Best Affordable Place To Live In The Country Is This North Carolina Town And Here’s Why
Money is tighter than ever these days. And, we’re always on a search for a way to cut back on living expenses. Of course, we expect that many places in the South probably offer better cost saving opportunities. But, do you know exactly where you should be looking to relocate to do your wallet a favor? Well, according to U.S. News & World Report, the best affordable place to live in the country is in North Carolina.
The report indicates that Hickory, North Carolina takes top honors as the best affordable place to live in the country for 2023-2-24. U.S. News & World Report says with a metro population of 364,877, the Catawba Valley area offers a small town atmosphere. But, it has the advantage of growth seen from bigger areas close by. And, those include Charlotte and Asheville. But, the income spent on living expenses in Hickory is just below 20% at 18.95% of the median household income. And, the average salary in Hickory is $44,470.
But, there’s also bragging rights for other locations in the Carolinas. Winston-Salem, North Carolina came in further down the list at number 16, with income spent on living expenses 21.73% of the median household income. And, the average salary is just over $51,000 for this area of the Tar Heel State. However, 2 cities in South Carolina scored even better on the U.S. News & World Report list.
One of my favorite spots, Greenville, South Carolina, sits at number 12 on the best affordable places to live in the country. The average annual salary in Greenville is $48,350, with 21.31% of the median household income spent on living expenses. And, this favorite in the Upstate came in at number 26 out of 150 on the ‘Best Places to Live’ list. I couldn’t agree more!
Then, there’s nearby Spartanburg, South Carolina. This top spot in the Palmetto State came in at number 11. The average salary is just over $47,000. And, 21.67% of the median household income goes to living expenses. And, the property taxes are fairly low in comparison to coastal areas like Charleston.
For more info and full stats on all the cities on the best affordable places to live list, see the full report.
US News Ranks These Two North Carolina Cities Among The Nation's 10 Best Places To Live
7. Fayetteville
#135 Best Places To Live
Overall Score: 5.7
Quality of Life: 6.0
Value: 6.8
6. Greensboro
#72 Best Places To Live
Overall Score: 5.7
Quality of Life: 6.5
Value: 7.5
5. Winston-Salem
#41 Best Places To Live
Overall Score: 6.4
Quality of Life: 6.7
Value: 7.7
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4. Asheville
#29 Overall Best Places To Live
Overall Score: 6.5
Quality of Life: 6.8
Value: 7.0
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3. Hickory
#25 Overall Best Places To Live
Overall Score: 6.5
Quality of Life: 6.4
Value: 8.6
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2. Charlotte
#8 Overall Best Places To Live
Overall Score: 6.7
Quality of Life: 6.4
Value: 7.0
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1. Raleigh & Durham
#3 Best Places To Live Overall
Overall Score: 6.9
Quality of Life: 6.4
Value: 7.0
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10. Fayetteville, AK
Overall Score: 6.7
Quality of Life: 6.9
Value: 7.8
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9. Colorado Springs
Overall Score: 6.7
Quality of Life: 6.5
Value: 5.8
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8. Charlotte, NC
Overall Score: 6.7
Quality of Life: 6.4
Value: 7.0
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7. Portland, ME
Overall Score: 6.7
Quality of Life: 7.4
Value: 6.2
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6. Naples, FL
Overall Score: 6.8
Quality of Life: 7.1
Value: 6.2
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5. Sarasota, FL
Overall Score: 6.8
Quality of Life: 7.0
Value: 6.1
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4. Boulder, CO
Overall Score: 6.8
Quality of Life: 7.7
Value: 5.3
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3. Raleigh & Durham, NC
Overall Score: 6.9
Quality of Life: 6.4
Value: 7.0
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2. Huntsville, AL
Overall Score: 6.9
Quality of Life: 7.0
Value: 8.2
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1. Green Bay, WI
Overall Score: 6.9
Quality of Life: 7.3
Value: 8.0
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