The Most Livable City in Every State and What It Will Cost You
When we think about which city in the U.S. we’d like to live in, our minds may turn to what the city has to offer in terms of livability. Is there low crime? Does it have clean air? Is transportation safe and convenient? How are the schools? The list goes on.
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And then, of course, there are the financial issues. Is housing reasonably priced? What about all the other factors that go into cost of living, like healthcare, food and utilities? Livability comprises all the factors that determine whether you’re likely to have a prosperous life, both in terms of money and other meaningful matters.
For this study, GOBankingRates found the most livable city in each state and how much it costs to live there. To do this, GOBankingRates found the livability index for each city recording the city with the highest livability index. For each city, a number of factors were found including, the household median income, the average expenditure cost and the average monthly mortgage cost to determine the total monthly average cost of living in these most livable cities.
Cities are ranked from highest to lowest total cost of living monthly. Keep reading to find out the most livable city in your state.
Cupertino, California
Household median income: $223,667
Livability: 88
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,412
Mortgage monthly average cost: $19,061
Total cost of living monthly: $21,472
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Lexington, Massachusetts
Household median income: $206,323
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,191
Mortgage monthly average cost: $9,998
Total cost of living monthly: $12,189
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Kailua, Hawaii
Household median income: $138,363
Livability: 83
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,583
Mortgage monthly average cost: $9,243
Total cost of living monthly: $11,826
Bozeman, Montana
Household median income: $74,113
Livability: 87
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,102
Mortgage monthly average cost: $5,008
Total cost of living monthly: $7,109
Wilton Manors, Florida
Household median income: $81,424
Livability: 91
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,210
Mortgage monthly average cost: $4,585
Total cost of living monthly: $6,794
Lafayette, Colorado
Household median income: $105,819
Livability: 90
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,946
Mortgage monthly average cost: $4,434
Total cost of living monthly: $6,380
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University Park, Maryland
Household median income: $191,205
Livability: 93
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,236
Mortgage monthly average cost: $4,030
Total cost of living monthly: $6,266
Sherwood, Oregon
Household median income: $109,770
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,102
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,974
Total cost of living monthly: $6,076
Freeport, Maine
Household median income: $76,012
Livability: 88
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,928
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,911
Total cost of living monthly: $5,839
Cary, North Carolina
Household median income: $125,317
Livability: 90
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,915
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,861
Total cost of living monthly: $5,776
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Avondale Estates, Georgia
Household median income: $136,250
Livability: 87
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,212
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,562
Total cost of living monthly: $5,773
Pictured: Decatur, Georgia
Kaysville, Utah
Household median income: $121,867
Livability: 89
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,887
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,845
Total cost of living monthly: $5,733
Battle Ground, Washington
Household median income: $94,360
Livability: 90
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,085
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,582
Total cost of living monthly: $5,667
Pictured: Vancouver, Washington
Gilbert, Arizona
Household median income: $115,179
Livability: 89
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,076
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,513
Total cost of living monthly: $5,589
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Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin
Household median income: $142,356
Livability: 93
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,973
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,577
Total cost of living monthly: $5,549
Pictured: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Pompton Lakes, New Jersey
Household median income: $113,781
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,244
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,013
Total cost of living monthly: $5,258
Pictured: Patterson, New Jersey
Grandview Heights, Ohio
Household median income: $100,833
Livability: 94
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,902
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,334
Total cost of living monthly: $5,236
Pictured: Columbus, Ohio
Jenkintown, Pennsylvania
Household median income: $118,750
Livability: 94
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,115
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,083
Total cost of living monthly: $5,197
Pictured: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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Los Alamos, New Mexico
Household median income: $130,342
Livability: 81
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,706
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,479
Total cost of living monthly: $5,184
Sitka, Alaska
Household median income: $95,261
Livability: 85
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,188
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,946
Total cost of living monthly: $5,134
New Milford, Connecticut
Household median income: $70,625
Livability: 85
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,166
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,833
Total cost of living monthly: $4,999
Pictured: Danbury, Connecticut
Post Falls, Idaho
Household median income: $71,042
Livability: 88
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,850
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,993
Total cost of living monthly: $4,843
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Pittsford, New York
Household median income: $116,250
Livability: 93
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,033
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,795
Total cost of living monthly: $4,828
Las Vegas
Household median income: $66,356
Livability: 82
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,165
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,653
Total cost of living monthly: $4,819
Montpelier, Vermont
Household median income: $76,143
Livability: 83
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,085
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,609
Total cost of living monthly: $4,694
Hoover, Alabama
Household median income: $101,765
Livability: 83
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,051
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,600
Total cost of living monthly: $4,652
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Cranston, Rhode Island
Household median income: $83,123
Livability: 85
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,076
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,528
Total cost of living monthly: $4,603
Concord, New Hampshire
Household median income: $77,874
Livability: 88
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,866
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,642
Total cost of living monthly: $4,508
Newark, Delaware
Household median income: $67,738
Livability: 83
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,209
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,103
Total cost of living monthly: $4,312
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Household median income: $74,989
Livability: 83
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,034
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,196
Total cost of living monthly: $4,230
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Brandon, South Dakota
Household median income: $101,747
Livability: 87
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,881
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,272
Total cost of living monthly: $4,152
Denton, Texas
Household median income: $71,921
Livability: 85
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,940
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,207
Total cost of living monthly: $4,147
Simpsonville, South Carolina
Household median income: $79,937
Livability: 86
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,891
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,197
Total cost of living monthly: $4,088
Pictured: Greenville, South Carolina
Lawrence, Kansas
Household median income: $59,834
Livability: 88
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,158
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,867
Total cost of living monthly: $4,025
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Oxford, Mississippi
Household median income: $56,784
Livability: 88
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,869
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,120
Total cost of living monthly: $3,989
Ankeny, Iowa
Household median income: $101,151
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,896
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,079
Total cost of living monthly: $3,975
West Lafayette, Indiana
Household median income: $30,317
Livability: 90
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,793
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,143
Total cost of living monthly: $3,936
Rogers, Arkansas
Household median income: $78,075
Livability: 88
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,825
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,083
Total cost of living monthly: $3,908
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Metairie, Louisiana
Household median income: $72,070
Livability: 85
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,065
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,754
Total cost of living monthly: $3,819
Rochester, Minnesota
Household median income: $83,973
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,829
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,989
Total cost of living monthly: $3,818
Clarksville, Tennessee
Household median income: $62,688
Livability: 83
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,895
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,828
Total cost of living monthly: $3,723
Bellevue, Washington
Household median income: $79,839
Livability: 87
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,995
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,715
Total cost of living monthly: $3,710
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Clawson, Michigan
Household median income: $82,713
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,967
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,709
Total cost of living monthly: $3,676
Fargo, North Dakota
Household median income: $64,432
Livability: 84
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,825
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,823
Total cost of living monthly: $3,648
Norman, Oklahoma
Household median income: $62,849
Livability: 83
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,991
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,536
Total cost of living monthly: $3,527
Maplewood, Missouri
Household median income: $58,448
Livability: 87
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,899
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,566
Total cost of living monthly: $3,465
Pictured: St. Louis, Missouri
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Lynchburg, Virginia
Household median income: $56,243
Livability: 91
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,856
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,516
Total cost of living monthly: $3,371
Bellevue, Kentucky
Household median income: $66,741
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,958
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,388
Total cost of living monthly: $3,346
Jerome, Illinois
Household median income: $52,083
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,902
Mortgage monthly average cost: $841
Total cost of living monthly: $2,743
Pictured: Springfield, Illinois
Nutter Fort, West Virginia
Household median income: $56,125
Livability: 87
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,929
Mortgage monthly average cost: $757
Total cost of living monthly: $2,685
Pictured: Fairmont, West Virginia
Methodology. For this study, GOBankingRates found the most livable city in each state and how much it costs to live there. First GOBankingRates found the livability index for each city recording the city with the highest livability index. For each city a number of factors were found including; total population, total households, household median income all sourced from the US Census American Community Survey, the average single family home value from May 2024 as sourced from Zillow Home Value Index, the cost of living indexes as sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces, and the livability index as sourced from AreaVibes. Using the cost of living indexes and the average expenditure costs as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for all residents, the average expenditure cost for each city can be calculated. Using the average home value, assuming a 10% downpayment, and by using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage cost can be calculated. Using the mortgage and expenditure cost, the total monthly average cost of living can be calculated. All data was collected on and is up to date as of July 8th, 2024.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Most Livable City in Every State and What It Will Cost You
