The 5 Cheapest, Safest Places To Live in the US Under $1K a Month
The words “cheap” and “safe” often don’t fall in the same sentence, especially in the context of towns and cities.
Still, affordability and low crime aren’t mutually exclusive. So which unicorn cities and towns offer that elusive combination of low cost of living and low crime rates?
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1. Poland, Ohio
Average home price: $257,019
Average rent: $925
Cost of groceries: 35.5% lower than New York City
Assaults per 100,000 residents: 0
Thefts per 100,000 residents: 253.9
Public schools rating: A-
This suburb of Youngstown, Ohio, ticks plenty of boxes. While Ohio does carry a higher tax burden than most states it’s far from Hawaii- or New York-level tax rates.
It also helps that public schools perform well here, saving families money on private schools or tutoring.
2. North Newton, Kansas
Average home price: $242,246
Average rent: $850
Cost of groceries: 25.0% lower than New York City (for Wichita)
Assaults per 100,000 residents: 0
Thefts per 100,000 residents: 281.1
Public schools rating: C+
North Newton sits about a half hour north of Wichita and remains incredibly affordable and safe. However, make sure you choose a district with better-than-average public schools if you have school-age children.
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3. Tusculum, Tennessee
Average home price: $319,409
Average rent: $773 (Greeneville)
Cost of groceries: 31.5% lower than New York City (for Johnson City)
Assaults per 100,000 residents: 0
Thefts per 100,000 residents: 265.5
Public schools rating: B
Located outside Greeneville, Tusculum is safe and cheap. It doesn’t hurt that Tennessee is the third-cheapest state for taxes.
4. Jerome, Illinois
Average home price: $159,071
Average rent: $874 (for Springfield)
Cost of groceries: 1.6% higher than New York City (for Springfield)
Assaults per 100,000 residents: 0
Thefts per 100,000 residents: 368.1
Public schools rating: C+
A suburb of Springfield, Jerome residents enjoy a quiet and affordable lifestyle. Watch out for taxes though, as Illinois residency comes with a fairly high total tax burden.
5. Winfield, West Virginia
Average home price: $296,025
Average rent: $1,000 (for Charleston)
Cost of groceries: 40.7% lower than New York City (for Charleston)
Assaults per 100,000 residents: 0
Thefts per 100,000 residents: 254.2
Public schools rating: A-
Sitting outside Charleston, West Virginia, Winfield offers a safe suburban setting with strong public schools. Don’t expect a wild nightlife scene or big-city amenities, but for people looking for a quiet, family-friendly suburb, Winfield fits the bill.
Many of the towns and suburbs above are small enough to have limited data on rent, requiring multiple sources. But all remain far more affordable than the national average and make it possible to pay less than $1,000 a month toward housing — all while enjoying a safe, low-crime locale.
Methodology: For this piece MoneyLion compared location-specific data for/from a number of sources, including cost-of-living comparisons and quality-of-life factors from sites like Zillow, Numbeo, Niche and Apartments.com. Where data for the town was unavailable, we used the larger residential area to which it was attached. The national averages for assaults are 282.7 and thefts, 2042.8, according to Numeo. All data findings are up to date as of June 15, 2026.
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This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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