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US cost-of-living ranking

Cheapest places to live in America

States and counties ranked by estimated monthly cost of living, from official government data.

Key findings

  • The cheapest state to live in is Arkansas with an average monthly cost of $2,553 for a single person.
  • The most affordable county (5,000+ residents) is Kusilvak Census Area, AK at $2,247/month.
  • States with no state income tax: South Dakota, Wyoming, Tennessee, Texas, Nevada, Alaska, New Hampshire, Washington, Florida. No income tax doesn't automatically mean cheapest overall; Washington, Nevada and Texas all sit closer to the national average.
  • The national average monthly cost across all U.S. counties is $2,882/month for a single person.

Cheapest states to live in 2026

Based on estimated monthly costs including rent, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare and taxes, these are the most affordable states in America.

Show all 51 states

Cheapest counties to live in 2026

At the county level, costs vary even more. These are the 50 cheapest counties in America by estimated monthly cost for a single person (population 5,000+).

Rankings include rent, utilities, groceries, transport, healthcare and taxes. See our methodology.

Frequently asked questions

About cheap places to live in the US.

What is the cheapest state to live in?

Based on the average estimated monthly cost for a single person, the cheapest U.S. states are Arkansas ($2,553/mo), South Dakota ($2,562/mo), Wyoming ($2,615/mo). These rankings include rent, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare and taxes.

What are the cheapest cities to live in the US?

Among U.S. counties with at least 5,000 residents, the cheapest places to live are Kusilvak Census Area, AK ($2,247/mo), Noble County, OH ($2,263/mo), Lexington city, VA ($2,275/mo), Perry County, AL ($2,280/mo), Searcy County, AR ($2,281/mo).

Which states have the lowest cost of living?

The lowest cost-of-living states tend to combine modest rent, low housing prices and tax-friendly regimes. The top five are Arkansas, South Dakota, Wyoming, West Virginia, Missouri. Low housing costs are the dominant driver in most of these states.

Is it cheaper to live in a state with no income tax?

Not always. 9 states have no state income tax: South Dakota, Wyoming, Tennessee, Texas, Nevada, Alaska, New Hampshire, Washington, Florida. Several rank in the top 10 cheapest overall (notably South Dakota and Wyoming), but no-income-tax states like Washington and Nevada sit closer to the national average because of higher housing or sales tax.

What is the average cost of living in the US?

The estimated national average cost of living is approximately $2,882 per month for a single person, including rent, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare and taxes. The figure is calculated as the mean across all U.S. counties with available data.

See also

Most expensive places to live

The highest cost-of-living counties and states in America.
Best value places to live

Where your salary stretches furthest after essential costs.

Use this research

Journalists, researchers and bloggers are welcome to cite and share this analysis. Please include a follow link back to this page when referencing our data. For bespoke analysis, expert comment, or high-resolution graphics, get in touch via our press office.

About this data

Cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey), HUD Fair Market Rents, the Energy Information Administration, and the Tax Foundation. Rankings reflect estimates for a single person; per-county breakdowns are available on each profile page.

Methodology Data sources