According to a recent discussion on NPR, one of the primary frustrations that drove Americans to the polls in the 2024 presidential election was dissatisfaction with inflation and increases in cost of living — with a sense among consumers that the prices of groceries, rent, mortgages, insurance and more have all spiked to untenable levels.
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Additionally, cost of living in America is especially high in the cities that dot both the East and West coastlines, making life for some simply unaffordable.
Recently, GOBankingRates amassed a large amount of data concerning over 1,000 cities on the East Coast, measuring such factors as cost of living, mortgage rates, median household incomes and overall livability — all in an effort to locate the most affordable cities in the region.
Do you hope to retire on the East Coast or perhaps simply raise a family there? Want a career that keeps you near the Atlantic? Check out the 50 cheapest cities on America’s right coast.
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Pennsylvania has the two most affordable cities on the list.
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Pennsylvania and Georgia are tied for the most cities in the top 50, with 11 each.
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The biggest cities on the list are Columbus, Georgia (204,383), and Erie, Pennsylvania (94,156).
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The cities with the highest livability scores are Meadville, Pennsylvania; Erie, Pennsylvania, and Huntington, West Virginia.
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Annual cost of living: $25,797
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Livability score: 67
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Median household income: $44,595
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Average monthly mortgage: $342
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Annual cost of living: $29,570
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Livability score: 78
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Median household income: $34,784
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Average monthly mortgage: $542
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Annual cost of living: $29,823
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Livability score: 68
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Median household income: $44,878
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Average monthly mortgage: $641
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Annual cost of living: $29,977
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Livability score: 51
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Median household income: $39,527
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Average monthly mortgage: $627
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Annual cost of living: $30,214
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Livability score: 53
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Median household income: $31,564
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Average monthly mortgage: $690
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Annual cost of living: $30,547
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Livability score: 70
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Median household income: $31,854
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Average monthly mortgage: $487
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Annual cost of living: $30,672
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Livability score: 72
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Median household income: $49,003
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Average monthly mortgage: $678
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Annual cost of living: $30,678
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Livability score: 71
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Median household income: $48,810
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Average monthly mortgage: $607
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Annual cost of living: $30,745
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Livability score: 79
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Median household income: $41,478
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Average monthly mortgage: $756
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Annual cost of living: $30,759
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Livability score: 56
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Median household income: $53,981
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Average monthly mortgage: $609
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Annual cost of living: $30,954
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Livability score: 78
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Median household income: $50,171
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Average monthly mortgage: $718
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Annual cost of living: $30,988
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Livability score: 57
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Median household income: $37,398
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Average monthly mortgage: $686
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Annual cost of living: $31,044
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Livability score: 64
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Median household income: $45,201
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Average monthly mortgage: $675
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Annual cost of living: $31,092
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Livability score: 69
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Median household income: $42,434
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Average monthly mortgage: $716
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Annual cost of living: $31,105
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Livability score: 62
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Median household income: $42,900
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Average monthly mortgage: $763
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Annual cost of living: $31,214
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Livability score: 82
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Median household income: $46,859
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Average monthly mortgage: $613
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Annual cost of living: $31,230
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Livability score: 56
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Median household income: $39,258
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Average monthly mortgage: $714
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Annual cost of living: $31,271
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Livability score: 78
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Median household income: $47,819
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Average monthly mortgage: $781
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Annual cost of living: $31,276
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Livability score: 67
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Median household income: $50,959
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Average monthly mortgage: $796
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Annual cost of living: $31,506
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Livability score: 68
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Median household income: $37,979
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Average monthly mortgage: $796
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Annual cost of living: $31,571
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Livability score: 52
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Median household income: $33,066
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Average monthly mortgage: $835
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Annual cost of living: $31,658
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Livability score: 85
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Median household income: $46,012
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Average monthly mortgage: $789
For You: Here’s the Cost of Living in Every State
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Annual cost of living: $31,680
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Livability score: 56
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Median household income: $39,939
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Average monthly mortgage: $730
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Annual cost of living: $31,736
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Livability score: 63
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Median household income: $43,089
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Average monthly mortgage: $641
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Annual cost of living: $32,158
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Livability score: 67
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Median household income: $48,498
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Average monthly mortgage: $737
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Annual cost of living: $32,196
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Livability score: 74
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Median household income: $53,465
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Average monthly mortgage: $725
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Annual cost of living: $32,263
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Livability score: 71
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Median household income: $44,675
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Average monthly mortgage: 753
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Annual cost of living: $32,296
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Livability score: 77
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Median household income: $42,778
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Average monthly mortgage: $803
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Annual cost of living: $32,302
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Livability score: 58
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Median household income: $35,250
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Average monthly mortgage: $751
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Annual cost of living: $32,332
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Livability score: 68
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Median household income: $56,699
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Average monthly mortgage: $735
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Annual cost of living: $32,509
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Livability score: 60
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Median household income: $40,253
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Average monthly mortgage: $949
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Annual cost of living: $32,517
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Livability score: 67
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Median household income: $80,231
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Average monthly mortgage: 703
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Annual cost of living: $32,555
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Livability score: 58
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Median household income: $41,531
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Average monthly mortgage: $854
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Annual cost of living: $32,646
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Livability score: 61
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Median household income: $43,114
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Average monthly mortgage: $815
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Annual cost of living: $32,939
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Livability score: 72
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Median household income: $60,340
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Average monthly mortgage: $781
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Annual cost of living: $33,043
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Livability score: 76
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Median household income: $47,970
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Average monthly mortgage: $860
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Annual cost of living: $33,063
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Livability score: 67
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Median household income: $47,885
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Average monthly mortgage: $955
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Annual cost of living: $33,105
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Livability score: 81
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Median household income: $43,146
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Average monthly mortgage: $702
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Annual cost of living: $33,212
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Livability score: 76
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Median household income: $51,667
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Average monthly mortgage: $791
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Annual cost of living: $33,352
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Livability score: 64
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Median household income: $56,662
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Average monthly mortgage: $859
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Annual cost of living: $33,429
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Livability score: 75
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Median household income: $52,037
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Average monthly mortgage: $752
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Annual cost of living: $33,503
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Livability score: 70
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Median household income: $40,450
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Average monthly mortgage: $754
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Annual cost of living: $33,687
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Livability score: 64
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Median household income: $40,496
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Average monthly mortgage: $908
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Annual cost of living: $33,783
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Livability score: 59
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Median household income: $38,780
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Average monthly mortgage: $957
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Annual cost of living: $34,150
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Livability score: 70
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Median household income: $49,644
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Average monthly mortgage: $877
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Annual cost of living: $34,163
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Livability score: 66
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Median household income: $41,214
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Average monthly mortgage: $953
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Annual cost of living: $34,185
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Livability score: 82
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Median household income: $43,397
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Average monthly mortgage: $984
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Annual cost of living: $34,198
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Livability score: 64
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Median household income: $49,386
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Average monthly mortgage: $844
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Annual cost of living: $34,249
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Livability score: 59
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Median household income: $48,535
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Average monthly mortgage: $844
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Annual cost of living: $34,313
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Livability score: 61
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Median household income: $53,393
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Average monthly mortgage: $975
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 50 Most Affordable Cities To Live on the East Coast