I suppose if you have a hankerin' to live in sunny California your going to pay more - a lot more. Check out a few of these towns. Check this link for other low cost options.
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(Wichita, Kansas)
Wichita is one of the most affordable places in the study, and has some of the best numbers for employment and job growth, thanks to a boom in agriculture and ethanol.
Houses are appreciating in value, even in today's tough economy. And commute times are blessedly short. The downtown area is being revitalized with new restaurants, shopping centers and parks. Arts and entertainment facilities are stronger than one might expect for a city this size, and the community feel is strong. And there's a new convention center along the Arkansas River. It's fairly isolated, with Tulsa and Kansas City each nearly 200 miles away. The flat landscape lacks breathtaking natural scenery. Its climate can swing to extremes, with hot, humid summers, short periods of extreme cold in winter and a lot of rain in between.
Wichita is one of the most affordable places in the study, and has some of the best numbers for employment and job growth, thanks to a boom in agriculture and ethanol.
Houses are appreciating in value, even in today's tough economy. And commute times are blessedly short. The downtown area is being revitalized with new restaurants, shopping centers and parks. Arts and entertainment facilities are stronger than one might expect for a city this size, and the community feel is strong. And there's a new convention center along the Arkansas River. It's fairly isolated, with Tulsa and Kansas City each nearly 200 miles away. The flat landscape lacks breathtaking natural scenery. Its climate can swing to extremes, with hot, humid summers, short periods of extreme cold in winter and a lot of rain in between.
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I'm more of an South East person. I like the slow pace of life, the sense of community, low cost of living, the wonderful weather and college sports. You can still live the halcyon days in the south east. The mid west is nice, but the winters can be brutal (for me - I've lived in Hawaii, California, Charlotte, Milwaukee, Va. ) and I can say one thing for sure - those Wisonsin winters are nice if you don't have to get on the road and drive.
When you start to wonder if life has anything ealse waiting for you - consider picking up and discovering the rest of this great country.
I have done that a few times and it has made me appreciate this country a lot more.
