Where to Find America's Most Budget-Friendly Yet Secure Communities: A Regional Breakdown

When searching for the cheapest place to live in the country that doesn’t compromise on safety, the challenge becomes clear—affordability and security rarely coexist. Yet across the United States, a curated analysis of housing markets and crime statistics reveals 15 communities that successfully merge both qualities, offering residents low living expenses without sacrificing neighborhood safety.

The Midwest Dominates: Why Ohio Leads the Pack

The Midwest emerges as the nation’s premier region for budget-conscious households seeking secure environments. Ohio alone claims seven of the fifteen spots, a testament to the state’s combination of accessible housing and lower-than-average violent crime metrics. This concentration makes the Cheapest place to live in the country, when paired with safety considerations, disproportionately located in the industrial heartland.

Leading Ohio Communities:

• New Philadelphia stands at the forefront with an annual living cost of just $35,549 and violent crime rates of 0.69 per 1,000 residents. The median home value sits at $186,258, with monthly mortgage obligations averaging $1,101
• Parma Heights follows closely at $36,575 annually, protecting residents with minimal violent crime (0.39 per 1,000)
• Berea, Mount Vernon, Hamilton, Brunswick, and North Ridgeville complete Ohio’s representation, each maintaining annual expenses between $37,768 and $44,415

Expanding Beyond State Lines: Emerging Markets

Beyond Ohio’s stronghold, complementary markets surface across neighboring states and beyond:

Indiana and Pennsylvania Gateway Cities: Yorktown, Indiana and Butler, Pennsylvania both deliver annual living costs under $40,450, with violent crime rates hovering near 0.20 per 1,000 residents, positioning them as viable alternatives for budget-focused relocators.

The Texas Exception: San Elizario, Texas represents the southern outlier, boasting the nation’s lowest violent crime rate (0.10 per 1,000) alongside the second-lowest annual living expenses at $36,738. Its $989 monthly mortgage cost edges ahead of most competitors.

Northern Stability: New Ulm, Minnesota and Orono, Maine provide northeastern and upper-Midwest alternatives, with New Ulm particularly notable for its exceptional livability score of 82 and $36,361 annual expenses.

Understanding the Data Architecture

This analysis synthesized multiple authoritative sources: FBI Quarterly Crime Statistics supplied violent and property crime benchmarks, while the U.S. Census American Community Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Zillow Home Value Index (January 2025 snapshot), and AreaVibes databases provided housing valuations and expense projections. Communities met a minimum population threshold of 10,000 residents, ensuring statistical relevance. The 110 safest cities underwent secondary filtering based on total cost of living to identify this final ranking.

Key Metrics Defining Affordability and Safety

Beyond headline figures, the data reveals nuanced patterns. Monthly mortgage costs range from $989 in San Elizario to $1,852 in North Ridgeville. Livability scores—measuring overall quality of life factors—ranged from 62 to 90, with Edwardsville, Illinois achieving the highest rating despite carrying the 15th position’s annual expenses of $45,323. Property crime rates demand attention alongside violent crime; Butler, Pennsylvania’s higher property crime (6.29 per 1,000) contrasts sharply with San Elizario’s 1.08, suggesting neighborhood composition variations.

The Bottom Line: Strategic Location Selection

Finding the cheapest place to live in the country while maintaining reasonable safety requires geographical strategy. Ohio communities dominate for their consistency, smaller Indiana and Pennsylvania towns offer emerging value, while Texas and Minnesota present niche advantages. The data confirms that affordability and security need not remain mutually exclusive—they simply require informed analysis and willingness to explore beyond mainstream metropolitan areas.

Whether prioritizing the sub-$36,000 annual expense tier or accepting living costs approaching $45,000 for superior livability metrics, these 15 communities demonstrate measurable pathways to economical, secure American living.