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10 Cheapest U.S. Cities to Live In

When it comes to cheap living, don’t mess with Texas. The Lone Star State is home to four of the most affordable cities in America. But Texas doesn’t have a monopoly on low living costs. Four other states make an appearance on our list.

If you’re thinking about relocating to one of these cheap cities, weigh the pros and cons. A low cost of living is attractive, but the allure lessens if jobs are hard to come by, paychecks are small or the town offers little to do. Plan an extended visit to ensure the city fits your needs.

We compiled our rankings based on the Council for Community and Economic Research’s calculations of living expenses in 269 urban areas. Its Cost of Living Index measures prices for housing, groceries, utilities, transportation, health care, and miscellaneous goods and services. (As for the miscellaneous category, think of expenses such as going to a movie or getting your hair done at a salon.) We did not include cities with populations below 50,000.