Cheap Cities
These cheap Texas cities are places you may actually want to live
For a few Texas cities, being cheap doesn't mean being undesirable. Round Rock, Temple, Denton and Corpus Christi have landed on a new list of the cheapest cities you will want to live in.
Looking at the 100 cheapest cities in the U.S., Kiplinger set out to determine which inexpensive towns folks would want to live in "based on economic health and affordability." Each city was required to have below-average living costs, high household incomes (relative to cost of living) and an unemployment rate below the national average. Places that offer fun, low-cost activities were championed, too.
Round Rock is desirable because of its "big-city salaries and small-town prices," says Kiplinger. It also boasts the highest median household income of all the cities on the list: $69,998 (nearly $17,000 above the U.S. median). Plus, its proximity to Austin means entertainment options are plentiful.
Also situated in Central Texas, Temple is noted for having the second-lowest overall cost of living on the list, as well as the second-lowest median home value. And, Kiplinger quips, "It's home to the only Macy's between Austin and Dallas."
In Denton, folks will find a thriving music community as well as jobs in the education and healthcare sectors. Compared to nearby Dallas, household incomes are higher and expenses are lower in Denton. Finally, Kiplinger calls Corpus Christi "a bargain by the beach." Affordable housing and military jobs add to its appeal.
Other cities on the list include Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Lincoln, Nebraska; Norman, Oklahoma; Durham, North Carolina; St. George, Utah and Omaha, Nebraska.
Imagine the views of Pflugerville from the rooftop terrace at City Hall.Rendering courtesy of LPA Design Studios
The first floor will contain a community lounge and a childcare center, as well as retail space.Rendering courtesy of BRS Architects