By Amye Anderson
UCBJ Managing Editor
TENNESSEE – Two of the state’s largest cities have also been named 2018’s cheapest to live in according to Kiplinger. The business and finance publisher recently revealed its ranking of the top 10 cheapest places to live in 2018; naming Memphis and Knoxville among them.
Coming in at number six on the list, Knoxville has a cost of living that is 17.8 percent below US average, a city population of 186,239 residents, an unemployment rate of 3.5 percent, a median household income of $34,556, and a median home value of $120,300.
“The city is notable for its across-the-board affordability for everything from food to transportation,” according to the Cost of Living index. Offering a mix of city and country living, Knoxville serves as the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains.
Taking the number seven spot is Memphis – the home of Graceland and three Fortune 500 companies – FedEx, International Paper, and AutoZone. The city is in close proximity to the Mississippi River and features a cost of living 16.7 percent below US average, a city population of 652,717, a median household income of $36,975, a median home value of $93,700, and a 4.2-percent unemployment rate.
The complete list of cities named in Kiplinger’s ranking for Cheapest US Cities to Live In 2018 includes, in order of their ranking:
1.) McAllen, Texas
2.) Conway, Ark.
3.) Harlingen, Texas
4.) Kalamazoo, Mich.
5.) Wichita Falls, Texas
6.) Knoxville, Tenn.
7.) Memphis, Tenn.
8.) Jonesboro, Ark.
9.) Oklahoma City, OK
10.) Brownsville, Texas
