Where America's Cheapest and Safest Communities Are Located

Finding a place to live that balances both affordability and security remains one of the most challenging decisions for American homebuyers and renters. While economic pressures continue to drive up living costs across the nation, pockets of opportunity still exist—communities where residents can enjoy strong safety records without sacrificing financial stability. Our examination of data from the FBI, U.S. Census Bureau, Zillow, and Bureau of Labor Statistics reveals 15 communities that achieve this rare intersection of being both safest and cheapest options available today.

The research methodology focused on identifying communities with the lowest violent crime rates and property crime statistics, then ranking them by total annual cost of living. What emerged was a compelling geographic pattern: states like Ohio, with seven qualifying communities, have emerged as unexpected leaders in combining affordability with security.

Ohio Dominates the Affordable and Safest Housing Market

Ohio’s overwhelming presence in this analysis—representing nearly half of the top 15 locations—suggests a particular advantage in the Midwest for cost-conscious buyers seeking safe neighborhoods. These communities demonstrate what happens when lower housing demand meets strong community policing.

New Philadelphia, Ohio sets the tone for the state’s offerings. With 17,563 residents, this town maintains a violent crime rate of just 0.69 per 1,000 residents while keeping the average single-family home value at $186,258. The average monthly mortgage runs approximately $1,101, contributing to a total annual cost of living of $35,549. The livability score of 76 reflects a community that residents find fundamentally sound.

Parma Heights, Ohio follows with a larger population of 20,616 but maintains similar cost discipline. Homes average $196,742, with monthly mortgages around $1,163. Despite its larger size, violent crime remains controlled at 0.39 per 1,000 residents, though property crime edges slightly higher at 2.76 per 1,000.

Berea, Ohio, Mount Vernon, Ohio, and Hamilton, Ohio round out the state’s strong showing, each offering variations on the same theme: populations between 16,000 and 63,000, median home values between $220,000 and $280,000, and violent crime rates well below national averages. The total annual cost of living across these communities ranges from $37,768 to $42,726.

Brunswick, Ohio and North Ridgeville, Ohio represent the upper tier of Ohio’s affordable yet safest options, with larger populations (35,000-36,000) and home values approaching $300,000 and $313,000 respectively. Yet even here, annual living costs remain under $45,000, and violent crime rates hover around 0.5 per 1,000 residents.

Midwest and Regional Alternatives to Consider

Beyond Ohio, the analysis identifies strong candidates in neighboring states. New Ulm, Minnesota presents itself as perhaps the safest community on the entire list, with a remarkably low violent crime rate of just 0.29 per 1,000 residents. While home values reach $222,693—slightly above Ohio’s median—the exceptional safety metrics and livability score of 82 suggest residents view the premium as worthwhile. Annual living expenses total $36,361.

Yorktown, Indiana and Columbus, Indiana provide alternatives for those considering the broader Midwest region. Yorktown maintains impressive safety credentials with a violent crime rate of 0.42 per 1,000, while Columbus, despite being the largest community on the list at 51,104 residents, achieves nearly perfect security metrics with violent crime at just 0.19 per 1,000.

Butler, Pennsylvania and Trenton, Michigan extend the Midwest footprint into adjoining states. Butler combines a population of 13,306 with one of the list’s lowest violent crime rates (0.20 per 1,000), while Trenton offers the highest livability score (86) among all communities, suggesting residents rate their quality of life exceptionally highly.

Southern and Eastern Options for the Cost-Conscious

For those considering regions beyond the Midwest, options exist though with varying trade-offs. San Elizario, Texas stands out as the most budget-friendly entry, with average home values of just $167,333 and monthly mortgages under $1,000. The community of 10,123 residents maintains an extraordinarily low violent crime rate of 0.10 per 1,000—among the best recorded—though livability scores (62) suggest some infrastructure or amenities challenges.

Orono, Maine represents New England’s contribution, though at a premium. The college town of 10,699 residents maintains low violent crime (0.18 per 1,000) and respectable property crime rates (2.30 per 1,000), but home values exceed $295,000 and annual living costs reach $44,036.

Edwardsville, Illinois closes the list with perhaps the most balanced profile. With 26,543 residents, it achieves a remarkable livability score of 90—the highest on the entire list—while maintaining a violent crime rate of 0.30 per 1,000 and annual living costs of $45,323. This suggests that for some communities, the combination of affordability and safety naturally translates to overall quality of life.

What These Data Points Reveal

Across all 15 communities, several patterns emerge clearly. Violent crime rates cluster remarkably low, generally between 0.10 and 0.69 per 1,000 residents—representing substantial safety advantages compared to national averages. Average home values range from $167,000 in San Elizario to $313,000 in North Ridgeville, while annual living costs never exceed $45,323.

The phenomenon of Ohio’s dominance likely reflects several factors: smaller to mid-sized communities with stable local employment, lower speculative housing pressure than coastal markets, and established neighborhoods with strong civic engagement. These characteristics typically correlate with both affordable housing and lower crime.

Livability scores—ranging from 62 to 90—suggest that safety and affordability don’t automatically translate to residents’ overall satisfaction. San Elizario’s low score despite exceptional safety may indicate limited cultural amenities, while Edwardsville’s score of 90 suggests that when communities achieve the cheapest living costs alongside the safest crime statistics, residents perceive additional quality-of-life benefits.

Methodology and Data Sources

This analysis examined crime statistics from the FBI’s quarterly reports, demographic data from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, housing valuations from Zillow’s Index (based on recent market assessments), cost-of-living data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, and additional economic indicators from the Federal Reserve and AreaVibes. The research identified 150 of the nation’s safest communities with populations exceeding 10,000, then ranked them by total annual living expenses to reveal which communities offered both the safest neighborhoods and the cheapest overall cost of living.

Whether you prioritize the Midwest’s established affordability, the South’s budget-friendly options, or New England’s character, these 15 communities demonstrate that finding places to live that balance safety with cost remains entirely achievable for today’s homebuyers.