50 Cheapest, Safest Places To Live in the US
The Show-Me State is home to America’s safest, cheapest place to live. Poplar Bluff, Missouri, has the cheapest annual cost of living in America and low crime rates, according to key findings from a new MoneyLion study.
To find these cheap and safe locales, MoneyLion studied the FBI's 2025 Quarter 2 Offenses Known to Law Enforcement for crime data on the nation’s cities. Cities were filtered by locations with at least 10,000 total population, and the property and violent crime rates were summed and sorted to show the safest places to live. Each city’s cost of living was calculated using its average mortgage and expenditure costs and the cities were sorted from the cheapest to most expensive.
Key Findings
Popular Bluff, Missouri, is the cheapest, safest place to live in America. The annual cost of living is $32,941. Violent crime rates are 0.372 and property crime rates are 2.111 for every 1,000 residents.
Midwestern cities dominated the top 10, accounting for nine spots. Besides Popular Bluff, Ohio and Indiana tied with four cities apiece. Willowick (#3), Parma Heights (#6), Mayfield Heights (#7) and Berea (#9) ranked for Ohio while Indiana’s cities include Huntington (#2), Bedford (#4), Yorktown (#8) and Auburn (#10).
The Midwest has the most cheap, safe cities to live in out of any U.S. region: 31 of the top 50.
Just three Florida cities ranked cheapest and safest. The annual cost of living does not exceed more than $50,000 in Tavares (#28), Davenport (#35) and Vero Beach (#38).
The cost of living across all 50 ranking cities is less than $55,000 annually.
Keep reading to see which 50 cities are the cheapest and safest to live in America.
1. Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Median household income: $42,035
Annual cost of living: $32,941
Livability: 68
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.372
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.111
2. Huntington, Indiana
Median household income: $51,220
Annual cost of living: $33,608
Livability: 68
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.471
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.474
3. Willowick, Ohio
Median household income: $74,138
Annual cost of living: $34,605
Livability: 83
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.639
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.910
4. Bedford, Indiana
Median household income: $50,253
Annual cost of living: $34,998
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.505
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.523
5. Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania
Median household income: $81,860
Annual cost of living: $36,640
Livability: 73
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.869
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.347
6. Parma Heights, Ohio
Median household income: $59,218
Annual cost of living: $36,718
Livability: 71
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.293
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.320
7. Mayfield Heights, Ohio
Median household income: $62,511
Annual cost of living: $37,226
Livability: 78
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.202
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.981
8. Yorktown, Indiana
Median household income: $81,765
Annual cost of living: $37,572
Livability: 69
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.508
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.202
9. Berea, Ohio
Median household income: $71,896
Annual cost of living: $37,723
Livability: 78
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.224
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.746
10. Auburn, Indiana
Median household income: $62,339
Annual cost of living: $38,475
Livability: 70
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.071
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.211
11. Weatherford, Oklahoma
Median household income: $50,250
Annual cost of living: $39,547
Livability: 68
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.416
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.080
12. Columbus, Indiana
Median household income: $76,856
Annual cost of living: $39,944
Livability: 76
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.135
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 0.829
13. North Augusta, South Carolina
Median household income: $90,132
Annual cost of living: $40,249
Livability: 69
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.341
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.094
14. Trenton, Ohio
Median household income: $87,788
Annual cost of living: $41,460
Livability: 70
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.857
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 1.572
15. Brandon, Mississippi
Median household income: $93,073
Annual cost of living: $42,388
Livability: 81
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.888
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.744
16. Orono, Maine
Median household income: $56,890
Annual cost of living: $43,286
Livability: 71
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.475
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 1.028
17. Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
Median household income: $69,953
Annual cost of living: $43,323
Livability: 66
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.883
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 1.891
18. Brunswick, Ohio
Median household income: $85,313
Annual cost of living: $43,730
Livability: 78
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.658
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.834
19. Grovetown, Georgia
Median household income: $72,612
Annual cost of living: $44,124
Livability: 72
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.550
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 1.981
20. Berkley, Michigan
Median household income: $113,103
Annual cost of living: $44,470
Livability: 91
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.336
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.432
21. Savannah, Georgia
Median household income: $56,782
Annual cost of living: $45,232
Livability: 81
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.203
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 0.000
22. Norwalk, Iowa
Median household income: $94,583
Annual cost of living: $45,393
Livability: 76
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.091
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 1.796
23. Elon, North Carolina
Median household income: $82,717
Annual cost of living: $45,597
Livability: 81
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.777
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.107
24. Cedar Lake, Indiana
Median household income: $79,177
Annual cost of living: $45,761
Livability: 63
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.657
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.627
25. Centerton, Arkansas
Median household income: $112,920
Annual cost of living: $45,878
Livability: 75
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.449
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.402
26. Independence, Kentucky
Median household income: $98,653
Annual cost of living: $45,879
Livability: 70
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.269
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.160
27. Lowell, Indiana
Median household income: $83,125
Annual cost of living: $45,966
Livability: 76
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.263
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.014
28. Tavares, Florida
Median household income: $57,644
Annual cost of living: $46,171
Livability: 76
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.642
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.432
29. Farmington, Michigan
Median household income: $94,115
Annual cost of living: $46,725
Livability: 91
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.882
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.529
30. Lindenhurst, Illinois
Median household income: $127,837
Annual cost of living: $47,074
Livability: 75
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.349
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 1.536
31. Northampton, Pennsylvania
Median household income: $82,719
Annual cost of living: $47,085
Livability: 74
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.201
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.934
32. Dyer, Indiana
Median household income: $101,183
Annual cost of living: $47,356
Livability: 77
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.123
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.440
33. Murrysville, Pennsylvania
Median household income: $120,685
Annual cost of living: $47,665
Livability: 73
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.242
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.322
34. North Branch, Minnesota
Median household income: $90,383
Annual cost of living: $47,784
Livability: 69
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 1.071
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 1.565
35. Davenport, Florida
Median household income: $65,157
Annual cost of living: $48,344
Livability: 72
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.745
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.437
36. Brandon, South Dakota
Median household income: $104,806
Annual cost of living: $48,540
Livability: 87
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.732
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.749
37. Pingree Grove, Illinois
Median household income: $119,880
Annual cost of living: $48,686
Livability: 66
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.088
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 1.580
38. Vero Beach, Florida
Median household income: $67,351
Annual cost of living: $48,787
Livability: 79
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.454
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.724
39. Bay Village, Ohio
Median household income: $122,083
Annual cost of living: $49,251
Livability: 81
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.505
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.283
40. New Baltimore, Michigan
Median household income: $97,027
Annual cost of living: $49,558
Livability: 84
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.418
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.013
41. Broadview Heights, Ohio
Median household income: $99,431
Annual cost of living: $50,046
Livability: 78
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.051
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 1.015
42. Manhattan, Illinois
Median household income: $128,375
Annual cost of living: $50,095
Livability: 67
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.367
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 1.924
43. Minooka, Illinois
Median household income: $122,163
Annual cost of living: $50,360
Livability: 70
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.077
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.328
44. Farmington, Minnesota
Median household income: $118,556
Annual cost of living: $50,470
Livability: 75
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.792
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.334
45. Madison, Mississippi
Median household income: $120,918
Annual cost of living: $50,602
Livability: 80
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.570
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.884
46. Avon Lake, Ohio
Median household income: $110,174
Annual cost of living: $51,671
Livability: 83
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.191
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 2.904
47. Rocky River, Ohio
Median household income: $93,956
Annual cost of living: $51,863
Livability: 88
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.235
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 4.187
48. Aurora, Ohio
Median household income: $125,567
Annual cost of living: $52,327
Livability: 73
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.168
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.805
49. Brecksville, Ohio
Median household income: $126,888
Annual cost of living: $53,245
Livability: 77
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.071
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.062
50. Melissa, Texas
Median household income: $137,875
Annual cost of living: $53,351
Livability: 67
Violent crime rate (per 1,000): 0.359
Property crime rate (per 1,000): 3.413
Methodology: MoneyLion used the FBI's 2025 Quarter 2 Offenses Known to Law Enforcement to find the crime data for cities across America. The cities were filtered to show places with at least 10,000 total population, and the property crime rate and violent crime rate were summed and sorted to show the safest places to live. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes. The cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperling's BestPlaces and used along with the national average expenditure costs from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey to determine the average expenditure cost for each city. The average mortgage was calculated using the average home value from Zillow Home Value Index and the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate from the Federal Reserve Economic Data. Using the average mortgage and expenditure costs, the total cost of living was calculated for each city. All data is up to date as of Dec. 18, 2025.
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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