The 21532 zip code in Frostburg, Maryland tops our ranking of the most affordable places to live on the East Coast.
Whether you're searching for affordable cities and towns to buy a home or the places with the lowest cost of living to rent, consider the following zip codes.
🏠 Want to buy in Frostburg or another affordable city on the East Coast? Connect with a local agent who knows the market.
Top 10 most affordable places to live on the East Coast
The East Coast includes Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia.
| Rank | City | Affordability Score | Median home value | Rental costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frostburg, MD 🥇 | 92.3 | $175,267 | $800 |
| 2 | Cumberland, MD🥈 | 91.6 | $151,214 | $1,018 |
| 3 | Roanoke Rapids, NC 🥉 | 91.2 | $120,674 | $815 |
| 4 | Greenwood, SC | 87.0 | $141,356 | $868 |
| 5 | Pulaski, VA | 85.4 | $168,868 | $2,057 |
| 6 | Laurens, SC | 85.0 | $180,602 | $873 |
| 7 | Fredericksburg, VA | 84.5 | $427,620 | $1,798 |
| 8 | Gaffney, SC | 83.0 | $226,413 | $998 |
| 9 | Dublin, GA | 82.8 | $191,950 | $1,023 |
| 10 | Big Stone Gap, VA | 82.6 | $137,427 | $2,057 |
What these affordable cities and towns have in common
The 10 zip codes we ranked share a common trait: a low cost of living relative to the regional median.
Median home values, rental costs, and property taxes generally sit below the regional averages, while household incomes remain strong enough to keep home affordability ratios manageable. Below, we look at each market in detail.
✍️ Editor's note: The cities below represent multiple states, which means the affordability picture extends beyond what any single ranking can capture. State income taxes, sales taxes, climate, and job market strength vary significantly across the region.
These factors can shift the real cost of living by thousands of dollars per year. Use these rankings to narrow your search, then dig into the state-specific factors that matter most to you.
1. Frostburg, Maryland
Here's why the 21532 zip code in Frostburg is the region's most affordable place to live.
🔎 Key data about Frostburg
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 2,429 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 92.3 | No. 1 | N/A |
| Median home value | $175,267[1] | No. 9 | -$314,543 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.8 | No. 8 | -2.4 |
| Home value five-year change | 29.7%[2] | No. 165 | -5.0% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -0.3%[3] | No. 166 | -1.1% |
| Rental costs | $800[4] | No. 1 | -$1,333 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.26% | No. 3 | -1.0% |
| Median household income | $63,690[5] | No. 159 | -$31,441 |
| Property taxes | $1,794[6] | No. 6 | -$2,926 |
| Energy costs | $0.09 kWh[7] | No. 4 | -$0.08 |
Frostburg's 21532 zip code is the cheapest place to live on the East Coast, leading the 2,429 markets we evaluated.
The median home value is $175,267, making it the 9th-cheapest housing market in the region. Forecasts project a -0.3% change in home values in the next year. Rent in the zip code averages $800 per month, which is the 3rd-cheapest amount on the East Coast.
The median property tax for homeowners in Frostburg is $1,794 per household, the No. 6 ranked market on the East Coast.
Residents pay $0.09 per kWh of electricity, which ranks No. 4 among the region's markets.
2. Cumberland, Maryland
The 21502 zip code is the 2nd-cheapest place to live on the East Coast.
🔎 Key data about Cumberland
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 2,429 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 91.6 | No. 2 | N/A |
| Median home value | $151,214[1] | No. 6 | -$338,595 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.5 | No. 4 | -2.6 |
| Home value five-year change | 29.0%[2] | No. 162 | -5.7% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -0.3%[3] | No. 166 | -1.1% |
| Rental costs | $1,018[4] | No. 2 | -$1,115 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.68% | No. 39 | -0.6% |
| Median household income | $60,725[5] | No. 163 | -$34,406 |
| Property taxes | $1,680[6] | No. 4 | -$3,040 |
| Energy costs | $0.09 kWh[7] | No. 4 | -$0.08 |
Cumberland's 21502 zip code has a median home value of $151,214, which is the 6th-cheapest housing market on the East Coast. You can rent for an average of $1,018 per month. That's the 2nd-cheapest price in the region.
The average household income in the zip code is $60,725, which ranks 163rd-highest on the East Coast.
Homeowners in Cumberland pay a median property tax of $1,680 per year, making it the 4th-most affordable market in the region.
Cumberland ranks No. 4 among the region's energy markets. You'll pay $0.09 per kWh of electricity.
3. Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina
The 3rd-least-expensive place to live on the East Coast is Roanoke Rapids's 27870 zip code.
🔎 Key data about Roanoke Rapids
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 2,429 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 91.2 | No. 3 | N/A |
| Median home value | $120,674[1] | No. 7 | -$369,135 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.4 | No. 1 | -2.7 |
| Home value five-year change | 27.5%[2] | No. 28 | -7.2% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -1.5%[3] | No. 1 | -2.3% |
| Rental costs | $815[4] | No. 1 | -$1,318 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.65% | No. 39 | -0.6% |
| Median household income | $49,502[5] | No. 265 | -$45,629 |
| Property taxes | $1,557[6] | No. 115 | -$3,163 |
| Energy costs | $0.17 kWh[7] | No. 292 | $0.00 |
The No. 7 cheapest housing market on the East Coast is Roanoke Rapids's 27870 zip code, with a median home value of $120,674. Rents in the market average $815 per month, making it the 1st-most affordable rental market in the region.
The median property tax for households in Roanoke Rapids is $1,557, which makes it the 115th-cheapest place on the East Coast. Roanoke Rapids ranks No. 292 among the region's markets by energy costs. Residents pay $0.17 per kWh of electricity.
4. Greenwood, South Carolina
The 29646 zip code in Greenwood comes in at No. 4 on our list of the cheapest places to live on the East Coast.
🔎 Key data about Greenwood
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 2,429 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 87.0 | No. 4 | N/A |
| Median home value | $141,356[1] | No. 9 | -$348,453 |
| Home affordability ratio | 3.2 | No. 13 | -1.9 |
| Home value five-year change | 15.6%[2] | No. 14 | -19.1% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -0.8%[3] | No. 11 | -1.6% |
| Rental costs | $868[4] | No. 1 | -$1,266 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.95% | No. 30 | -0.3% |
| Median household income | $44,441[5] | No. 148 | -$50,690 |
| Property taxes | $845[6] | No. 38 | -$3,875 |
| Energy costs | $0.13 kWh[7] | No. 6 | -$0.04 |
The No. 9 cheapest housing market on the East Coast is Greenwood's 29646 zip code, where the median home value is $141,356. Renters here pay an average of $868 per month.
When it comes to energy costs, Greenwood ranks 6th among the region's markets. Residents pay $0.13 per kWh of electricity.
The median property tax for households in the zip code is $845, which makes it the 38th-cheapest market on the East Coast.
5. Pulaski, Virginia
The 24301 zip code in Pulaski ranks No. 5 among the region's most affordable places to live.
🔎 Key data about Pulaski
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 2,429 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 85.4 | No. 5 | N/A |
| Median home value | $168,868[1] | No. 10 | -$320,942 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.9 | No. 5 | -2.2 |
| Home value five-year change | 14.4%[2] | No. 13 | -20.3% |
| Home value one-year forecast | 0.0%[3] | No. 109 | -0.8% |
| Rental costs | $2,057[4] | No. 113 | -$76 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.86% | No. 82 | -0.4% |
| Median household income | $57,718[5] | No. 211 | -$37,413 |
| Property taxes | $1,136[6] | No. 18 | -$3,584 |
| Energy costs | $0.09 kWh[7] | No. 128 | -$0.08 |
Pulaski's 24301 zip code has a median home value of $168,868, the 10th-cheapest housing market in the region. Forecasts project a 0.0% change in home values in the next year.
The median property tax per household in Pulaski is $1,136. It's the 18th-cheapest market by tax rate on the East Coast.
6. Laurens, South Carolina
The No. 6 most affordable city to live on the East Coast is the 29360 zip code in Laurens.
🔎 Key data about Laurens
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 2,429 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 85.0 | No. 6 | N/A |
| Median home value | $180,602[1] | No. 23 | -$309,208 |
| Home affordability ratio | 3.3 | No. 24 | -1.8 |
| Home value five-year change | 1.4%[2] | No. 2 | -33.3% |
| Home value one-year forecast | 1.1%[3] | No. 84 | 0.3% |
| Rental costs | $873[4] | No. 2 | -$1,261 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.62% | No. 8 | -0.6% |
| Median household income | $53,941[5] | No. 122 | -$41,190 |
| Property taxes | $702[6] | No. 21 | -$4,018 |
| Energy costs | $0.14 kWh[7] | No. 46 | -$0.02 |
The back half of our top 10 kicks off with Laurens's 29360 zip code, which has the 23rd-cheapest home values on the East Coast. The median home value is $180,602. Rents average $873 per month, making it the 2nd-most affordable rental market in the region.
Residents pay $0.14 per kWh of electricity. It's the 46th-cheapest energy market.
7. Fredericksburg, Virginia
Fredericksburg's 22553 zip code is the 7th-cheapest place to live on the East Coast.
🔎 Key data about Fredericksburg
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 2,429 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 84.5 | No. 7 | N/A |
| Median home value | $427,620[1] | No. 113 | -$62,189 |
| Home affordability ratio | 3.1 | No. 9 | -2.0 |
| Home value five-year change | 2.0%[2] | No. 1 | -32.7% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -0.8%[3] | No. 90 | -1.6% |
| Rental costs | $1,798[4] | No. 71 | -$336 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.32% | No. 7 | -0.9% |
| Median household income | $135,856[5] | No. 60 | $40,725 |
| Property taxes | $2,959[6] | No. 123 | -$1,761 |
| Energy costs | $0.10 kWh[7] | No. 188 | -$0.07 |
You'll find the 113th-cheapest home values on the East Coast in Fredericksburg's 22553 zip code. The median value: $427,620. Renters in Fredericksburg pay an average of $1,798 per month.
Homeowners in Fredericksburg pay a median property tax of $2,959 per year, which is the region's 123rd-most affordable market.
The average household income is $135,856, which ranks 60th-highest on the East Coast.
8. Gaffney, South Carolina
The 8th-least-expensive place to live on the East Coast is Gaffney's 29341 zip code.
🔎 Key data about Gaffney
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 2,429 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 83.0 | No. 8 | N/A |
| Median home value | $226,413[1] | No. 46 | -$263,397 |
| Home affordability ratio | 3.9 | No. 62 | -1.2 |
| Home value five-year change | 16.9%[2] | No. 17 | -17.8% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -3.8%[3] | No. 3 | -4.6% |
| Rental costs | $998[4] | No. 3 | -$1,135 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.72% | No. 12 | -0.5% |
| Median household income | $58,029[5] | No. 110 | -$37,102 |
| Property taxes | $823[6] | No. 35 | -$3,897 |
| Energy costs | $0.14 kWh[7] | No. 28 | -$0.03 |
The 46th-cheapest housing market on the East Coast is Gaffney's 29341 zip code, with a median home value of $226,413. Renters pay an average of $998 per month, the No. 3 rental market in the region.
The median property tax for households in Gaffney is $823, which makes it the 35th-cheapest place on the East Coast. The average household income of $58,029 ranks 110th.
9. Dublin, Georgia
Dublin's 31021 zip code is one of the region's most affordable towns, sneaking into the top ten of our rankings.
🔎 Key data about Dublin
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 2,429 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 82.8 | No. 9 | N/A |
| Median home value | $191,950[1] | No. 45 | -$297,860 |
| Home affordability ratio | 3.4 | No. 59 | -1.7 |
| Home value five-year change | 23.6%[2] | No. 35 | -11.1% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -1.2%[3] | No. 1 | -2.0% |
| Rental costs | $1,023[4] | No. 6 | -$1,111 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.84% | No. 52 | -0.4% |
| Median household income | $55,697[5] | No. 221 | -$39,434 |
| Property taxes | $1,263[6] | No. 31 | -$3,457 |
| Energy costs | $0.15 kWh[7] | No. 228 | -$0.01 |
The 45th-cheapest housing market on the East Coast is Dublin's 31021 zip code, where the median home value is $191,950. Renters pay an average of $1,023 per month. It's the region's 6th-cheapest rental market.
The median property tax for households within the zip code is $1,263, which makes it the 31st-cheapest property tax rate on the East Coast.
10. Big Stone Gap, Virginia
The final spot on our list of the most affordable places to live on the East Coast goes to the 24219 zip code in Big Stone Gap.
🔎 Key data about Big Stone Gap
| Data point | Value | Rank (out of 2,429 markets) | Difference from median or average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affordability Score | 82.6 | No. 10 | N/A |
| Median home value | $137,427[1] | No. 3 | -$352,382 |
| Home affordability ratio | 2.5 | No. 1 | -2.6 |
| Home value five-year change | 32.7%[2] | No. 152 | -2.0% |
| Home value one-year forecast | -0.1%[3] | No. 108 | -0.9% |
| Rental costs | $2,057[4] | No. 113 | -$76 |
| Rent affordability ratio | 1.86% | No. 82 | -0.4% |
| Median household income | $55,252[5] | No. 216 | -$39,879 |
| Property taxes | $862[6] | No. 5 | -$3,858 |
| Energy costs | $0.11 kWh[7] | No. 214 | -$0.06 |
Rounding out our top 10 is Big Stone Gap's 24219 zip code, with the 3rd-cheapest home values in the region. The median home value is $137,427. Rent in the market costs $2,057 per month on average, making it the 113th-most affordable rental market on the East Coast.
The median property tax for households in Big Stone Gap is $862, which is the 5th-cheapest property tax rate in the region.
Big Stone Gap ranks No. 214 among East Coast markets by energy costs, with households paying $0.11 per kWh of electricity.
What questions about these cities should I ask local agents?
Once you've found a town you're interested in, you'll want to ask a local agent for details our rankings can't capture. Start with these four questions:
- What neighborhoods inside this zip code have the best resale value?
- What's the rental market like right now?
- Are there local property tax exemptions or homestead programs you'd qualify for?
- What are the most common surprises buyers run into here?
🏡 Need a local agent? We can connect you with an expert who knows the market.
Frequently asked questions about the least expensive places to live on the East Coast
Based on Clever's Affordability Score, the 21532 zip code in Frostburg, MD, is the cheapest place to live on the East Coast.
The median home value is $175,267, and the median household income is $63,690, giving Frostburg a home affordability ratio of 2.8, meaning a typical home costs about that many times the median annual income.
See our Affordability Score methodology and the full ranking of the 10 cheapest places to live on the East Coast.
The median home value on the East Coast is $489,809.
See the rankings above for how individual cities compare to this region-wide figure.
The median amount homeowners pay in property taxes on the East Coast is $4,720 per year.
Property taxes vary significantly by location, however. The tax figures in the rankings above show how each of the 10 cheapest places stacks up against the regional median.
📍 The 10 cheapest places to live in your state
How we ranked the most affordable cities and towns on the East Coast
We evaluated 2,429 zip codes on the East Coast with a population over 10,000 on nine metrics. We then assigned each market an Affordability Score based on its weighted and combined rankings.
✍️ Editor’s note: Our Affordability Score identifies the most affordable places in a region by zip code.
Often the zip code we identify will represent an entire city or portion of a city.
Occasionally the zip code we identify will encompass an area that includes one or more small towns. In these cases, the data we’ve gathered applies to the entire zip code, not just the single town we’re using to help identify the zip code's location.
If you’re looking to move to one of these affordable places, we recommend doing additional research to make sure the costs in the area — and the quality of life it offers — meet your specific needs.
Methodology: What is an Affordability Score?
Our proprietary Affordability Score is a score on a scale of 0 (worst in region) to 100 (best in region) that estimates the affordability of a particular zip code. It takes into account these key data points for each zip code.
- Median home value: The median home value for each zip code comes from the Zillow Home Value Index. The lower the median home value relative to the median value on the East Coast, the higher our score on this component. We assign a weight of 13.0% to median home value.
- Home affordability ratio. The home affordability ratio is the typical median home value divided by the median household income in the zip code, which reveals the number of years of household income needed to afford a home in that zip code. A lower ratio is better because it means more households can afford a home. The data comes from the Zillow Observed Rent Index and the U.S. Census American Community Survey. We assign a weight of 28.0% to the home affordability ratio.
- Home value five-year change: The home value five-year change is the amount that the median home value in the zip code has risen or fallen during the last five years. Our data comes from the Zillow Home Value Index. We assign a weight of 10.0% to the home value five-year change.
- Home value one-year forecast: The home value one-year forecast comes from Zillow Forecast data. It projects how much home values in the zip code are forecasted to change in the next year. We assign a weight of 8.0% to the home value one-year forecast.
- Rental costs. The rental costs are the observed rents in the zip code, sourced from the Zillow Observed Rent Index. The index includes "listed rents that fall into the 40th to 60th percentile range for all homes and apartments in a given region." We assign a weight of 7.0% to rental costs.
- Median household income: The inflation-adjusted median household income figures for the zip code comes from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. We assign a weight of 5.0% to median household income.
- Rent affordability ratio. The rent affordability ratio is the ratio of rental costs divided by median household income, which provides the percentage of household income needed to pay a typical month’s rent in the zip code. The data comes from the Zillow Observed Rent Index and the U.S. Census American Community Survey. We assign a weight of 17.0% to the rent affordability ratio.
- Property taxes: The property tax figures are the median real estate taxes paid in the zip code, sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. The lower the property tax rate relative to the regional average, the higher our score on this component. We assign a weight of 8.0% to property taxes.
- Energy costs: The energy costs are the costs of a kilowatt hour (kWh) of residential electricity in the zip code, sourced from the U.S. Department of Energy. The lower the cost of electricity relative to the regional average, the higher our score on this component. We assign a weight of 4.0% to energy costs.
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