
Average cost of living: $34,697
City With the Highest Cost: Shelburne
Population: 6,195
Average cost of living: $56,786
Virginia
City With the Lowest Cost: Martinsville
Population: 13,539
Average cost of living: $25,705
City With the Highest Cost: Falls Church
Population: 14,576
Average cost of living: $61,786
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Washington
City With the Lowest Cost: Long Beach
Population: 1,831
Average cost of living: $32,281
City With the Highest Cost: Mercer Island
Population: 25,464
Average cost of living: $122,130
West Virginia
City With the Lowest Cost: Northfork
Population: 402
Average cost of living: $25,267
City With the Highest Cost: Charles Town
Population: 6,584
Average cost of living: $43,793
Wisconsin
City With the Lowest Cost: Marinette
Population: 11,065
Average cost of living: $26,223
City With the Highest Cost: Hudson
Population: 14,763
Average cost of living: $44,926
Wyoming
City With the Lowest Cost: Rawlins
Population: 8,287
Average cost of living: $34,701
City With the Highest Cost: Jackson
Population: 10,748
Average cost of living: $72,033
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed 6,300 cities across the United States to find the cheapest and most expensive cost of living cities in each state. First, GOBankingRates found the cost of living indexes as sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces, and using the national average expenditure costs for all residents, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure cost can be calculated for each city. The total population was sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, and the livability index was sourced from AreaVibes. All data was collected on and is up to date as of May 21, 2024.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Cities With the Lowest and Highest Cost of Living in Each State
