Welcome to the magical world of affordable living in America. I know, I know it isn't a thing in the United States anymore, right? That is unless you live in a place where police sirens are a constant. You spend your weekends painting over graffiti on your front fence, or there are several trailers on your road that have been passed down through three generations of hillbillies. Yes, those are all the places you can find affordable living. But do you want to live there? What if I told you there are affordable towns in the US that aren't horrible? That's what we're looking at today. We're counting down 10 US towns that won't break the bank, but still give you a chance at a decent life. Got it? Get it? Good. Let's take a look. Number 10, Lincoln, Maine. And here we are at number 10. Lincoln, Maine. A town so affordable you might double check those Zillow listings to see if they made a typo. Lincoln is deep in the northern main woods, surrounded by 13 lakes, forest trails, and enough fresh air to make a California dizzy. Yes, it's rural, but not cut off. There's a hospital, decent schools, and functioning internet, and even a few restaurants that don't involve a deep fryer or frozen pizza. God bless America. The crime rate is so low, it's almost suspicious. And the people are the type who'll help you dig your car out of a snowbank and then offer you hot cocoa out of a thermos afterwards. Winters here are real. Very real. But if you can handle the cold, you'll be rewarded by one of the most beautiful scenic and budget friendly lives in the country. Lincoln isn't for everyone, let's be honest. But if you want clean living, a shockingly low cost of home ownership, and the kind of life where the biggest drama is whether the fish are biting or not, that's it. Lincoln has a livability score of 70 and their average home value is about $211,000. Now, I will tell you something about livability. Anything below 50 sucks. Anything above, let's say, 65 is pretty good. When you start getting into the 70s, that's even better. Now, if you get into the '9s, you're living behind the gates where there are homes that cost $5 million a piece. Okay? So that's what we're dealing with on this one. We're trying to keep it above 65. Number nine, Koshakton, Ohio. Koshakton is what you get when an old river town refuses to die and ends up being a hidden gem for anyone tired of overpriced suburbs and HOA drama. If you haven't picked up on it lately, I am just totally anti-HOA these days. Oh my god, the stories I read are horrible. Don't get into it because you go down that rabbit hole and you It's worse than doom scrolling on Tik Tok or YouTube shorts. Anyway, it's tucked away in central Ohio. This place has homes going for around $150,000, which is about 25% below the national average right now. You want value? Koshakton's got value dripping out of its antique lamposts. Once a canal and shipping hub, Koshakton has embraced the history with a side of modern livability. The downtown is quirky and cute, filled with locallyowned shops, bakeries, and one suspiciously good Thai place, if it's still there. The Rosco Village area brings in a bit of tourism, but not enough to ruin the peace and quiet of this amazing small town. Schools are decent, crime is low, and if you're a nature lover, this is your playground. You're near rivers, forests, and about an hour drive from the bustling city of Columbus. If you need your target fix or you want to remember what traffic feels like after you leave New York or California, Koshockton is that rare balance of small-time charm and actual functionality. You can live here comfortably, safely, without needing a side hustle or a second mortgage. It's not a bad place to live. Again, it's Ohio. You're going to get some rough winters, but they're bearable. The livability score here is 70. The average home value about $153,000. Number eight, Martinsville, Virginia. Martinsville is what happens when a town gets punched in the economic gut, gets back up, and starts swinging again. Once known for its textile and furniture production, the jobs dried up, the population dipped, and the housing prices dipped also. Today, the average home value here is about $130,000. And that's for something you could actually live in without a hazmat suit. which there's plenty of places in Virginia where that's not doable. It's located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which means the views are solid, the air is clean, and the outdoor recreation is a real thing. Kaying, hiking, fishing, you name it, Martinsville's got it. And if you like NASCAR or having your windows rattle every so often on a Sunday, this is your place. Yeah, they've got the Martinsville Speedway here and NASCAR races there. And it's a very small track. It's kind of a It's kind of endearing when it's just a small track. You've seen these cars fly on these huge tracks. This thing, you could probably put the whole track on a high school campus someplace. What makes it liveable isn't just the cheap housing. It's the fact that the town's working really hard to revitalize itself. There are efforts to improve broadband access. Healthc care options are decent, and there's even an art scene peeking its head out. Plus, the crime rate is low and the schools are improving slowly, but they're trying. If you want affordability without total isolation and you like small towns with a big heart, Martinsville is worth a second look or a first look if you've never heard of it. Martinsville has a livability score of 71 and their average home value here is about 132,000. That is second quarter 2025. Number seven, Bidy, Minnesota. Try saying Bamiji five times fast. If you do, like your ex-in-laws will show up and call you a loser. Now that you've tried to say it, understand how hard it is for me to say it. I'm sure if you're local, it's easy. But anyway, let's talk about why Northern Minnesota's gem is shockingly affordable and livable. The average home value here is just about 200,000 and that's cheap especially for a town that's surrounded by lakes, forests, and just enough civilization to keep you sane. Now, I will tell you a couple weeks back they got hit with a major storm uh knock down a lot of trees and stuff like that, but I've seen the video of it. It's pretty scary. Bamiji is artsy without being pretentious. The downtown area has murals, theaters, live music, and a statue of Paul Bunan and Babe the Blue Ox that's been photobombing tourists since the 1930s. It's got that quirky small town with personality vibe that makes living there feel like you're inside another Hallmark movie minus the snowball fights breaking into spontaneous romance. That's how it always works out on those. And if you don't know, I do watch the Hallmark channel. It's because I have a wife. Sometimes it's on and I get sucked in. Anyway, the town is anchored by Bamiji State University, which brings in jobs, events, and enough youth energy to keep things lively. Crime is low, healthcare access is solid, and while winters are no joke, the town knows how to handle it, snow plows are practically part of the culture here. If you want a livable upper Midwest town with a strong sense of identity, affordable homes, and scenery that looks like it belongs in a puzzle box, Bijiny might just be your next best move. Now, I do apologize if I mispronounce that over and over and over. I've been trying. I've watched like 50 people on YouTube say it and they say it so fast I can't grasp it. Anyway, Bumijiny has a livability score of 72 and the average home value is about $213,000. Number six, Madina, Tennessee. Ever heard of Madina? And no, not the holy city in Saudi Arabia, but Madina, Tennessee. This town's got about 5,500 people living here, and the median household income is a shocking $94,000 a year between two people. That's kind of a lot for an average. This town is quietly becoming a solid pick for folks chasing affordability and livability. The home prices might surprise you. They hover around 320,000, which is a little high for this list, but this is a decent place to live and it's still below the national average. The rent here is also 6% lower than the national average. But if you're buying a house here, you're not buying a fixer upper for 321,000. You're getting something movein ready and far from run down. Plus, around 80% of the homes here are owneroccupied, which says a lot about this community stability. Livability-wise, Medina scores solidly across the board. Schools are rated A. crime is B and families really seem to like all the parks, community events, and small town vibe. That actually means something. The cost of living here is about 25% below the national average on food, energy, and healthcare, which means your paycheck goes a lot further in this town. Add in the perks of Tennessee's no state income tax, warm summers, friendly neighbors, and you've got a town where people genuinely look after each other. It's not flashy and you won't find a high-end coffee shop on every corner. But come Friday night, they're lighting up ball games, not Instagram stories. Bottom line, Madina's proof that livable and affordable don't have to be mutually exclusive. If you're looking for a safe, stable place with decent schools and real community, this is where you need to go. Especially if you don't need a, like I said, coffee shop on every corner and 20 different micro breweries. The livability score in Madina is 73. The average home value is about $321,000. Not bad. Number five, Thief River Falls, Minnesota. Yes, the name sounds like something out of a Clint Eastwood western, but Thief River Falls is very real and surprisingly peaceful. Located in northern Minnesota, this town offers an average home value of around $200,000. And with that, you're getting more than just a house. You're getting snow, lots of snow, but also you're getting safety, scenery, and a genuinely decent quality of life. It's a manufacturing hub. It's home to Arctic Cat snowmobiles, but it still feels like a close-knit community where people attend city council meetings and help each other shovel their driveways. The crime rate is low, the schools are wellrated, and the town has a small regional airport, which is a big deal when your nearest major city is about 3 hours away. TRF, as some people call it, Thief River Falls, also has surprisingly fast internet, a tech center, and a few coffee shops that don't try too hard. It's perfect if you want an affordable home base for remote work with a side of Midwestern calm, and actual moose sightings. Yes, the winters are brutal. It's Minnesota. We've already been over this. But if you can handle it, Deep River Falls offers peace, space, and community that feels like real America, not strip mall with a zip code. Their livability score is 73 and the average home value here is $28,000. Not bad. Number four, Princeton, West Virginia. Tucked into the Appalachin Mountains, Princeton is the kind of place where you end up when you're trying to get away from everything and accidentally discover you like it there. The average home value here is a little over $160,000. And it's not because the town is falling apart. It's just overlooked. Princeton's economy, like so many cities in West Virginia, in this area in general, took a hit when Cole declined. But the town has slowly pivoted towards health care and education. There's a newish hospital, a few small colleges nearby, and a surprising number of art galleries for a town of around 6,000 people. The downtown has been partially revitalized with colorful murals and actual working storefronts. You never see that in West Virginia anymore. Nature lovers will feel right at home. The town is surrounded by state parks and the Appalachin Trail isn't far away. There are festivals, music events, and that small town friendliness that makes you feel like a regular even if you just moved there last week. People in West Virginia are very welcoming. Uh they may act like you're ruining their state or something like that. This the actually they don't not at all. They're happy to see you. They want you to move there. These this state is just losing people left and right. I don't think anyone in that state would actually look at someone and go, "Don't move here. We're full." That's some nonsense you hear from uh clowns in Texas and Colorado and Idaho. Of course, most other states are pretty welcoming. If you're looking for scenic views, a backyard that doesn't cost six figures, and a life where the biggest traffic jam is a tractor on Main Street, Princeton is calling your name. They have a livability score of 73, which is not bad. and their average home value is about $163,000. Not bad at all. Number three, Parson's, Kansas. We don't talk about Kansas enough here, but Parson is one of those towns where your money stretches so far it feels like a trick. The average home value here is around $80,000. And no, that doesn't mean you're living next to a landfill or a meat packing plant. It's a decent home. It's just very affordable here. This place is small but shockingly clean, functional, and dare I say pleasant. It's like any place in Kansas. Parsons used to be a railroad hub. But after the industry fizzled out, it settled into a slower rhythm. These days, the town leans on manufacturing, healthcare, and education. It's got a small hospital, a community college, and a high school football team that basically doubles as town royalty. Local events, parades, and outdoor festivals are a real thing here, and people actually show up. The town's layout is easy to navigate with treeline streets, historic homes, and a downtown that's trying its best. Crime is low, people wave when they see you, and there's enough restaurants to keep you from cooking every single night. You won't find nightife or big city buzz, but if your idea of a good Friday night is a local concert or a bonfire with your neighbors, this place nails it. Parsons might not be flashy, but it checks all the boxes. Safe, affordable, and communitydriven. You won't need a trust fund to live here. Just a lawnmower and a willingness to chat with your neighbors. They are chatty in Kansas. The livability score in Parsons is 73 and their average home value is just under $79,000. Number two, Bloomfield, Iowa. Bloomfield feels like the kind of place where your biggest worry is whether the corn crop is doing better than it did last year. And honestly, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Nestled in southeastern Iowa, this small town is a sleeper hit for affordability. The average home value hovers around $200,000, which often includes a yard big enough for a trampoline, veggie patch, or whatever floats your boat. Or your boat. You could put it in your front yard here. Life here moves at a pretty slow pace and a lot of people enjoy that. People know each other here and doortodoor feels safe and the community revolves around local school events, church socials, and the county fair, which, let's be honest, is a legit highlight of every summer. It's the kind of place where the local diner owner asks about your parents before your job and actually remembers how they're doing. Bloomfield's small town charm doesn't just mean lack of services. The town has its own hospital and clinics, solid 12K schools, and a branch of Indian Hills Community College for anyone craving a diploma or some community classes. Plus, there's real investment going on in this small town. New businesses, broadband improvement, and local government that actually pays attention to its residents most of the time because they were a normal resident a couple months back. They're not brought in from someplace else to run the town. That's one of the best parts in my opinion about a small town. Unless you got some corruption going on, but most of the time the mayor, the city council people, everyone are people from the community. They live there. They've lived there their whole life in a lot of cases and everyone knows them. They know each other and they're trying to work together because if you screw something up as mayor, you're probably never going to live it down. If you like the idea of waking up to a slower rhythm, stopping to chat on the sidewalk with a neighbor, and maybe even dreaming of starting that side hustle or homestead without blowing through your savings, Bloomfield offers a lot for very little. The livability score here is 75. That is not bad. And the average home value is about $228,000. Not bad at all. All right, before we get to number one, if you're thinking about moving to one of these towns or any town in the United States, there is a link for a website called Home and Money in the description area below. They can get you in touch with a real estate agent anywhere in the country. All right, on to number one. And number one, Moberly, Missouri. Nicknamed the Magic City back in the railroad boom days, Moy may have lost some of that sparkle, but not when it comes to affordability. The average home value here is around $150,000, which means you could actually buy property without auctioning off your organs on the dark web. Wberly has a steady economy driven by education, healthcare, and light industry. It also has a solid community college, a good hospital, and the town has a park system. That's actually very surprising for such a small place. What makes Moberly shine is how livable it feels. It's clean. The infrastructure works. People actually care about what's going on in the city. You could walk your dog at night without gripping pepper spray like a grenade. Plus, you're only about 40 minutes away from Colombia if you ever need that big city dose. If you want to call Columbia big city. Anyway, it's not trying to be trendy. It's just a town that works and doesn't charge you a fortune for that privilege. The livability score here is an outstanding 77. The average home value about $152,000. Living in America doesn't have to mean $3,000 rent and neighbors who scream at squirrels. There are towns, actual towns, where you could own a home, raise a family, and retire comfortably without selling your soul. These 10 towns are proof that affordability and livability can exist in the same zip code. All right, that's today's video. Hope you guys enjoyed it. Hope you got some information out of it. [Music]