Top 10 affordable small towns where youd actually love to live

The cost of living is up, prompting a growing number of Americans to flee big cities and opt for small-town life instead.A tiny, tight-knit community might seem like heaven to those who want a slower pace of life, but that doesn’t mean that smaller towns are sleepy, cultural wastelands.Many towns across the country offer the same top-notch amenities found in larger cities—they just come with a more laid-back, know-your-neighbors vibe at an affordable price tag.To find these hidden gems, the Realtor.com data team examined real estate in every U.S.“micropolitan area”—that is, counties with a population between 10,000 and 50,000.

Then, we gathered U.S.Census Bureau data detailing the dining, entertainment, recreation, and quality-of-life business establishments in the area and calculated their rate per 100,000 residents.From there, we limited our list to places where the median list price per square foot is lower than the national average, and selected only the highest-ranking micropolitan area in any given state to ensure geographic diversity.Still, the Midwest and the Northeast regions in particular make a strong showing on this list, most likely because these areas are famed for their affordability as well as their range of cultural institutions and universities.“Many of these places are attractive to residents because they are far more affordable than the big cities nearby,” says Seamus Nally, CEO of TurboTenant in Fort Collins, CO.

“They are towns that aren’t so small that there is nothing to do—there are still decent population sizes and lots of opportunities for things involving community and entertainment—but it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to live there.”This lower cost of living extends to housing, offering hopeful homebuyers more budget-friendly lodging than what can typically be found in urban centers.“While people may only be able to afford renting an apartment in the big cities nearby, they may be able to afford buying a...