The city is currently investing a bunch of money into a brand new park that will transform an old railroad site. Population: 6,504Rank Last Year: 5 (Up 2)Home Price To Income Ratio: 1.4x (8th most affordable)Income To Rent Ratio: 70.8x (97th cheapest)More On Crystal City: Real Estate|Crime Rate|Cost Of Living. Located in the Rio Grande Valley, Alamo is the ninth cheapest city in Texas, with a super low median rent of $625. And while entertainment and nightlife options might be minimal, outdoor and cultural activities abound. Best of all, the city's distinctive sites and southern charm come at a reasonable price. That sad reality also helps keep costs in check. Texas staff writer for Only in Your State, blogger for Power of Positivity, and freelance health, wellness, and travel writer. Nearby Hartselle, about 10 miles south, shares the charms of its neighbor to the north. Sounds like hill country paradise to me! Economic conditions at the city level aren't quite as bright, however. We aggregate those rankings into a Cost of Living Index for each city in Texas. . With a median home value of $62,100 and a median rent of $893, it offers an overall cost of living of just below the Texas average. Be sure to check out more great cities in Texas that weve picked out to get some more inspiration for your next move. The 20 Cheapest Places to Live in Texas - Money Inc The state capital also happens to be a great place for retirees. Additionally, the city played an important role in Mexican American political self-determination as the birthplace of the La Raza Unida Party. With that logic in mind, we derived several cost of living statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2017-2021 for Texas. The city has a population of 11,654 and is known for its scenic location on the Gulf Coast and world-class saltwater fishing. We recommend that you go out and visit some of these places to get a true sense of their vibes and see if they are the right community to settle into for you. Need to get your eyes checked? Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, It starts by having the seventh-highest median property tax rate in the country. From some of America's largest and active metropolitan cities to the host of recreational activities for people of all ages across the state to the many bigger-than-life personalities who call Texas home, Texas has plenty to offer for . When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The Cost of Living Index allows you to rank all of the 350 places in Texas that have more than 5,000 people from least expensive to most expensive. Indeed, housing is cheaper than the U.S. average by about 28%. Not in. The relatively low cost of living, exceptionally low crime rate, and its location in the scenic hill country make it a wonderful place to settle down and raise a family. Population: 14,183 Cost of Living: 17.4% Below Texas Average Crime Rate: 54.8% Below Texas Average. The 20 Cheapest Places to Live In Texas [Data Study] - HomeCity Residents can enjoy all this and more without breaking the bank. Located just 20 minutes southeast of Tyler, you will quickly fall in love with this charming East Texas town. Crime has even decreased 17% in the last year, making it one of the top cheap small towns in Texas to relocate to with your family. Located in Jackson County, Edna ranks as the eighth cheapest city in Texas. So, let's get started. We also took into consideration the livability and quality of life in each place to ensure that they are actually desirable towns and cities to live in. Meanwhile, folks who've put their working years behind them will be happy to know that Alabama is among the most tax-friendly states for retirees. But the biggest way folks in this part of the Texas Panhandle save money is by what they shell out for housing. Population Size. 1.3K. 2. If you're looking for a home in Breckenridge, you're in luck. , making it an affordable place to relocate to. The city sits at the southernmost tip of Texas, with the Rio Grande to the south and the Gulf of Mexico to the east. Muleshoe Crystal City Center Kermit Vidor Port Lavaca Edna Alamo Borger What's the cheapest place to live in Texas? Texas . Many people move to Texas because it provides an affordable lifestyle allowing you to experience the best of the state without breaking the bank. 1. "But jobseekers should not only consider the size of their paycheck when figuring out where they should call home.". Walk Score 9 Bike Score 23 Transit Score 31 Is McKinney a good place to live? Housing-related costs, which run about 38% below the national average, help secure Joplin's place among the top five cheapest places to live for U.S. city dwellers. 7 Most Affordable Places to Live in Texas | Extra Space Storage Rankings Category. How cheap are these homes exactly? The cheapest places to live in Texas for 2023 are Elsa, Muleshoe, and Crystal City. Population: 2,198 Cost of Living: 17.4% Below Texas Average Crime Rate: 49.2% Below Texas Average. Where is better to live California or Texas? Albany, which sits in southeastern Georgia about 150 miles south of Atlanta, is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Ray Charles. Economic Forecasts You can download the entre cost of living data set for Texas here. Amarillo The most populous city in the Texas panhandle, Amarillo is the number one cheapest city to live in Texas. 5 Reasons Based on Science & Data. But where Elsa stands out is housing costs, which are only 31% of the national average. Specifically, if an area has a cost of living score of 82, it is 18% lower than the average cost of living in the U.S. Groceries, transportation and healthcare costs are also comparatively modest. Part of that is low ratio is due to the fact that homes in Kermit are among the cheapest statewide, so its a great place to move if youre arriving with your savings ready. According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Muleshoe has an overall cost of living index of 77 which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100. What other affordable cities do you think shouldve made the list? View nearby homes. Center, located in Shelby County, ranks as one of the most affordable places to live in tx. Folks pay about 12% less than the national average for utilities and healthcare, and get a nearly 22% break on transportation. 10 Pros and Cons of Living in El Paso, Texas in 2023, The 8 Best Small Towns to Retire in Texas 2023 Update, 7 Best Places to Live in Texas Hill Country Top Small Towns & Big Cities. Updated yesterday. The Cheapest Places to Live in Texas | Rent. Blog Tucked away in the northwest corner of the state about 100 miles north of Omaha, Nebraska, Sioux City serves as a regional hub for business, medical care and higher education in the Northwest Iowa, Southeast South Dakota and Northeast Nebraska regions. The average home value in Los Fresnos is over $100,000 cheaper than the Texas state average, with homes costing just $160,000 to $170,000. Meanwhile, the city offers several attractions, like the Old Hidalgo Pumphouse Museum and World Birding Center, which is now a museum and nature preserve, as well as the 7,000 seat Payne Arena that features concerts, sports, and other live events. Major employers include Phoebe Putney Health System, Albany State University and Procter & Gamble (PG), a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and a major consumer staples stock. Folks spend nearly 17% less than the national average to reside in the metro area, thanks primarily to housing costs that run 40% below what the typical American pays. The median home price is $108,500, giving Port Lavaca the 37th best home price-to-income ratio in the state. Healthcare, meanwhile, costs about 22% less. Be forewarned, however, that Oklahoma is not tax-friendly for middle-class families and presents a mixed tax picture for retirees. Today, it is known as the Spinach Capital of the World thanks to its thriving spinach industry. For example, the metro area's unemployment rate of 3.2% stands below the national rate of 3.6%. As for recreational activities, the Kalamazoo Nature Center hosts free daily activities. By Quincy Williamson And McAllen is indeed one of the cheapest places to live in the U.S. for city dwellers. A half hour outside San Antonio, you'll find the beautiful community of Cibolo. What is the cheapest housing market in Texas? Thrifty types should volunteer to check out Knoxville and its greater metro area, one of two Tennessee cities to make the list for inexpensive living. Florence and the Florence-Muscle Shoals metro area, which encompasses the birthplace of Helen Keller, sits in the northwest corner of Alabama on the Tennessee River. 1. The Cheapest areas to live in Houston, Texas - Discover Walks Tourists flock to metro Lake Charles also known as the Lake Area thanks to its abundance of lakes and waterways, as well as its casinos. From a tax perspective, Missouri is pretty average, but the state did recently lower its top income tax rate to 5.3% from 5.4% for 2022. The Quinta Mazatlan, a luxury birdhouse with more than 15 acres of birding habitat, is not to be missed. Clear Lake City Photo by Dillon Kydd on Unsplash This first neighborhood is perfect if you are looking for a quiet area with lush green spaces. And with all your leftover cash, you can easily take weekend trips over the border to Mexico, where your money will go even further. The city of Conway an affordable enclave in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway metro area (pop. It was quite difficult to narrow our list down to the top eight places considering how vast and diverse Texas is as the 2nd largest state in the US. Average Property Tax: $1,658. Population: 2,984 Cost of Living: 21.7% Below Texas Average Crime Rate: 43.1% Below Texas Average. The cost of living here is 5.5% less than the national average. Is one of the cheapest places to live in the U.S. right for you? 7 Best Small Towns to Live in Texas | Small Texas Cities - HOMEiA Sounds like a win-win to me. (For smaller urban areas, be sure to read our list of the 12 Cheapest Small Towns in America.). Get more stories delivered right to your email. The largest city in the Rio Grande Valley and one of the cheapest places to live in Texas, Brownsville is ideal for singles, young professionals, families, and retirees looking for spacious condos and luxury homes in a city with beautiful weather year-round. Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, minutes from downtown Augusta, offers 14 miles of hiking trails. @media(min-width:0px){#div-gpt-ad-homesnacks_com-medrectangle-3-0-asloaded{max-width:728px!important;max-height:280px!important}}if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'homesnacks_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_2',143,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-homesnacks_com-medrectangle-3-0');Check out some more reading about Texas and the cheapest places in the country: Were heading to Hidalgo County, near the Mexico border, to reach the most affordable place in Texas, Elsa. It also boasts a huge healthcare sector, so doctors and specialists are not hard to find. Transportation and miscellaneous goods and services are likewise comparative bargains, which also help Mobile maintain its place among the top 10 cheapest places to live in the U.S. As a port city, it should come as no surprise that shipbuilder Austal USA is among the area's major employers. 2015-2023 Chasing Chains, LLC. Residents can enjoy outdoor activities like beaches, marinas, swimming, and various local restaurants and shops. Population: 7,837 Cost of Living: 19.6% Below Texas Average Crime Rate: 39.6% Below Texas Average, Los Fresnos is a small town located in the heart of South Texas about 20 minutes north of Brownsville. Arkansas also isn't terribly tax-burdensome to retirees. Its median home price is $71,4000 which is 25% lower than the national average.