Youngstown, Ohio
- Zip code: 44512
- Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $600 per month
A victim of the decline of the American steel industry in the 1970s, Youngstown has turned the page and redefined itself by creating new government and entertainment venues and revitalizing old buildings.
Fun fact: In 2018, a 125-room DoubleTree by Hilton hotel opened in the historic Stambaugh Building on East Federal Street.
Derby, Kansas
- Zip Code: 67037
- Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $599 per month
Interesting fact: The Dinosaurs Field Station in Derby, Kansas opened in 2018. It features more than 40 life-sized moving dinosaurs. You can also play golf and visit the paleontology lab.
Amarillo, Texas
- Zip Code: 79106
- Average cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment: $597.50 per month
Interesting fact: The vast majority of the world’s helium reserves are within 250 miles (400 kilometers) of Amarillo. But this city has been called one of the most dangerous places to live in Texas with a high crime rate.
Conway, Arkansas
- Zip Code: 72034
- Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $555 per month
Interesting fact: This Little Rock suburb is known for something particularly “suburban” – rather than commuting to jobs outside of the county, most area residents work closer to home. Conway is also known for its young, educated workforce. Among residents, nearly 94% have a college degree, and 38.7% have a bachelor’s degree.
Shreveport, Louisiana
- Zip Code: 71129
- Average cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment: $547 per month
Interesting fact: Cheap rent doesn’t necessarily make Shreveport a good place to start a career. A 2019 WalletHub analysis ranked it as the least livable city for recent college graduates.
Champaign, Illinois
- Zip code: 61821
- Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $532.50 per month
Interesting fact: Champaign, along with the Twin Cities of Urbana, is home to the University of Illinois. In 2013, NerdWallet honored Champaign for having one of the best employment balance scores in the country.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Zip Code: 73114
- Average cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment: $530 per month
Interesting fact: Oklahoma City’s prominent place on this list should come as no surprise. In a similar analysis of rent costs in 2019, this city was at the top of the list.
Greenville, Texas
- Zip code: 75401
- Average cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment: $510 per month
Interesting fact: Low rents are only part of the advantages in Greenville. Sperling’s Best Places ranking notes that the overall cost of living in Greenville is 15.3% lower than the U.S. average.
Rogers, Arkansas
- Zip Code: 72756
- Average cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment: $510 per month
Interesting fact: Rogers is located in one of the fastest growing regions in the country. The Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metropolitan area is currently the 102nd largest such area out of 394 in the United States.
Columbus, Ohio
- Zip code: 43227
- Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment: $489 per month
Interesting fact: Ohio has it all – big city lifestyle at a small town price. Columbus even has professional sports privilege: the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. While Cincinnati and Cleveland may be better known, it’s hard to beat Columbus if you want to live in a city at an affordable price.
