As inflation has risen, prices have skyrocketed in the United States, and living in the country's major cities has become much more expensive. However, there are some cities that have felt that impact less and have maintained value in goods and services. Below are the top five cheapest cities in the country.
The list, compiled based on data from the Council for Community and Economic Research, begins with Topeka, Kan. With a total population of 232,670, the cost of living in Kansas' capital is 19.4% below the U.S. average. Average annual household income is $57,474, and the unemployment rate is 2.7%.
The fourth cheapest city in the United States according to the ranking, which only includes metropolitan areas with at least 50,000 inhabitants, is Kalamazoo, Mich. With 261,108 residents, it has a cost of living 20.7% below the national average. The average household income is $62,128, and unemployment is only 4.5%.
In third place in the top five, which analyzes the prices of housing, groceries, utilities, transportation, health care and miscellaneous goods and services, is McAllen, Texas. The Texan city has a total population of 880,356 and the average cost of living is 21.8% lower than the national average. The average annual household income is $44,818, and unemployment is 4.3%.
The second cheapest city in the United States is Decatur, Ill., with a cost of living 22% below average. The total population of the city is 102,432 people, the average family income is $46,807 and the unemployment rate is around 5.7%. Decatur is noted mostly for its low prices for health care, utilities and transportation.
Finally, according to information from the Council for Community and Economic Research, the cheapest city in the entire country is Harlingen, Texas, with a total population of 423,029 and a cost of living at 24.4% lower than the average U.S. city. Annual household income averages $48,115, and the unemployment rate is around 5.4%.
In the southern Texas city, just a few miles from Mexico, food and fuel are especially cheap. In addition, the average apartment rents is just $790 per month, compared to the national average of $1,427.
