What US cities have the lowest cost of living and a high employment rate?

I currently live in Los Angeles county, which has a high cost of living. I'm thinking about moving out of state but can't really decide where. Any information you would like to contribute about where you live, the cost of living, employment ratios, quality of living, etc would be greatly appreciated! I'm looking for a nice area where I can easily get a job. (I do office work - Administrative and Customer Service oriented. My husband does pest control.) Someplace where the cost of housing is affordable, where there aren't a bunch of bums, poor people or gangs. A place that isn't too conservative (we have a lot of tattoos and want to be accepted by our neighbors). Nice weather,maybe a little snow but not so much that you get snowed in all the time. I'd love to be near a lake or the ocean. I've pretty much eliminated Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada (all too hot), Utah (too many Mormons), Alabama, Georgia and Florida. I've been considering North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma.

Thanks!What US cities have the lowest cost of living and a high employment rate?
You are looking for "Someplace where the cost of housing is affordable, where there aren't a bunch of bums, poor people or gangs," yet anyplace that has affordable housing is a magnet for poor people, because otherwise housing is not affordable. Also, stay away from the oceanside if you want to avoid beach bums and surf gangs. If you want to avoid poor people at all costs you will have to move to a gated community or pay for a private island since 90 percent of U.S. citizens are poor.



Using figures from the last quarter of 2005, the Missouri Department of Economic Development MERIC index lists these states with the lowest cost of living:

1. Arkansas

2. Oklahoma

3. Nebraska

4. Texas

5. Mississippi

6. Missouri

7. Tennessee

8. Alabama

9. Kentucky

10. Georgia

11. North Dakota

12. Kansas

13. Idaho

14. Iowa

15. Indiana

16. South Dakota

17. North Carolina

18. West Virginia

19. Wisconsin

20. Louisiana

Two of your top three destinations are on that list, #2 Oklahoma and #17 North Carolina. Pennsylvania came in 31st, mainly because of excessive utility costs.



Retirement Living.com has an overview of state taxes that will help this analysis. All states except Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire and Oregon, collect sales taxes. States with the highest sales tax are: California (7.25%), Mississippi (7.0%), Tennessee (7.0%), Rhode Island (7.0%), Minnesota (6.5%), and Washington (6.5%). Many states do not tax prescription drugs, and some do not tax food or clothing or over-the-counter drugs.

Regarding income tax, New Hampshire and Tennessee tax only interest and dividends. Seven states (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming) do not tax personal income. The states with the lowest local property taxes per capita/year are Arkansas ($191), Alabama ($285), Kentucky ($376), New Mexico ($380), and Oklahoma ($425). The states with the highest local property taxes per capita/year are New Jersey ($1,871), Connecticut ($1,733), New York ($1,402), and Rhode Island ($1,369).

With such low property taxes, Oklahoma remains a good option for your move.



Based on 2005 data, the U.S. Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) has a chart of tax burdens by state which includes the mean per capita incomes. This reveals these states with the average highest incomes:

1. Washington, D.C.

2. Connecticut

3. Massachusetts

4. New Jersey

5. Maryland

6. New York

7. New Hampshire

8. Virginia

9. Colorado

10. Minnesota

The average taxable income for Oklahoma residents is $32,661; for North Carolina lodgers $33,732; and for Pennsylvanians $38,841.What US cities have the lowest cost of living and a high employment rate?
You won't find the two in a city. High employment drives up prices.What US cities have the lowest cost of living and a high employment rate?
Wow... everything that you asked for is in Utah. You know, there are more Mormons in California than there are in the state of Utah. Draper, Utah is home to the nation's largest Catholic School. It's actually pretty diverse! I moved here 2 years ago from Fresno. The air is cleaner, the people are nicer (yes, Mormons tend to make the place nicer, not worse), there are national parks and things to do around here, Sundance Film Festival, great skiing, and the cost of living is SO affordable. My husband and I purchased our first home at the age of 22 and we love it. So don't right it off your list until you've tried it.