Many Midwest locales cracked the best cheap cities top 10. Sandusky was joined by Monroe, Michigan (2), Kokomo, Indiana (4), Bay City, Michigan (5), Springfield, Ohio (8), Wheeling, West Virginia-Ohio (9), and Elkhart-Goshen, Indiana (10).
All these cities scored well on the Forbes rubric, which considered house prices, cost of living, crime rate, employment statistics and schools. Sandusky surged ahead of the competition on the strength of its schools (7 out of 10) and low crime rate (247 violent crimes per 100,000 residents). The city also boasts affordable houses on the picturesque Lake Erie coast.
The Applachian outpost of Cumberland, on the border of Maryland and West Virginia, came in at number three, thanks to a high median income ($52,200) compared to a low median house price ($81,000). Pocatello, Idaho (6), was the list’s only western location, and Fairbanks, Alaska (7), is an option for those who want adventure and affordability.
For retired people, the East Coast is the most affordable place to relocate. Winchester, Virginia, and Portland, Maine, topped a recent American Association of Retired Persons Magazine list of the most affordable places to pass the golden years.
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