You probably can’t name much in Nebraska. Maybe that’s why Omaha shines so brightly. People going from one coast to the other need someplace to stop, and Omaha has become that place. This has led to the city being one of the best music cities in the nation as bands and artists stop here on tour. The food has been elevated to amazing standards, too. With how much you’ll be saving on your $140,000 house, you’ll have a lot more pocket change to get out and have a great time!
When you think of Louisville from here on out, think of food. Nat Geo called it one of the best foodie cities in the nation, and the food there is only getting better. That means you can spend all the money you save on rent and insurance bills on filling your belly. After you’re done with, go walk it off in one of the city’s great parks or go ziplining in an underground mega-cavern. There’s so much to do in Louisville, you can’t possibly run out of options.
Greenville, like Kansas City, is confusing. There’s multiple Greenvilles, one in each Carolina, and both are amazing. However, the South Carolina Greenville really shines. It’s a nationally recognized tourist destination, due in part to the city’s amazing downtown area. But if you talk to any local, they’ll be quick to let you know the real gems are found a few blocks away from downtown. You’ll get to know the city in no-time, and you’ll be happier for it.
The city that’s home to one of the most beautiful waterfalls on the planet is also a great place to live. Maybe it’s great because everything from healthcare to homes are below the national average. (The median home price is $116,530.) It could be great because the food is so amazing. It’s the birthplace of everybody’s favorite gameday food: wings. Every Labor Day weekend, they celebrate the National Buffalo Wing Festival. If you’ve got a craving you can’t satisfy, maybe this city will hit the spot.
If sunny days are your thing (they are), then San Antonio is your city (it is). There’s an average of 220 sunny days a year with no snow days. That’s sure to help when you go to use one of their easy-to-find bike-sharing spots. The city is super family and military-friendly. Basketball is huge here (The city is home to the Spurs.). Despite the cost of healthcare being below the national average, it has one of the best medical communities around. You won’t have any gloomy days in San Antonio.
Kansas City is probably not the first place people think of when they’re considering moving. It often flies under the radar. Maybe that’s because it has “Kansas” in the name (and so many love to hate on Kansas), or maybe it’s that there’s a KC in both Kansas and Missouri. Whatever the reason is, this place is a hidden gem in the middle of beautiful rolling hills. If you like baseball games, food festivals, or farmer’s markets, this is the place for you.
Dayton, Ohio is probably — definitely — one of our nation’s most underrated cities. There’s a lot of colleges here, raising the standards for being a good, educated neighbor and opening up jobs. Once you get a job, you’ll be working in one of the nation’s happiest places to work. The diversity of culture here is staggering, highlighting Latin American, Celtic, and Italian traditions. To top it all off, the area boasts more than 300 miles of trails, making it the largest paved trail network in the nation. As one local news source puts it: the “number of people using local trails is staggering.”
Plenty of our nation’s best cities have a great outdoors scene, but Outside Magazine only named 1 the best city ever. This city has it all. It sits on the river, hosts some of the best rafting in the nation, and has some of the best paved and unpaved trails you could hope for. The aquarium is one of the best in the nation. The arts scene is doing amazing things. Seriously, this city being this cheap is one of the biggest steals around.
Bentonville, and the rest of the Northwest Arkansas cities all clustered together, have been consistently ranked as great places to live in recent years. They sit in the beautiful Ozark mountains, and living outdoors is a way of life. When you’re not hitting the trails or relaxing in swimming holes, you’ll want food. If you cook at home, visit the nation’s best farmers market first. If you need coffee, the area is home to one of the best chains in the nation. If you’re in need of air conditioning, the small art museums host some world-famous pieces. (Van Gogh or Georgia O’Keefe, anyone?) To top it all off, the median pay is $20,000 more than the national average, sitting at $71,000.
If there’s a good list of places to live, Boise is on it. While the median home price is a touch higher than the rest of the homes on this list, it’s worth it. Boise is ranked as one of the best places to live, one of the best places for careers, and one of the best places for raising a family. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs are huge here, so you know your children will be getting the education they deserve. Art is hue to, though, as is the outdoor scene. This city has it all.
Birmingham is a lot packed into a little area. With just over 200,000 people, it’s Alabama’s most populous city, meaning all of Alabama's best get pulled here. That includes everything from education to food, but most of all, sports. The city is host to one of the biggest rivalries in college sports: Alabama and Auburn’s. It’ll be hard not to choose a side. And while you’re waiting on game day to roll around, feel free to spend a bit of that money you’re saving on your $60,000 home on some new golf clubs. You’re going to need them if you’re going to tee up at the largest golf course anyone’s ever tried to build.
Milwaukee sits right on the coast of the Great Lake Michigan, and it seems to have inherited some of its greatness. There’s obviously plenty of lake things to do, but you can stay dry if you’d like. Veterans here are well taken care of, and kids are encouraged to pursue the arts. Dessert, coffee, and beer are all made great here, so you’ll have plenty of whatever you’re craving. That's all within your price-range, too. The median price range for houses here is just under $100,000. Pretty crazy stuff!
For a city as packed with history as this one, you’d think it’d be a bit costlier, but it sits below the national average in most categories. Your inner history buff will get a kick out of living here, and you’ll notice the diversity that comes from living in a city that’s been around as long as Baltimore has. Everyone raves about the neighborhoods, which might strike you as an odd thing to rave about until you understand just how different, and beautiful, each neighborhood is. The crabs are great, Edgar Allen Poe is an icon, and the accent will rub off.
USNews ranked Des Moines as the 4th best place to live. Couple that high ranking with its low cost of living and you’re left wondering why more people don’t move here. It’s a forward-thinking town that’s passionate about getting healthy, watching their Iowa/Iowa State rivalry games, and eating plenty of food afterwards. You’ll have live in a tight-knit neighborhood, but you won’t have to go broke to do so.
Tulsa is a place more people should consider moving to. From the amazing architecture so prevalent all around the city to the quiet feel of walking around town, you won’t regret it. Most people who live here, stay here, and it’s completely understandable why. The schools are great, the houses cheap, and the desserts are some of the bets you’ll find. Tulsa is too great to not consider.
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La Crosse is a college town, so there are plenty of things you can do. The downtown area is especially beautiful and historic, but most people know downtown La Crosse for the famous bars. Recently, it’s become the regional technology and media hub, which can be great for some people seeking tech jobs.
If you love pizza, you have to visit Davenport. It’s home to the Quad City-style pizza, which is a nutty crust with spicy tomato sauce and cheese—tons of cheese. Davenport also gets plenty of snow, if you love the powdery stuff.
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McAllen is one of the most populated cities in Texas for a few good reasons. The first of which: it’s cheap. Second, it has a great educational system, so it’s a fantastic place to start a new family. Finally, the weather is on point pretty much every day.
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Elgin is pretty small, but it’s growing pretty quickly. Originally, Elgin was known for its watches. It was home to Elgin National Watch Company, which produced the best timepieces ever made. The factory was torn down, but the city still holds onto its reputation.
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Warren is an absolutely beautiful place to live, and it’s one of the cheapest. The average median home cost is around $126,200 and has plenty of suburbs that are ideal for anyone looking for a place for a family.
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Nebraska isn’t the first place many people think of when they want to move, but it should be! Lincoln, specifically, has an up-and-coming foodie scene from burgers to Thai. It also has plenty of nightlife thanks to the copious number of pubs, dives, and nightclubs. The city has also been ranked as one of the happiest cities to live, so what are you waiting for?
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