More Inexpensive Towns

Hickory, North Carolina

Hickory is located in North Carolina's Piedmont region, 50 miles northwest of the City of Charlotte and 80 miles east of Asheville. It is intersected by Interstate 40, US Highway 321 and US Highway 70. The official city website lists as one of it's "amazing facts," that the Hickory Public Library is the first public library in North America to use smart card technology. With a population of around 30,000, Hickory is large enough to have everything you need, and still has cheap homes for sale.

With a population of around 30,000, Hickory is large enough to have everything you need, and still has cheap homes for sale, including six or seven under $100,000, with the cheapest listing at the moment costing $41,000.

Altoona, Pennsylvania

Altoona is in a beautiful setting in the Allegheny Mountains. The population is around 35,000, which means it is large enough to have the usual amenities that most of us want. It is also one of the easiest places on the list to buy a cheap house.

The cheapest I found in my last search (August 2007), was $9,900, and there were still a couple dozen homes for sale under $30,000.

Warren, Pennsylvania

The City of Warren, Pennsylvania is on the Allegheny River in the northwest section of the state. It has more than 10,000 residents and is the center of the county's business, tourist, and recreational endeavors (it is the county seat). Warren has 21 parks with 180 acres and is the gateway to the Allegheny National Forest. The area has a population of approximately 25,000, and the city claims to have a diversified economic base, with 106 manufacturers employing 6,900 people.

The cheapest house for sale the last time I checked (August 2007) was $29,000, and there are approximately a dozen more under $50,000.

Hot Springs, Arkansas

A vacation destination for many years because of the National Park of the same name, Hot Spring's historic landmarks and buildings include classic hotels, Victorian architecture, world-class art studios, restaurants, nightclubs and famed Bathhouse Row. It is also the hometown of former President Bill Clinton. The town is located in the Diamond Lakes region of the scenic Ouachita Mountains. Crystal hunting, fishing, water sports, hiking, golf, camping, site seeing and horseback riding provide year-round opportunity for outdoor recreation.

Despite all of these good things, you can still buy a cheap house in Hot Springs. There were five or six under $50,000 as of August 2007.

Alamogordo, New Mexico

Alamogordo is in south-central New Mexico, and although it is in a desert, you can drive half-an-hour to the forests and cooler temperatures of the Sacramento Mountains. The beautiful White Sands National Monument is nearby, and there are more than 300 days per year of sunshine here. The clear skies are why the German Air Force practices at the Holloman Air Force Base, south of town.

We spent some time here, and loved the nice winter weather, as well as the hour drive up to the snowy mountains around Ruidoso. The cheap houses here are mostly mobile homes, but there are others. As of August 2007, the listings include a three-bedroom fixer upper for $25,000, several two and three-bedroom homes for around $65,000, and many under $125,000.

Independence, Kansas

Independence is located in the southeast corner of the state, and is about 180 miles south of Kansas City and about 120 miles east of Wichita. It has brick-lined streets, a bustling downtown, and an economy based on various industries. It is small (population 9,800), and a good town in which to buy a cheap house.

House prices start at less than $20,000 here (several - possibly fixer uppers), and there were still at least six under $30,000 as of my last search (August 2007).

Cheap Homes continues with Chapter 4 here: Finding Your New Hometown