Just came across this interesting analysis of affordable and safe places to live across America, and some findings really stood out. Turns out there's actually a solid list of towns where you can get both low crime rates and reasonable living costs without breaking the bank.

The research identified 15 cities that nail this combination, and what surprised me most is how many are in Ohio - seven cities made the cut from that state alone. Places like New Philadelphia, Parma Heights, Berea, Mount Vernon, Hamilton, Brunswick, and North Ridgeville all showed up. But beyond Ohio, there are some interesting options scattered across other states too.

If you're looking at the cheapest places to live in PA specifically, Butler, Pennsylvania made the list as one of the safer, more affordable options with an annual cost of living around $40,446. The home values there are reasonable, and the crime rates are pretty low. Other standouts include New Ulm in Minnesota (super low violent crime), San Elizario in Texas (lowest property costs), and Edwardsville in Illinois with the highest livability score at 90.

The data they used is solid - pulled from FBI crime statistics, census data, Zillow, and other reliable sources through early 2025. What's helpful is they looked at total cost of living, not just housing, since that's what actually matters when you're budgeting. So if you're seriously considering relocating to find cheaper places to live in PA or exploring other regions with better affordability, this gives you some concrete options to research further. The cheapest places to live in PA like Butler offer that sweet spot of safety and affordability that's getting harder to find.