======= ======= ====== ====== ====== ===== ==== ====== ====== ===== ==== ======= ======= ====== ====== ====== ===== ==== ====== ====== ===== ====
The demographic shifts are clear – more and more postgrads are flocking to smaller cities in search of urban amenities without the exalted cost of living that New York and San Francisco bring. Of course, “smaller cities” refers to places like Austin and Nashville, but there are even smaller, even cheaper options out there for those really looking to pinch pennies. Then again, with only a few exceptions, the list of America’s most affordable cities is as depressing as it gets.
1. Birmingham, Alabama
2. Knoxville, Tennessee
3. Buffalo, New York
4. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
5. Cincinnati, Ohio
6. Memphis, Tennessee
7. St. Louis, Missouri
8. Dayton, Ohio
9. Indianapolis, Indiana
10. (tie) Columbus, Ohio
10. (tie) Detroit, Michigan
11. Colorado Springs, Colorado
12. Greenville, South Carolina
13. Louisville, Kentucky
14. Warren, Michigan
15. Akron, Ohio
Be honest with yourself – you couldn’t imagine living in more than two of these places, three tops. Ohio litters the list, yet it’s hard to believe people actually pay money to live there. Louisville and Memphis are atrocious and run down, Buffalo’s weather is as bad as its football team, and the state of Michigan may as well be a third world country.
If you have a good job in any of the places above, apparently you can live like a king. In the end, however, you only get what you pay for..
[via Forbes]
Image via Shutterstock
Respond
@RogerSterlingUS
“Detroit: come for a job, stay because you were murdered”
I’m from the metro-Detroit area. Detroit is weird. I once stopped for gas and thought I was going to be stabbed (the clerk sat behind bullet proof glass, and all the other cars in the lot were beaters), but then drove 2 blocks down the street and was in a neighborhood with multimillion dollar mansions.
Pretty uppity coming from a writer for Grandex
*smut peddler
Easy, boy. Easy.
What are you implying, “CrazyEyesKilla?”
Greenville, SC is pretty cool actually. The whole state for that matter.
I live in Greenville and you’re right, it is awesome. But go Tigers.
Greenville is very awesome. Hilariously compact though. It goes from skyscrapers on main street to the middle of nowhere in about two miles. Strangest thing I’ve ever seen.
I also live there, and I’d say that is true of all SC cities.
You live in Greenville?
I’ll actually be moving there this fall
This is why we need the forum.
If you’re not shitting me, hit me up and I’ll be glad to show you around.
You can normally find me at Chicora Alley, my favorite spot in Greenville.
How do I hit you up? Tweet me
What part?
I do
Let’s not go too far now…remember Columbia is still in South Carolina! I just moved to Greenville from there and it’s night and day
I love it. Three hours to charleston and Hilton head, two hours to Atlanta and Charlotte, and houses are dirt cheap.
Charleston is top titty
I live right outside of Charlotte. Being from up North, I was amazed by how cheap everything is down here.
Moved from California to North Carolina. The drop in cost of living was astonishing. So was the drop in quality of lifestyle. 🙁
Between Greenville, Charleston, Charlotte, and Atlanta…rank them
Gotta go Charleston, Greenville, Charlotte, Atlanta. But that’s just me. Charleston is the kind of place that you can only really enjoy living if you have money, though.
Not from the area but I live and work in Charleston and it’s amazing. Great quality of life here. I miss the big city aspect so I don’t know how long I’ll stay, but being in your mid 20’s in Charleston doesn’t get much better as a single guy.
Agreed. I grew up in Greenville. Love it. I live in Augusta now, crap chute in comparison.
Colorado Springs? I’d live there in a heartbeat.
That’s one of the few I’ve never been to. I take it that it’s nice?
Colorado Springs is pretty nice. Improving downtown in terms of bars, restaurants, etc. Close to Denver and the mountains, and the scenery is unbelievable (the mountains, not the women).
Like Denver, but with more old people and homophobia! Oh, and it’s right by Pike’s Peak, one of two 14ers in Colorado you can just drive your fat ass up instead of hiking. Lol.
I wasn’t comparing the two. And the fact that you prefer Coors and Pepsi says a lot about the type of person you are.
Yeah, I was in a dickish mood earlier, sorry brother. And while I love Coors Light (hydration is key) and Pepsi, I’m much more in love with Denver for the fuck-ton of breweries and botanical options. That said, I’ve toured some awesome breweries in the Springs and seen some great live music. Have a great weekend!
Colorado Springs? Are you kidding me? Highest crime and violent crime rates in the state, central distribution hub for Mexican Cartels, lots of poor people, low employment – the absolute shitter. If Dog the bounty hunter has steady work down there, you know its a dump.
Indianapolis is actually a blast, and Cincinnati is pretty fun too.
Cincinnati is a complete shithole. Indianapolis isn’t bad though. I said there were a few standouts.
I was there for the Cincy Oktoberfest, which is the largest one outside of Germany, so maybe I have a skewed view of Cincy.
Cincinnati is a blast if you know where to go.
Excuse you, I live within 3 hours of the fine cities of Indy, Cincy, St. Louis, and Louisville. I could see myself living in any of those cities.
Evansville?
Louisville is so “atrocious” that people travel from all over the world to go to the Kentucky Derby. The city is so “run down” I doubt anyone will even attend this year!
“It’s too bad this great venue is in this dumpster fire of a city” -Everyone who attends
Evidently it’s not that bad of a dumpster fire as the attendance gets larger every year. I’m not sure what Louisville did to you but I hope you work through your issues as it really is a great city to live in and visit. I mean it’s the Bourbon hub of America. And if you have something bad to say about bourbon… Well then, there is no hope for you good sir.
You’re still confusing The Kentucky Derby and bourbon with Louisville as a city. Russia has a lot of great things to offer too – doesn’t mean I’d live there.
Gosh that must have been one really rough visit to Louisville you had. I’ll continue loving living here, going to concerts on the river, drinking flights of bourbon samples from local distilleries and having the week off from work celebrate the derby. You can continue assuming I’m confused 🙂
You clearly grew up in small town KY or IN and moved to Louisville after going to school there To think so highly of it. 40% of the city is in poverty, extremely cultural divided city, only the east end gets the good stores, restaurants, venues, the infrastructure is so outdated, and Bardstown KY is the bourbon capital not Louisville. Derby keeps getting bigger bc it’s a freaking huge party. Every good annual party gets bigger the following year.
Strangely, I’m all right with people thinking Louisville is run down… Means that there’s more beer cheese and bourbon mimosas (at Toast) for the rest of us.
You’re from Louisville. We get it.
Firefly go fuck yourself
St louis…where the dirt cheap price of beer outweighs the constant threat of being murdered.
You can also swap that title for, “America’s most dangerous cities” and the list would remain virtually the same.
Wilmington DE is the king of dangerous cities. #MURDERTOWN
Indy is such a shitty city that the NCAA put their headquarters there and it hosts the Final Four all the time.
I keep saying that some are standouts
Apology accepted.