just came across this interesting breakdown of the most affordable places to live in the usa where you can actually feel safe, and honestly some of these towns flew under my radar. basically this analysis looked at 150+ safest cities and then filtered for the lowest cost of living, and the results are pretty eye-opening.

so here's the thing - ohio absolutely dominates this list. like, 7 out of the top 15 cheapest and safest places are in ohio. new philadelphia tops it with annual living costs around $35k and violent crime basically nonexistent. then you've got places like berea and mount vernon also making the cut with similar vibes.

there's also some solid options outside ohio though. san elizario texas is dirt cheap (under $37k annually) with crazy low crime, and new ulm minnesota rounds out the top with a livability score of 82. the common thread? these towns manage to keep housing affordable without the crime problems you'd normally expect in cheaper areas.

the research factored in home values, mortgage costs, total living expenses, and crime data from the fbi. obviously if you're looking for the most affordable places to live in usa without sacrificing safety, this is worth bookmarking. most of these spots have populations under 50k too, so they've got that small-town vibe.