12 Most Affordable Towns To Live In The United States

Salina, Kan.

Cost of living: 16.4% below national average

City population: 46,998

Median household income: $50,490

Median home value: $129,300

Unemployment rate: 4.3%

Located at the intersection of Interstates 70 and 135, about 90 miles north of Wichita, Salina offers its residents a suburban feel for a very low cost. The main industries in Salina are manufacturing and healthcare, with companies such as Schwan's Company, Great Plains Manufacturing, and the Salina Regional Health Center.

Even if small. Salina can also boast several educational institutions such as the University of Kansas School of Medicine Salina Campus and Kansas State University Polytechnic Campus. In terms of housing costs, according to C2ER's Cost of Living Index, Salina is two-thirds cheaper than the national average while grocery expenses are 8 percent less than what the average Americans pay.