FARK.com: (5879168) Most affordable cities in the United States, or where no one else wants to live so it's still cheap

If you can read this, either the style sheet didn't load or you have an older browser that doesn't support style sheets. Try clearing your browser cache and refreshing the page.

		Most affordable cities in the United States, or where no one else wants to live so it's still cheap (forbes.com)		148
		More: Obvious

• • •

19366 clicks; posted to Main » on 12 Jan 2011 at 6:14 AM | Favorite | share:

Share this link:

URL:

http://fark.com/go/5879168

Bookmark:

Article Comments close

148 Comments (+0 »)

Archived thread

First | « | 1 | 2 | 3 | » | Last | Show all

eddyatwork		2011-01-11 10:57:09 PM

I guess they're too poor to post a list on one page! Screw cheap ass slideshows!

1. Omaha, Neb.
2. Buffalo, N.Y.
3. Detroit, Mich.
4. Indianapolis, Ind.
5. Cincinnati, Ohio
6. Pittsburgh, Pa.
7. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
8. Cleveland, Ohio
9. Oklahoma City, Okla.
10. Houston, Texas
11. Raleigh, N.C.
12. Columbus, Ohio
13. Kansas City, Mo.
14. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
15. Tulsa, Okla.

davidphogan		2011-01-11 11:26:34 PM

eddyatwork: I guess they're too poor to post a list on one page! Screw cheap ass slideshows!

Out of all those, none are appealing to me. There's a reason I don't live in Buffalo anymore. It's cheap, but good luck finding a job that pays reasonably well and enjoy the winters.

thomps		2011-01-11 11:37:12 PM

i'd move back to omaha if the chance presented itself: low cost of living, almost recession-proof economy, and laxed personal hygiene standards. truly the good life.

FlashHarry		2011-01-11 11:45:12 PM

thomps: i'd move back to omaha if the chance presented itself: low cost of living, almost recession-proof economy, and laxed personal hygiene standards. truly the good life.

apart from the wingnuts, it's great. oh, and the 100º summers and -20º winters.

Dr.Zom		2011-01-11 11:49:33 PM

I just signed a lease today so I'll be a proud resident of Kansas City, MO for at least the next six months.

It's going down to 4 below tonight.

cmunic8r99		2011-01-11 11:54:14 PM

FlashHarry: thomps: i'd move back to omaha if the chance presented itself: low cost of living, almost recession-proof economy, and laxed personal hygiene standards. truly the good life.

apart from the wingnuts, it's great. oh, and the 100º summers and -20º winters.

These.

mitchcumstein1		2011-01-12 12:47:27 AM

Dr.Zom: I just signed a lease today so I'll be a proud resident of Kansas City, MO for at least the next six months.

It's going down to 4 below tonight.

Kansas City is either the biggest small town, or smallest big city in the world.

And it's ridiculously cold tonight.

Mentat		2011-01-12 12:48:55 AM

Dr.Zom: I just signed a lease today so I'll be a proud resident of Kansas City, MO for at least the next six months.

It's going down to 4 below tonight.

Just remember, all of the best parts of Kansas City are on the Missouri side!

mitchcumstein1		2011-01-12 12:59:28 AM

Mentat: Dr.Zom: I just signed a lease today so I'll be a proud resident of Kansas City, MO for at least the next six months.

It's going down to 4 below tonight.

Just remember, all of the best parts of Kansas City are on the Missouri side!

Hey, the Kansas side has better roads. That's...something.

Everything else is suburban hell.

fusillade762		2011-01-12 01:32:06 AM

davidphogan: eddyatwork: I guess they're too poor to post a list on one page! Screw cheap ass slideshows!

Out of all those, none are appealing to me. There's a reason I don't live in Buffalo anymore. It's cheap, but good luck finding a job that pays reasonably well and enjoy the winters.

The dream of the 90s is alive in Portland!

Andromeda		2011-01-12 01:32:56 AM

In the USA I've only ever lived in #6 and #8 so maybe that's why I'm so desperate to leave the country this year.

I mean I like that my sister who lives in DC likes to visit me because everything is half price to her, but really now.

propasaurus		2011-01-12 01:48:55 AM

#11: Raleigh, NC. Nice city, unless of course you're a minority and want to send your kids to school there.

Petit_Merdeux		2011-01-12 01:56:28 AM

eddyatwork: Screw cheap ass slideshows!

I love ass slideshows!

/even the cheap ones

davidphogan		2011-01-12 02:00:46 AM

fusillade762: The dream of the 90s is alive in Portland!

It's not East St. Louis, but at least it's better than Buffalo.

muck4doo		2011-01-12 02:05:41 AM

I agree with this list. All of you thinking of moving these are the places to go.

Party Boy		2011-01-12 02:48:22 AM

Detroit is a rough place with a staggering 13.3% unemployment rate and a high per capita crime rate, according to Federal Bureau of Investigation data. Its foreclosure rate is among the 10 highest in the U.S. There were 45,000 Real Estate Owned (REO) residences in the Motor City as of last November, according to online foreclosure site RealtyTrac.

That said, if you have a college degree under your belt and a steady job to show up to, your money gets great mileage in Detroit. The median salary for degree-toting workers is $60,600 (15th out of the 50 cities) while the cost of living remains super cheap (second out of 50).

i.imgur.com

texdent		2011-01-12 06:23:27 AM

14. Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas

As someone who lives in Dallas, I'm getting a kick out of this.

Catran		2011-01-12 06:23:44 AM

I am surprised they don't have anyrattytown, FL.

Hey you can have a lovely 2bd 2bth house in Leigh Acres for less than $20,000. If you ignore the lousy job market and humidity.

eas81		2011-01-12 06:24:06 AM

muck4doo: I agree with this list. All of you thinking of moving these are the places to go.

Glad to see we are in agreeance on this.

eas81		2011-01-12 06:25:22 AM

Catran: I am surprised they don't have anyrattytown, FL.

Hey you can have a lovely 2bd 2bth house in Leigh Acres for less than $20,000. If you ignore ~~the lousy job market~~ that its FLORIDA and ~~humidity~~ Hurricanes.

/FTFY

wrenchboy		2011-01-12 06:36:51 AM

davidphogan: fusillade762: The dream of the 90s is alive in Portland!

It's not East St. Louis, but at least it's better than Buffalo.

Seems every time Buffalo get a mention in a thread, davidphogan you just have to find a way to crap on the city because YOU can't find a job here.

Thats okay, The City of Good Neighbors doesn't want to hire your ignorant trash talking ass anyway.

Stay in Portland we don't care

Alphax		2011-01-12 06:39:20 AM

I'm in St. Louis, and I've only seen Kansas City out of those on the list. Downtown seemed nice and clean, and I have 2 of my 3 cousins living there with their familes. (they grew up in central Missouri)

farkinawsome		2011-01-12 06:53:59 AM

are you sure detroit isn't number 2.

H31N0US		2011-01-12 06:54:17 AM

eas81: Catran: I am surprised they don't have anyrattytown, FL.

Hey you can have a lovely 2bd 2bth house in Leigh Acres for less than $20,000. If you ignore the lousy job market that its FLORIDA and humidity Hurricanes.

/FTFY

Hurricanes are predictable, so if you spend a little time beforehand you won't get burned. Florida is actually beautiful if you know where to look. If your opinion of FL is formed by fark and your last trip down International Drive between MCO and Disney, then you don't know what you're talking about.

I've been to just about every city on that list. I would live in Raleigh or Houston. The rest don't interest me very much.

deevo		2011-01-12 06:55:34 AM

I'm a downstater through-and-through and the winters in Buffalo suck, but I'm liking it as a town in my post-grad period. Law school ain't that fun, so I sometimes consider just leaving it, posting up, and keeping a low profile there for a few years.

But oh hell. I'll move back to New York someday, God as my witness.

Snatch Bandergrip		2011-01-12 07:04:39 AM

Come to Fabulous Newark, New Jersey! It's expensive AND cheap, at the same time!

Grimmhoof		2011-01-12 07:04:42 AM

I live in Texas, just outside Fort Hood. My rent is $250 a month, I spend just over $150 in utilities. Ghetto living FTW!

LlamaGirl		2011-01-12 07:09:58 AM

I like living in St. Paul. You can stay out subby.

reillan		2011-01-12 07:12:44 AM

Living in Tulsa. Yup, it sure is cheap. Just make sure to get auto insurance that covers replacing your vehicle every 6 months when it gets stolen and fire insurance that covers meth lab explosions...

Fair_Poopsmith		2011-01-12 07:19:12 AM

I would have thought Denver would be on there before Pittsburgh and Minneapolis. That surprised me. I call Denver home when I'm in the states, and have always thought it pretty affordable. Lots of people I knew there could afford at least a one-bedroom apartment in a decent area on retail or barista wage. What's up with Minneapolis and Pittsburgh?

Catran		2011-01-12 07:19:30 AM

H31N0US: eas81: Catran: I am surprised they don't have anyrattytown, FL.

Hey you can have a lovely 2bd 2bth house in Leigh Acres for less than $20,000. If you ignore the lousy job market that its FLORIDA and humidity Hurricanes.

/FTFY

Hurricanes are predictable, so if you spend a little time beforehand you won't get burned. Florida is actually beautiful if you know where to look. If your opinion of FL is formed by fark and your last trip down International Drive between MCO and Disney, then you don't know what you're talking about.

I've been to just about every city on that list. I would live in Raleigh or Houston. The rest don't interest me very much.

I am living in Florida right now. It sucks. I have lived in a couple of cities in Florida. Guess what, they all suck. The whole state has a faint smell of rotting organic matter.

The whole state is filled with retirees or yokels.

FlyPanAm		2011-01-12 07:19:35 AM

LlamaGirl: I like living in St. Paul. You can stay out subby.

Yeah if threre was an exception to that list, it would be MSP. I quite like it there.

betona		2011-01-12 07:20:54 AM

If you can get your nose out of a sling, most (but not all) of those are actually very nice places to live.

neongoats		2011-01-12 07:24:09 AM

I don't know about the rest of those cities, but Columbus, Ohio isn't the dreamy utopia of Jobs and low cost of living that that article makes it out to be. It's a good town if you can't make a decision about what kind of college you want to go to. Lots of those around. Unless you want to live in a neighborhood with a real tangible risk of getting shot, you are going to pay way more than some other cities I saw listed, like Minneapolis. The mayor is a retard with his head stuck in the Democrat mindset circa 1977 or so, so what could be a world-class city is basically a joke filled to the brim with OSU chanting frat bros that hold a riot downtown everytime OSU loses a game. Lastly, it is packed to overflowing with hicks, and urban sprawl is turning the decent neighborhood of 10 years ago into the neoslum of today.

richlip		2011-01-12 07:26:17 AM

Why is the picture for Raleigh a person walking in the snow?

THX 1138		2011-01-12 07:26:29 AM

Gee. A lot of rust-belt great-lakes cities on that list. Big surprise.

Nuclear Monk		2011-01-12 07:34:59 AM

FlyPanAm: LlamaGirl: I like living in St. Paul. You can stay out subby.

Yeah if threre was an exception to that list, it would be MSP. I quite like it there.

Agreed. If I ever had to move to the midwest, MSP would be the place.

manimal2878		2011-01-12 07:39:26 AM

At a glance all of those places seem very cold or red necky.

Pythagoras		2011-01-12 07:40:21 AM

Subby, next time warn us that the site you're linking to is a ad-addicted whore who needs clicks to justify their existance.

Huttah!		2011-01-12 07:45:30 AM

Omaha?!? Seriously?

They keep annexing the surrounding communities and can't support basic services. Want your streets cleared after a snow? Go out to a county maintained road. Public transportation? Nearly non-existent.

The city is a good 15 years behind the curve compared to other, similarly sized cities. I describe it as a big city with big city problems with a small town mentality.

Ecobuckeye		2011-01-12 07:54:44 AM

neongoats: I don't know about the rest of those cities, but Columbus, Ohio isn't the dreamy utopia of Jobs and low cost of living that that article makes it out to be. It's a good town if you can't make a decision about what kind of college you want to go to. Lots of those around. Unless you want to live in a neighborhood with a real tangible risk of getting shot, you are going to pay way more than some other cities I saw listed, like Minneapolis. The mayor is a retard with his head stuck in the Democrat mindset circa 1977 or so, so what could be a world-class city is basically a joke filled to the brim with OSU chanting frat bros that hold a riot downtown everytime OSU loses a game. Lastly, it is packed to overflowing with hicks, and urban sprawl is turning the decent neighborhood of 10 years ago into the neoslum of today.

I'm supposed to believe that, after a football game, gangs of frat boys are going to drive, walk, or take the bus all the way downtown (which is otherwise dead on a Saturday) simply to stage a riot? Obviously, they don't. So if you've embellished that story, I wonder what else you've gotten flat-wrong.

MightyPez		2011-01-12 07:58:16 AM

LlamaGirl: I like living in St. Paul. You can stay out subby.

media.giantbomb.com

/Well, use to live there
//Now the 'burbs

cheap_thoughts		2011-01-12 08:05:28 AM

Huttah!: Omaha?!? Seriously?

They keep annexing the surrounding communities and can't support basic services. Want your streets cleared after a snow? Go out to a county maintained road. Public transportation? Nearly non-existent.

The city is a good 15 years behind the curve compared to other, similarly sized cities. I describe it as a big city with big city problems with a small town mentality.

I would have to agree. I also don't understand all the two lane roads out there that are major throughfairs and the crazy amount of traffic lights.

thomps		2011-01-12 08:06:23 AM

Huttah!: Omaha?!? Seriously?

They keep annexing the surrounding communities and can't support basic services. Want your streets cleared after a snow? Go out to a county maintained road. Public transportation? Nearly non-existent.

The city is a good 15 years behind the curve compared to other, similarly sized cities. I describe it as a big city with big city problems with a small town mentality.

if your reasons for disliking a city are so pedantic as to include "doesn't get its many streets plowed as quickly as the county gets its relatively few streets plowed" and "doesn't have the population density to justify massive investment in public transportation" then that city is probably doing pretty well.

Ikam		2011-01-12 08:09:41 AM

None of those cities are appealing to me, at all. No thanks, I'll stay put.

PYROY		2011-01-12 08:16:59 AM

Detroit, LOL.

cehlen		2011-01-12 08:17:39 AM

neongoats: I don't know about the rest of those cities, but Columbus, Ohio isn't the dreamy utopia of Jobs and low cost of living that that article makes it out to be. It's a good town if you can't make a decision about what kind of college you want to go to. Lots of those around. Unless you want to live in a neighborhood with a real tangible risk of getting shot, you are going to pay way more than some other cities I saw listed, like Minneapolis. The mayor is a retard with his head stuck in the Democrat mindset circa 1977 or so, so what could be a world-class city is basically a joke filled to the brim with OSU chanting frat bros that hold a riot downtown everytime OSU loses a game. Lastly, it is packed to overflowing with hicks, and urban sprawl is turning the decent neighborhood of 10 years ago into the neoslum of today.

A very accurate description, especially of the mayor.

gochuck		2011-01-12 08:19:08 AM

Ecobuckeye: neongoats: I don't know about the rest of those cities, but Columbus, Ohio isn't the dreamy utopia of Jobs and low cost of living that that article makes it out to be. It's a good town if you can't make a decision about what kind of college you want to go to. Lots of those around. Unless you want to live in a neighborhood with a real tangible risk of getting shot, you are going to pay way more than some other cities I saw listed, like Minneapolis. The mayor is a retard with his head stuck in the Democrat mindset circa 1977 or so, so what could be a world-class city is basically a joke filled to the brim with OSU chanting frat bros that hold a riot downtown everytime OSU loses a game. Lastly, it is packed to overflowing with hicks, and urban sprawl is turning the decent neighborhood of 10 years ago into the neoslum of today.

I'm supposed to believe that, after a football game, gangs of frat boys are going to drive, walk, or take the bus all the way downtown (which is otherwise dead on a Saturday) simply to stage a riot? Obviously, they don't. So if you've embellished that story, I wonder what else you've gotten flat-wrong.

Sure, not downtown, that would be too far to lug the couch for the burning. So happy I don't live in that hellhole anymore. OSU is both the best and worst thing about Columbus. Oh, and the job market is great... if your in your late 40's to mid 50s and want to work for an insurance company.

It's a comforatable place to live, but that is as far as it goes. it is a cultural wasteland and the frat bros and football dominate the city. If you like a certain aura of douche, Columbus is the city for you.

bostonowns		2011-01-12 08:25:05 AM

i live in miami for all the wrong reasons. it's not great but it's always warm, the people are crazy which is fun to observe, and the women are plentiful.