America's Safest and Most Affordable Places to Live: A Complete Guide

Finding neighborhoods that balance low crime with reasonable living costs remains challenging in today’s economy. However, research reveals that the United States has numerous cities offering an ideal combination of both affordability and security. This comprehensive analysis identifies communities where residents can enjoy robust safety metrics alongside manageable annual expenses.

According to GOBankingRates’ detailed study analyzing crime statistics and cost-of-living data from multiple federal agencies, fifteen municipalities stand out as optimal choices for those seeking safest and most affordable places to live. The research methodology incorporated FBI quarterly crime statistics, U.S. Census data, property valuations from Zillow, and consumer expenditure data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics—all gathered during early 2025.

Ohio’s Exceptional Value Proposition

Notably, Ohio dominates the rankings with seven cities in the top fifteen. This state’s remarkable showing reflects both established safety infrastructure and economically competitive housing markets. These communities demonstrate that affordable living need not compromise on security.

New Philadelphia, Ohio – Setting the Standard for Value

Key Metrics:

• Population: 17,563
• Average single-family home value: $186,258
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $1,101
• Annual living expenses: $35,549
• Livability score: 76
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.69
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 1.50

New Philadelphia leads as one of America’s most budget-friendly communities while maintaining solid safety credentials. With the lowest annual cost threshold among the fifteen, this northwestern Ohio town provides exceptional value for cost-conscious households.

Parma Heights, Ohio – Suburban Stability

Key Metrics:

• Population: 20,616
• Average single-family home value: $196,742
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $1,163
• Annual living expenses: $36,575
• Livability score: 71
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.39
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 2.76

Located near Cleveland, Parma Heights combines suburban convenience with protective crime statistics. This community appeals to families seeking established neighborhoods within an economically favorable region.

Berea, Ohio – Balanced Community Profile

Key Metrics:

• Population: 18,330
• Average single-family home value: $220,573
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $1,303
• Annual living expenses: $37,768
• Livability score: 77
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.60
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 3.69

Berea represents the middle ground—offering reasonably priced housing with above-average livability scores and manageable crime statistics across both violent and property crime categories.

Mount Vernon, Ohio – Central Ohio Opportunity

Key Metrics:

• Population: 16,802
• Average single-family home value: $225,575
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $1,333
• Annual living expenses: $37,928
• Livability score: 75
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.42
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 4.23

This Knox County seat delivers accessible housing costs paired with moderate safety metrics, appealing to those prioritizing both economic and personal security considerations.

Hamilton, Ohio – Larger-Scale Affordability

Key Metrics:

• Population: 63,124
• Average single-family home value: $279,890
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $1,654
• Annual living expenses: $42,726
• Livability score: 71
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.39
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 2.43

Hamilton distinguishes itself as a larger municipality—exceeding 60,000 residents—while maintaining competitive living expenses and respectable safety indicators. Urban amenities accompany small-town affordability.

Brunswick, Ohio – Cleveland Area Security

Key Metrics:

• Population: 35,284
• Average single-family home value: $300,042
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $1,773
• Annual living expenses: $44,251
• Livability score: 78
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.48
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 4.67

Located within the greater Cleveland metropolitan region, Brunswick balances suburban development with protective safety characteristics and one of the highest livability ratings among this cohort.

North Ridgeville, Ohio – Western Reserve Value

Key Metrics:

• Population: 36,043
• Average single-family home value: $313,398
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $1,852
• Annual living expenses: $44,415
• Livability score: 75
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.56
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 2.88

North Ridgeville rounds out Ohio’s seven representatives with moderate annual expenses and consistently strong safety metrics, particularly regarding theft and burglary prevention.

Regional Leaders Beyond Ohio

New Ulm, Minnesota – Midwest Excellence

Key Metrics:

• Population: 14,066
• Average single-family home value: $222,693
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $1,316
• Annual living expenses: $36,361
• Livability score: 82
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.29
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 5.07

Minnesota’s entry showcases exceptional security with the lowest violent crime rate across the entire ranking—just 0.29 incidents per thousand residents—combined with reasonable annual expenses.

San Elizario, Texas – Southwest Efficiency

Key Metrics:

• Population: 10,123
• Average single-family home value: $167,333
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $989
• Annual living expenses: $36,738
• Livability score: 62
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.10
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 1.08

This El Paso County municipality achieves the distinction of lowest recorded violent crime across all fifteen communities while maintaining among the most budget-conscious annual living expenses.

Yorktown, Indiana – Heartland Stability

Key Metrics:

• Population: 11,617
• Average single-family home value: $218,330
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $1,290
• Annual living expenses: $37,332
• Livability score: 69
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.42
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 5.10

Located in east-central Indiana, Yorktown delivers affordable housing markets integrated within a stable regional economy.

Columbus, Indiana – Industrial Community Appeal

Key Metrics:

• Population: 51,104
• Average single-family home value: $261,995
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $1,548
• Annual living expenses: $40,402
• Livability score: 76
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.19
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 1.12

Columbus represents Indiana’s significant city with managed expenses and remarkable security—boasting the second-lowest violent crime rate while accommodating over fifty thousand residents.

Butler, Pennsylvania – Eastern Option

Key Metrics:

• Population: 13,306
• Average single-family home value: $229,211
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $1,354
• Annual living expenses: $40,446
• Livability score: 71
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.20
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 6.29

Pennsylvania’s entry combines northeastern accessibility with economical living expenses and consistently low violent crime statistics.

Trenton, Michigan – Great Lakes Region

Key Metrics:

• Population: 18,242
• Average single-family home value: $231,232
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $1,366
• Annual living expenses: $41,641
• Livability score: 86
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.33
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 6.20

Trenton boasts Michigan’s strongest livability rating at 86, reflecting comprehensive quality-of-life considerations alongside protective security characteristics.

Orono, Maine – Northern New England Standard

Key Metrics:

• Population: 10,699
• Average single-family home value: $295,752
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $1,748
• Annual living expenses: $44,036
• Livability score: 71
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.18
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 2.30

Maine’s university town demonstrates how New England communities achieve favorable security profiles while supporting academic and cultural institutions.

Edwardsville, Illinois – Illinois’ Standout

Key Metrics:

• Population: 26,543
• Average single-family home value: $302,677
• Monthly mortgage estimate: $1,789
• Annual living expenses: $45,323
• Livability score: 90
• Serious crime incidents (per 1,000): 0.30
• Theft and burglary rates (per 1,000): 5.79

Edwardsville closes this roundup with Illinois’ highest livability rating at 90, representing the culmination of the safest and most affordable places to live analysis with strong performance across multiple quality indicators.

Key Takeaways for Prospective Residents

These fifteen communities share common characteristics: populations typically below 65,000 (with most under 40,000), annual living expenses ranging from approximately $35,500 to $45,300, and violent crime rates consistently below 1 incident per 1,000 residents. Prospective residents prioritizing both economic efficiency and personal security will find substantial opportunities throughout these jurisdictions.

The data demonstrates that affordable communities and safe neighborhoods need not remain mutually exclusive. Whether seeking established suburban stability in Ohio or regional alternatives across the Midwest, South, Northeast, and Great Lakes regions, these municipalities provide substantive options for families and individuals restructuring their residence around fiscal responsibility and protective safety frameworks.

Methodology: This analysis examined the safest municipalities to identify those with the lowest combined cost-of-living indices, representing optimal choices for those seeking safest and most affordable places to live. Using serious and property crime statistics from the FBI’s Quarterly Crime Statistics, the safest 150 municipalities with populations exceeding 10,000 were initially identified. Additional data sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, Sperling’s BestPlaces, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, Zillow Home Value Index (January 2025 valuations), Federal Reserve Economic Data, and AreaVibes. The refined set of 110 safest communities was subsequently ranked by lowest total annual living expenses. All metrics reflect early 2025 data collection periods.

Data represents 2025 research and should be verified against current real estate and crime statistics when making relocation decisions.