This article contains affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
The lowest-cost metro area in the United States is Monroe, Louisiana, where overall consumer prices are about 16.4% below the national level. The bigger surprise may be Wildwood–The Villages, Florida, which makes the top ten. And in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, one of the lowest rent indexes in the country comes with a catch. Utility prices are above the national benchmark.
This list ranks 384 U.S. metropolitan areas using the latest available federal comparison of local prices, which covers 2024. The overall index compares the prices of goods and services, including housing and utilities, with the national level of 100. The housing rent index is a separate comparison of rental price levels. Use it to compare markets, then check current listings for monthly dollar amounts.
The figures cover entire metro areas, including surrounding communities. Rankings use unrounded data, so two places can show the same rounded percentage and still appear in a different order.
1. Monroe, Louisiana
Overall prices 16.4% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 42.8
Monroe leads the overall ranking and has the second-lowest rent index among these 21 places. The University of Louisiana Monroe gives the city a college presence, while Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge offers paddling, walking, and birdwatching within city limits.
Compare addresses on both sides of the Ouachita River. A place in West Monroe can make as much sense as one in Monroe itself, depending on where you work and which bridge you’d use each day.
Find places to stay in LouisianaCompare flightsAffiliate
2. Eagle Pass, Texas
Overall prices 16.2% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 53.7
Eagle Pass sits across the Rio Grande from Piedras Negras, Mexico. Its international crossings help explain the local presence of freight, customs, and logistics businesses. That makes this a particularly interesting low-cost market for people whose work connects to cross-border trade.
Eagle Pass and Dothan have nearly identical overall price levels, but Eagle Pass has the higher rent index. If housing is your largest expense, it’s worth looking past the headline ranking and comparing actual leases.
Find places to stay in TexasCompare flightsAffiliate
3. Dothan, Alabama
Overall prices 16.2% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 46.9
Dothan combines one of the lowest rent indexes on this list with the services of a regional center. The city has a regional airport, a Troy University campus, and Southeast Health, whose hospital is on the east side of town.
For someone moving to the Wiregrass region for healthcare work, that east-side location gives the housing search a useful starting point. A modest difference in rent may be worth paying if it keeps a daily commute short.
Find places to stay in DothanCompare flightsAffiliate
4. Texarkana, Texas and Arkansas
Overall prices 16.0% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 49.9
The federal courthouse and post office downtown sit across the state line. That detail captures what makes Texarkana unusual. Two cities in two states share one local market, so you can compare homes on either side without giving up access to the wider area.
Pay attention to the exact address when comparing properties. Two places a short drive apart can fall under different school districts, utility providers, and local rules.
Find places to stay in TexarkanaCompare flightsAffiliate
5. Hammond, Louisiana
Overall prices 15.5% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 48.2
Southeastern Louisiana University gives Hammond the rhythm of a college town. The junction of Interstates 12 and 55 also makes it a practical base for people whose work takes them in different directions across southeastern Louisiana.
Start your search around the campus and downtown if you want more of your everyday stops close together. If you’re considering Hammond for a commute to another city, drive that route during the hours you’d actually travel. The distance on a map only tells part of the story.
Find places to stay in LouisianaCompare flightsAffiliate
6. Shreveport–Bossier City, Louisiana
Overall prices 15.2% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 52.3
Shreveport and Bossier City face each other across the Red River, with Barksdale Air Force Base on the Bossier side of the metro. The area offers the amenities of a larger regional center while keeping overall prices close to those of much smaller places on this list.
If you’re moving for work at Barksdale, check which gate you’d use before choosing a neighborhood. If your job is in Shreveport, compare options on that side of the river first. The best-priced listing can lose its appeal if it puts a bridge crossing into every commute.
Find places to stay in LouisianaCompare flightsAffiliate
7. Florence–Muscle Shoals, Alabama
Overall prices 15.2% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 47.7
The Shoals gives you several different places to live around one stretch of the Tennessee River. Florence has the University of North Alabama and a downtown within walking distance of campus. Sheffield is home to the historic Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, and Muscle Shoals and Tuscumbia round out the four-city area.
The rent index is lower here than in Shreveport–Bossier City even though the overall price levels are close. Spend time on both sides of the river before deciding which part of the metro fits your daily routine.
Find places to stay in FlorenceCompare flightsAffiliate
8. Houma–Bayou Cane–Thibodaux, Louisiana
Overall prices 14.9% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 51.3
The metro covers communities with distinct identities. Thibodaux has Nicholls State University, whose programs include maritime management and petroleum services. Around Houma, the bayous and waterways are part of everyday life as well as the local economy.
The budget question here is specific to the property. Check the flood map for any address you’re serious about. If you’re buying, get insurance quotes and read the deductibles before comparing one house with another. Two similar asking prices can translate into quite different monthly costs.
Find places to stay in LouisianaCompare flightsAffiliate
9. Wildwood–The Villages, Florida
Overall prices 14.6% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 51.7
This is the most surprising name in the top ten. The federal figure covers the Wildwood–The Villages metro as a whole, so it’s a starting point for comparing the area’s housing options. A rental in Wildwood and a home inside a particular Villages development can come with very different expenses.
For a purchase, ask for the full list of property-specific charges, including any amenity fees, maintenance assessments, and outstanding district bond assessments. Those numbers matter more to your budget than the metro’s position in the ranking.
Find places to stay in FloridaCompare flightsAffiliate
10. Jackson, Tennessee
Overall prices 14.5% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 56.6
Jackson sits on Interstate 40 between Memphis and Nashville. Healthcare and manufacturing are important to its own economy, giving people who work in those fields a reason to search locally before looking farther down the interstate.
The rent index is higher than in several places just ahead of Jackson. Its appeal is the combination of below-average prices and a city that serves as a shopping, employment, and healthcare center for much of West Tennessee.
Find places to stay in TennesseeCompare flightsAffiliate
11. Gadsden, Alabama
Overall prices 14.3% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 53.7
The Coosa River runs through Gadsden, and the city has a boat launch at Coosa Landing, trails around Black Creek, and Noccalula Falls Park. Those are tangible advantages if you want outdoor recreation to be part of an ordinary week.
Visit the neighborhoods you’re considering at different times of day. A home close to the river or a trail may be the better fit for one household, while another will get more value from being closer to work and everyday services.
Find places to stay in GadsdenCompare flightsAffiliate
12. Alexandria, Louisiana
Overall prices 14.3% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 53.7
Alexandria and neighboring Pineville give you two sides of the Red River to compare in central Louisiana. Local transit serves both cities, and the wider area offers access to recreation in Kisatchie National Forest.
Alexandria is a useful option if you want a regional center with an inland setting. Price both cities before narrowing your search. A home closer to the services you use could save more over a year than a slightly cheaper address across the river.
Find places to stay in AlexandriaCompare flightsAffiliate
13. Joplin, Missouri and Kansas
Overall prices 14.3% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 54.0
Joplin is the main city in a metro that reaches into Kansas. Nearby Missouri communities such as Webb City and Carl Junction expand the choice of neighborhoods, and access to Interstates 44 and 49 makes regional travel straightforward.
For a useful comparison, look at an address in Joplin and one in a nearby community, then price the same work commute and errands from both. A lower rent outside the city is most valuable when the extra driving still fits your budget.
14. Hot Springs, Arkansas
Overall prices 14.3% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 57.3
Hot Springs gives residents something rare at this price level. A national park reaches into the city, with Bathhouse Row and hillside trails close to downtown. You can finish a workday and be on a trail without setting aside an entire afternoon for the drive.
Compare the historic center with neighborhoods away from the main visitor corridor. The experience of living near Bathhouse Row is different from visiting for a weekend, especially when it comes to parking, traffic, and the types of homes available.
15. Lake Charles, Louisiana
Overall prices 14.1% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 51.8
The Port of Lake Charles and the surrounding industrial corridor give the area a distinct employment base. The low rent index makes it worth investigating if your work is tied to the port, industrial operations, or related services.
For buyers, ask for a property-specific insurance quote early enough to use it in your comparison. Price flood coverage separately and check what a storm deductible would mean in dollars. The asking price is only one part of what it costs to own a home here.
16. Jonesboro, Arkansas
Overall prices 14.1% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 53.8
Arkansas State University and healthcare systems such as St. Bernards and NEA Baptist give Jonesboro several distinct centers of employment. That makes it a place where you can start a housing search with a particular campus, hospital, or workplace in mind.
If you’re comparing rentals around the university, ask when leases start and renew. Then check neighborhoods closer to your job. The most convenient address for a student can be quite different from the best address for someone working hospital shifts.
17. Fort Smith, Arkansas and Oklahoma
Overall prices 14.1% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 53.4
The Fort Smith metro crosses the Oklahoma state line. On the Arkansas side, the historic downtown and the national historic site give the city a distinctive riverfront, while nearby communities broaden the housing search.
Compare the exact addresses of any homes you’re considering, especially if they sit on different sides of the state line. The metro index gives you the regional picture. Your commute, utility provider, and local services will determine much of the difference between two properties.
18. McAllen–Edinburg–Mission, Texas
Overall prices 14.1% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 55.9
This Rio Grande Valley metro gives you three different places to start. McAllen has the commercial airport, Edinburg has a University of Texas Rio Grande Valley campus, and Mission expands your options farther west.
Look at travel times across the metro before committing to an address. For rentals, ask to see summer electricity bills if they’re available. The cost of cooling a particular home depends in part on its size, insulation, and equipment, which can make two similarly priced leases feel quite different in practice.
19. Johnstown, Pennsylvania
Overall prices 14.1% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 42.3
Johnstown has the lowest rent index of the 21 places on this list. It also has a utility price index of 108.9, above the national benchmark. That’s the clearest example here of why a low rent figure deserves a second look at the rest of the bills.
Ask what utilities the lease includes and what the home typically costs to heat. The city’s geography also matters. The restored Johnstown Inclined Plane shows how steeply the valley rises toward Westmont, and a short distance on the map can involve a substantial change in elevation.
20. Lawton, Oklahoma
Overall prices 14.1% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 57.4
Fort Sill is central to the area, while Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge lies just outside town. The refuge protects granite mountains, mixed-grass prairie, and herds of bison and elk. It gives Lawton an outdoor draw you might miss if you look only at its housing numbers.
Military households can compare rentals by the gate they’ll actually use. For everyone else, it helps to look at where work and services are concentrated, then decide how much proximity to the refuge matters in everyday life.
21. Anniston–Oxford, Alabama
Overall prices 14.1% below the U.S. level · Housing rent index 54.7
Anniston offers direct access to the Chief Ladiga Trail, a paved rail trail that links several Alabama communities and connects with Georgia’s Silver Comet Trail. Oxford gives you another base within the same metro, so it’s worth spending time in both before choosing an address.
This metro also illustrates why wages belong in the comparison. In the same year used for the price data, its average hourly wage was $23.22, compared with $32.66 nationally. If you’re relying on local employment, compare offers in your own occupation before treating the lower cost of living as a gain in purchasing power.
How to Compare Two Low-Cost Places Before You Move
Build a monthly budget for a specific home in each place. Add rent or a mortgage payment, utilities, insurance, transportation, and any recurring property charges. Then compare those totals with the income you expect to have after moving.
For renters, the fastest check is to compare three available homes of similar size and ask what each lease includes. For buyers, use an actual insurance quote and the property’s tax and assessment records. The differences between individual addresses can easily matter more than the fractions of a percentage point that separate many of these metros.