Curated shortlist
Affordable states to consider
This is a starting point for a lower-cost move, not a promise that every town is cheap. It balances what a home costs with recurring state-level expenses.
How this shortlist works
Each listed measure receives equal weight after being scaled against the national range. A score only compares these states on these measures; it is not a quality grade.
Top states on this mix
Open a state to see its counties, sources and the measures behind the score.
- 1West Virginia84.4 match
- 2New Mexico80.5 match
- 3Mississippi80.0 match
- 4Arkansas79.5 match
- 5Wyoming79.2 match
- 6Iowa77.6 match
- 7North Dakota76.3 match
- 8Indiana75.7 match
- 9Alabama75.3 match
- 10Nevada75.2 match
What the top five look like
| State | Home price | Cost of living | Affordability | Property tax | Home insurance | Electric bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $182,704 | 88.3 | 3.0× | 0.51% | $1,860 | $167 |
| New Mexico | $321,186 | 93.7 | 4.7× | 0.63% | $2,869 | $98 |
| Mississippi | $198,428 | 87.3 | 3.4× | 0.58% | $2,529 | $171 |
| Arkansas | $228,662 | 89.6 | 3.7× | 0.56% | $3,733 | $139 |
| Wyoming | $372,526 | 93.7 | 4.9× | 0.53% | $2,075 | $115 |
Make the shortlist yours
Change the weights, add your climate preference, or drop anything that does not matter to you.
Open in Find your fit →These measures have different source schedules. See each state profile's Data dates & sources disclosure and the methodology before making a decision.