10 Cheapest Places to Live in the US

9) Des Moines, Iowa

Des Moines, Iowa is the most populated city in the state with almost 600,000 people living in the metro area. It plays an important role in politics as it is the site of the first caucuses in the presidential primaries and is often the site of candidate headquarters. The city is a hub for the financial, insurance, and publishing industries, and Facebook and Microsoft have also established facilities in the area. U.S. News & World Report listed it as the second best affordable place to live in 2016. The median home prices is $169,550 and the median salary is $46,600. About 26.5 percent of residents’ income goes toward cost of living. Forbes listed it as a “Best Place for Business in 2010 and 2013,” and NBC ranked it as the “Wealthiest City in America.”