With increasing economic uncertainty, inflation, recession, and financial instability, the affordability of a place is now among the top priorities when it comes to finding a place to raise a family. Putting down roots somewhere where you don’t have peace of mind because your family’s needs are rarely met isn’t the key to a happy life. There are many great places to live, raise kids, and retire in the United States.
While each city offers a different experience, examining factors such as public schools and local amenities is critical.
If you’re free as a bird, grew sick of your hometown, and want to start a life from zero with your partner, keep reading to discover the best affordable places to raise a family in the United States.
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama is the perfect place for those attracted to the space, technology, and defense industries. It takes great pride in its education and the fact that the area is often named a premier location for both business and quality of life. This means that you will have plenty of opportunities to develop your hobby and pursue a career in these fields. You will find NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Cummings Research Park, and the Army’s Redstone Arsenal. Regarding education, there are Alabama A&M University and the University of Alabama—Huntsville. As home to several Fortune 500 companies, the city offers a broad base of retail, service, and manufacturing industries.
You’ll need a car to get around as residents are used to driving everywhere here. The bus isn’t the most convenient mode of transportation, but luckily the metro area has worked to become more bike-friendly and walkable. It’s not easy to transport your bike, motor, car, etc., but Sirelo: Moving Experts helps prepare your international move and takes some burden off your shoulders. The city isn’t the cheapest to live in but is home to every kid’s bucket-list experience – the space camp. So, Huntsville is worth considering if anyone in your family dreams of pursuing a career in the above fields and living modestly.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
With its quiet neighborhoods and low cost of living, Fort Wayne, Indiana, is an excellent place to buy a house, launch a business or start a career, and raise a family. This midsize metropolitan area in the Midwest’s heart enables its residents to have access to the amenities you would find in a large metropolis, like a thriving arts scene and excellent entertainment options.
Advanced manufacturing keeps playing a prominent role in the region. Manufacturers like BAE Systems and General Motors have made considerable investments in the economy here, and many other economic development projects centered downtown and at the riverfront area create new living options.
The place attracts families looking for a quiet community with quality schools and is known as a center of higher learning, with institutions like the following:
- Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne
- Concordia Theological Seminary
- Indiana Institute of Technology
- The University of St. Francis.
The cost of living here is much lower than the national average, and even though the average wage is lower too, affordable home prices make raising a family here a feasible, realistic goal for middle-class individuals.
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas, might be the perfect choice if you’re looking for a place that sees drastic growth. Together with Rogers, Springdale, and Bentonville, the small town became a center of higher education, entrepreneurialism, commerce, and culture. The city is among the cheapest U.S. places to live, and people from all over the world like to call it home. Newcomers appreciate the locals’ kindness – people wave and smile at each other in the street, and community activities are well-attended. There are many NGOs and volunteer groups, as well as state parks, playgrounds, acres of community green space, and walking trails. Because it’s nestled in the Ozark Mountains, it attracts outdoorsy types.
However, newcomers are flooding the area, enticing real estate developers to build. Whatever your relocation budget is, it would make sense to pack your belongings and ship them to your new home. You can reach out to a company like Sirelo to check container shipping rates and determine what type of container size suits you.
While Fayetteville real estate is among the most expensive in Arkansas, the typical house sale price in Fayetteville is lower than in other U.S. real estate areas.
Tallahassee, Florida
When it comes to raising a family, Tallahassee, Florida, has some of the best amenities to offer. Besides affordable housing, a thriving job market, and a low cost of living, you’ll also find many recreational activities for all ages. The money saved on essentials can fund your family’s weekend activities. The city hosts many festivals and has 88 different parks, hiking trails, and several beaches within driving distance. Regardless of whether you’re into hiking adventures or swimming, you have access to all of them.
The city has one of Florida’s top-ranked public schools, two universities and a community college, so you won’t have to pay out-of-state tuition for your children elsewhere.
Lafayette, Louisiana
In the south Louisiana town of Lafayette, you and your family will work hard but live well too. The city has a calendar full of festivals and access to outstanding cuisine and great music. The unemployment rate here is under 10%, and the cost of living is lower than the United States average. The place attracts families, in part due to its schools.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette brings in about 17.000 students annually, including many international ones. Therefore, the area exudes youth – complete with a thriving nightlife scene. Residential construction continues in the center of Lafayette, a popular location for young professionals like you.
Among the most challenging steps to moving to the U.S. is obtaining a U.S. visa for permanent residence. But once you have it, a new world of opportunities opens for you and your family.
The places above offer relatively low living costs and have great potential to start a family.
