The top 15 most affordable U.S. cities for people who want to live alone (2024)

FAQs

The top 15 most affordable U.S. cities for people who want to live alone? ›

Albuquerque, New Mexico, ranks as the most affordable city in the country for single renters. Studio apartments in Albuquerque go for a median price of $700, and the average single person would only need to spend 15.33% of their income to afford one.

Albuquerque, New Mexico, ranks as the most affordable city in the country for single renters. Studio apartments in Albuquerque go for a median price of $700, and the average single person would only need to spend 15.33% of their income to afford one.

Topping the list is Idaho, which earned high rankings for safety and volume of group activities. Not far behind is Nebraska, which also ranks as one of the most affordable states with an average monthly rent of $833.

In its report, Niche also ranked the cheapest places to live in the U.S. At the top of the list this year is Brownsville, Texas. Brownsville has been steadily rising in Niche's Lowest Cost of Living ranking over the past few years, placing number six in 2021, number three in 2022 and finally, number one in 2023.

Maine topped the list as the loneliest state, followed by Florida and then Ohio, according to the research from AgingInPlace. Utah, Alaska, and Hawaii rolled in as the least lonely states.

While some people might immediately think of big cities such as New York, Boston and Philadelphia as dangerous, the analysis, which looked at statewide data, found that New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maine and Missouri are the top 10 safest states to ...

Our overall winner was Milwaukee, WI, with our runner ups being Cleveland, OH and St. Louis, MO. All of these cities have a unique combination of affordability, safety, and the potential to create new social networks, which make them perfect for someone looking to live alone or start over in a new city.

1. Mississippi. Coming in as the cheapest state to live in in the United States is Mississippi with a cost of living index score of 83.3. It also has the lowest average housing costs in the nation at 33.7% below the national average.

Where can I go to be completely alone? ›

1. San Francisco, California. There's a better chance of meeting people in San Francisco, where the population density is higher than 99% of the major metro areas across the country.

Amritsar, Punjab. Amritsar, the city of the famous Golden Temple is ranking on the top among the top 10 cheapest places to live in India for the year 2023. It is one of the most affordable places to live in India. The average cost of living in Amritsar is the least expensive in comparison to the other cities of India.

The loudest state in the U.S. is New Jersey, with 1,207 people per square mile and 371 cars per square mile. The most quiet state in the U.S. is Montana, with only 7 people per square mile and 3 cars per square mile.

A loner, also called a 'homebody', is someone who prefers spending time alone instead of with other people. They'd rather take a stroll in the woods by themselves than go to a concert where there's a crowd. Loners also rely heavily on themselves and are less inclined to ask for assistance.

California and New York are the best states for singles, although hardly the cheapest, according to a new analysis from WalletHub. The worst states to be single: West Virginia, Arkansas and North Dakota.

Being Alone Can Be Bad for Our Health

Too much time alone is bad for our physical health. Studies have found that social isolation and loneliness can increase the likelihood of mortality by up to 30%.

For example, many of the safest states are located in the northeastern region of the country, such as New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and Rhode Island. Other safe states are located in the midwest, such as North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska, or in the western region, such as Idaho, Utah, and Oregon.

How do you live alone on a tight budget? ›

Living alone gives you the opportunity to explore your true self and develop a sense of being comfortable in your own skin. This might be the simple act of being comfortable in your own company. Or being able to spot what triggers negative feelings and (most importantly) what you can do to counteract them.

People become more satisfied with being single around age 40. There's a common misconception that older singles are the least happy with their relationship status. But actually, MacDonald's research suggests that starting around age 40, singletons become more satisfied with their solo lives.

"In Ghana, where 80 percent of the economy is barter and noncash, it's one thing to live on $2 in cash per person per day," Edin says. "What does it mean to live cashless in the world's most advanced capitalist country?"

Regarding affordability, the report indicates that Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey are the most affordable states with Arizona, Nevada, and Florida being the least affordable.

Cheapest vs most expensive state

The cost of living in America varies dramatically between each state. From Mississippi being the cheapest state to live in with a median household income of $46,511 to Hawaii being the most expensive state with a median household income of $83,173.

How much money do you need to live alone in the US? ›

So how much does it really cost to live alone? The answer, of course, depends on a number of factors—like where you live, your lifestyle, and how much stuff you have. But if you're looking for a ballpark estimate, the average person spends about $3,180 per month to live alone.

Spending on housing costs is higher for those living alone

Bills and housing costs, including water, gas, electricity and council tax, take up 11% of income on average for those who live alone compared to just 8% for couples.