(The Center Square) – Residents of Marion County need to make $2,674 every month to maintain a modest standard of living, making it the least expensive place in Georgia to live, according to an analysis from 24/7 Wall St.
The Economic Policy Institute’s Family Budget Calculator was used to determine the local cost of living, which includes housing, food, health care, transportation and other necessities. In many of the locations examined in the study, which identified the region in each state where the cost of living is lowest, housing costs can account for less than 15 percent of total living expenses.
The monthly housing cost in Marion County was $385. And the median household income in the region stood at $44,309.
The May 2020 jobless rate there was 6.2%. Unemployment rates in half of the most affordable counties were above the 13% national average during the coronavirus pandemic, the website reported. And local population growth in recent years in many of these regions was less than the U.S. average.
The 24/7 Wall St. analysis ranked counties by estimating the cost of living for a single adult resident to have a modest quality of life.
The same firm released information about Georgia’s most expensive place to live last month.
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Least Expensive Region in Each State
State
County / Region
Monthly Cost of Living
Monthly Housing Costs
Median Household Income
May 2020 Jobless Rate
Alabama
Dale County
$2,739
$420
$45,960
7.4%
Alaska
Aleutians East Borough
$3,336
$783
$69,706
15.8%
Arizona
Pima County
$2,881
$568
$51,037
8.4%
Arkansas
Craighead County
$2,620
$458
$45,868
8.5%
California
Merced County
$2,946
$565
$50,129
16.5%
Colorado
Pueblo County
$2,922
$600
$44,634
9.2%
Connecticut
Hartford County
$3,192
$773
$72,321
9.2%
Delaware
Sussex County
$3,201
$622
$60,853
16.0%
Florida
Baker County
$2,741
$493
$61,769
7.7%
Georgia
Marion County
$2,674
$385
$44,309
6.2%
Hawaii
Hawaii County
$3,719
$823
$59,297
21.1%
Idaho
Bannock County
$2,729
$479
$49,739
7.6%
Illinois
Alexander County
$2,731
$304
$34,709
14.1%
Indiana
Elkhart County
$2,665
$519
$55,399
11.9%
Iowa
Black Hawk County
$2,685
$517
$52,688
11.6%
Kansas
Wyandotte County
$2,741
$546
$44,873
14.0%
Kentucky
Pulaski County
$2,620
$443
$37,921
11.8%
Louisiana
Caddo Parish
$2,813
$566
$40,866
14.0%
Maine
Androscoggin County
$3,103
$634
$51,412
9.2%
Maryland
Baltimore City
$2,803
$730
$48,840
11.1%
Massachusetts
Hampden County
$3,121
$744
$53,403
18.0%
Michigan
Bay County
$2,657
$502
$48,005
20.0%
Minnesota
Benton County
$2,829
$484
$56,357
9.7%
Mississippi
Coahoma County
$2,685
$455
$30,009
15.1%
Missouri
St. Louis City
$2,625
$578
$41,107
13.5%
Montana
Custer County
$3,025
$514
$55,841
6.5%
Nebraska
Dodge County
$2,870
$487
$53,101
3.8%
Nevada
Nye County
$2,796
$537
$45,711
15.1%
New Hampshire
Coos County
$3,066
$669
$45,696
17.9%
New Jersey
Camden County
$3,224
$823
$67,118
15.0%
New Mexico
Bernalillo County
$2,605
$569
$51,643
9.2%
New York
Orleans County
$2,947
$523
$51,843
11.6%
North Carolina
Person County
$2,995
$468
$48,811
13.4%
North Dakota
Cass County
$2,683
$542
$62,031
7.8%
Ohio
Lucas County
$2,503
$478
$46,924
18.7%
Oklahoma
Choctaw County
$2,880
$476
$32,129
13.5%
Oregon
Douglas County
$2,913
$506
$45,812
14.7%
Pennsylvania
Lawrence County
$2,664
$494
$48,860
13.6%
Rhode Island
Providence County
$2,939
$775
$55,233
17.1%
South Carolina
Chesterfield County
$2,788
$452
$40,033
10.3%
South Dakota
Beadle County
$2,791
$460
$51,700
6.2%
Tennessee
Grainger County
$2,626
$420
$42,997
10.3%
Texas
Cameron County
$2,531
$564
$37,132
16.0%
Utah
Cache County
$2,754
$467
$56,840
4.8%
Vermont
Orleans County
$3,370
$627
$47,915
16.6%
Virginia
Danville City
$2,694
$505
$36,301
12.7%
Washington
Spokane County
$2,617
$539
$54,852
15.1%
West Virginia
Brooke County
$2,782
$449
$49,772
13.2%
Wisconsin
Sheboygan County
$2,770
$488
$58,943
12.5%
Wyoming
Hot Springs County
$3,028
$511
$51,875
6.8%
Source: 24/7 Wall St.
