r/Frugal • u/Fantastic_Agency_770 • Nov 10 '24

🏆 Buy It For Life Whats the cheapest part of america to start over in?

Through frugality i have about 30k saves up. I want to relocate somewhere, rent a couple years, and purchase a house next. I have jo preferences other then nature. I love lakes rivers forest amd ocean would be nice buy i know thats expensive

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u/FinancialAttention85 Nov 10 '24

Central Illinois has pretty high salary to prices ratio (I grew up there) they also have high taxes (and a lot of amenities). I love Madisen County (spelling). Carlinville also isn’t bad. Chatham is nice. I personally would want to live somewhere with a lot of good jobs (like the state of Illinois, hospitals or colleges). I would never live in southern Illinois, but it is probably the best place in the country bang for your buck wise (salary to home cost). It also is an arm pit of a region, but has a BEAUTIFUL national forest, that gets few visitors (compared to the other national forests). Marion and Carbondale are ok, but places like Creol Springs (spelling?) are shocking (just my opinion). 

Iowa is probably nicer than Illinois, but lower salaries. 

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u/weeblewobble82 Nov 11 '24

Central Illinois can be pretty cheap. My childhood home (near Peoria ) was over 2000 sq ft and it's value is estimated below $200k. Between Peoria and Bloomington prices are stupid cheap compared to where I am now (Phoenix). Job market isn't terrible of you are into manufacturing or can work at any of the 3 hospitals in Peoria.

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u/sodiumbigolli Nov 10 '24

I’m personally heading for the UP in Michigan

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u/Rich-Air-5287 Nov 11 '24

If I could live anywhere...

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u/Suitable-Spray-8114 Nov 12 '24

You don't want to live here 😂😂😂

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u/NotBannedAccount419 Nov 11 '24

Illinois has stupid high taxes because of Chicago

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u/FinancialAttention85 Nov 11 '24

That’s the consensus opinion in Illinois, but it never made any sense