The Most Livable City in Every State and What It Will Cost You

When we think about which city in the U.S. we’d like to live in, our minds may turn to what the city has to offer in terms of livability. Is there low crime? Does it have clean air? Is transportation safe and convenient? How are the schools? The list goes on.

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And then, of course, there are the financial issues. Is housing reasonably priced? What about all the other factors that go into cost of living, like healthcare, food and utilities? Livability comprises all the factors that determine whether you’re likely to have a prosperous life, both in terms of money and other meaningful matters.

For this study, GOBankingRates found the most livable city in each state and how much it costs to live there. To do this, GOBankingRates found the livability index for each city recording the city with the highest livability index. For each city, a number of factors were found including, the household median income, the average expenditure cost and the average monthly mortgage cost to determine the total monthly average cost of living in these most livable cities.

Cities are ranked from highest to lowest total cost of living monthly. Keep reading to find out the most livable city in your state.

Cupertino, California

Household median income: $223,667
Livability: 88
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,412
Mortgage monthly average cost: $19,061
Total cost of living monthly: $21,472

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Bruce Wilson Photography / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Lexington, Massachusetts

Household median income: $206,323
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,191
Mortgage monthly average cost: $9,998
Total cost of living monthly: $12,189

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Kailua, Hawaii

Household median income: $138,363
Livability: 83
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,583
Mortgage monthly average cost: $9,243
Total cost of living monthly: $11,826

Bozeman, Montana

Household median income: $74,113
Livability: 87
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,102
Mortgage monthly average cost: $5,008
Total cost of living monthly: $7,109

Wilton Manors, Florida

Household median income: $81,424
Livability: 91
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,210
Mortgage monthly average cost: $4,585
Total cost of living monthly: $6,794

Lafayette, Colorado

Household median income: $105,819
Livability: 90
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,946
Mortgage monthly average cost: $4,434
Total cost of living monthly: $6,380

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University Park, Maryland

Household median income: $191,205
Livability: 93
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,236
Mortgage monthly average cost: $4,030
Total cost of living monthly: $6,266

Sherwood, Oregon

Household median income: $109,770
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,102
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,974
Total cost of living monthly: $6,076

Freeport, Maine

Household median income: $76,012
Livability: 88
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,928
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,911
Total cost of living monthly: $5,839

Cary, North Carolina

Household median income: $125,317
Livability: 90
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,915
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,861
Total cost of living monthly: $5,776

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Marilyn Nieves / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Avondale Estates, Georgia

Household median income: $136,250
Livability: 87
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,212
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,562
Total cost of living monthly: $5,773

Pictured: Decatur, Georgia

Kaysville, Utah

Household median income: $121,867
Livability: 89
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,887
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,845
Total cost of living monthly: $5,733

Battle Ground, Washington

Household median income: $94,360
Livability: 90
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,085
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,582
Total cost of living monthly: $5,667

Pictured: Vancouver, Washington

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Gilbert, Arizona

Household median income: $115,179
Livability: 89
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,076
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,513
Total cost of living monthly: $5,589

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Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

Household median income: $142,356
Livability: 93
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,973
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,577
Total cost of living monthly: $5,549

Pictured: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Pompton Lakes, New Jersey

Household median income: $113,781
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,244
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,013
Total cost of living monthly: $5,258

Pictured: Patterson, New Jersey

Grandview Heights, Ohio

Household median income: $100,833
Livability: 94
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,902
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,334
Total cost of living monthly: $5,236

Pictured: Columbus, Ohio

Jenkintown, Pennsylvania

Household median income: $118,750
Livability: 94
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,115
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,083
Total cost of living monthly: $5,197

Pictured: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Los Alamos, New Mexico

Household median income: $130,342
Livability: 81
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,706
Mortgage monthly average cost: $3,479
Total cost of living monthly: $5,184

Sitka, Alaska

Household median income: $95,261
Livability: 85
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,188
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,946
Total cost of living monthly: $5,134

New Milford, Connecticut

Household median income: $70,625
Livability: 85
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,166
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,833
Total cost of living monthly: $4,999

Pictured: Danbury, Connecticut

Post Falls, Idaho

Household median income: $71,042
Livability: 88
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,850
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,993
Total cost of living monthly: $4,843

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Pittsford, New York

Household median income: $116,250
Livability: 93
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,033
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,795
Total cost of living monthly: $4,828

Las Vegas

Household median income: $66,356
Livability: 82
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,165
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,653
Total cost of living monthly: $4,819

ErikaMitchell / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Montpelier, Vermont

Household median income: $76,143
Livability: 83
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,085
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,609
Total cost of living monthly: $4,694

Brynn Anderson/AP/Shutterstock / Brynn Anderson/AP/Shutterstock

Hoover, Alabama

Household median income: $101,765
Livability: 83
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,051
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,600
Total cost of living monthly: $4,652

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Cranston, Rhode Island

Household median income: $83,123
Livability: 85
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,076
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,528
Total cost of living monthly: $4,603

Concord, New Hampshire

Household median income: $77,874
Livability: 88
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,866
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,642
Total cost of living monthly: $4,508

Newark, Delaware

Household median income: $67,738
Livability: 83
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,209
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,103
Total cost of living monthly: $4,312

Cheyenne, Wyoming

Household median income: $74,989
Livability: 83
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,034
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,196
Total cost of living monthly: $4,230

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Brandon, South Dakota

Household median income: $101,747
Livability: 87
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,881
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,272
Total cost of living monthly: $4,152

Steven Wagner / Wikimedia Commons CC-BY-SA 2

Denton, Texas

Household median income: $71,921
Livability: 85
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,940
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,207
Total cost of living monthly: $4,147

Simpsonville, South Carolina

Household median income: $79,937
Livability: 86
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,891
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,197
Total cost of living monthly: $4,088

Pictured: Greenville, South Carolina

Lawrence, Kansas

Household median income: $59,834
Livability: 88
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,158
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,867
Total cost of living monthly: $4,025

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Oxford, Mississippi

Household median income: $56,784
Livability: 88
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,869
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,120
Total cost of living monthly: $3,989

Ankeny, Iowa

Household median income: $101,151
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,896
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,079
Total cost of living monthly: $3,975

West Lafayette, Indiana

Household median income: $30,317
Livability: 90
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,793
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,143
Total cost of living monthly: $3,936

Michael Warren / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Rogers, Arkansas

Household median income: $78,075
Livability: 88
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,825
Mortgage monthly average cost: $2,083
Total cost of living monthly: $3,908

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Metairie, Louisiana

Household median income: $72,070
Livability: 85
Expenditure monthly average cost: $2,065
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,754
Total cost of living monthly: $3,819

Rochester, Minnesota

Household median income: $83,973
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,829
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,989
Total cost of living monthly: $3,818

Clarksville, Tennessee

Household median income: $62,688
Livability: 83
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,895
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,828
Total cost of living monthly: $3,723

Bellevue, Washington

Household median income: $79,839
Livability: 87
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,995
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,715
Total cost of living monthly: $3,710

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Clawson, Michigan

Household median income: $82,713
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,967
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,709
Total cost of living monthly: $3,676

Fargo, North Dakota

Household median income: $64,432
Livability: 84
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,825
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,823
Total cost of living monthly: $3,648

Norman, Oklahoma

Household median income: $62,849
Livability: 83
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,991
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,536
Total cost of living monthly: $3,527

Maplewood, Missouri

Household median income: $58,448
Livability: 87
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,899
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,566
Total cost of living monthly: $3,465

Pictured: St. Louis, Missouri

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Lynchburg, Virginia

Household median income: $56,243
Livability: 91
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,856
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,516
Total cost of living monthly: $3,371

Bellevue, Kentucky

Household median income: $66,741
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,958
Mortgage monthly average cost: $1,388
Total cost of living monthly: $3,346

Jerome, Illinois

Household median income: $52,083
Livability: 92
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,902
Mortgage monthly average cost: $841
Total cost of living monthly: $2,743

Pictured: Springfield, Illinois

Nutter Fort, West Virginia

Household median income: $56,125
Livability: 87
Expenditure monthly average cost: $1,929
Mortgage monthly average cost: $757
Total cost of living monthly: $2,685

Pictured: Fairmont, West Virginia

Methodology. For this study, GOBankingRates found the most livable city in each state and how much it costs to live there. First GOBankingRates found the livability index for each city recording the city with the highest livability index. For each city a number of factors were found including; total population, total households, household median income all sourced from the US Census American Community Survey, the average single family home value from May 2024 as sourced from Zillow Home Value Index, the cost of living indexes as sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces, and the livability index as sourced from AreaVibes. Using the cost of living indexes and the average expenditure costs as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for all residents, the average expenditure cost for each city can be calculated. Using the average home value, assuming a 10% downpayment, and by using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage cost can be calculated. Using the mortgage and expenditure cost, the total monthly average cost of living can be calculated. All data was collected on and is up to date as of July 8th, 2024.

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Most Livable City in Every State and What It Will Cost You

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