14 Most Livable Cities for Middle-Class Families in the Southeast
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To accommodate middle-class budgets, GOBankingRates picked 14 cities with median home values under $350,000 and high livability scores. See which 14 Southeastern cities are worth looking into for middle-class families.
LivScore: 689
Population: 100,391
Median home value: $318,319
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LivScore: 678
Population: 380,913
Median home value: $247,510
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LivScore: 676
Population: 258,495
Median home value: $244,376
LivScore: 674
Population: 306,434
Median home value: $236,451
LivScore: 674
Population: 228,603
Median home value: $302,276
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LivScore: 666
Population: 80,478
Median home value: $318,639
LivScore: 648
Population: 204,000
Median home value: $276,074
LivScore: 646
Population: 129,386
Median home value: $258,778
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LivScore: 646
Population: 142,731
Median home value: $249,080
LivScore: 644
Population: 204,761
Median home value: $224,033
LivScore: 643
Population: 92,685
Median home value: $236,303
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LivScore: 639
Population: 143,853
Median home value: $250,373
LivScore: 634
Population: 191,223
Median home value: $298,784
LivScore: 633
Population: 201,970
Median home value: $163,376
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 14 Most Livable Cities for Middle-Class Families in the Southeast
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This City Was Just Named the Best Place to Retire With Great Weather On $2,000 a Month
While factors like cost of living and access to healthcare are crucial for many retirees planning to relocate, another important consideration is weather. Recently, GOBankingRates determined the top 25 communities with good weather, where retirees can live on a budget of $2,000 a month or less. The personal finance website analyzed U.S. cities for factors like population, age demographics, weather, and cost of living. All the data was collected as of July 14, 2025, and sorted to show the city with the highest overall livability score. Coming out on top is Tallahassee, Florida, which scored 85 out of 100. The Florida state capital has a healthy mix of recreational activities and affordability, with a cost of living that is almost 10 percent lower than the national average for a person over 65. Eleven percent of Tallahassee's population is of retirement age. The monthly cost of living for a homeowner on Social Security is $1,248, while a retiree renting a home can expect to spend $995 in monthly expenses. Tallahassee boasts abundant parks, hiking trails, exciting nightlife, and a lively arts scene. The city has a tropical climate with summer highs in the low 90s, while in the winter, average highs are in the mid-60s. According to the city has high heat and precipitation risk. Florida also snagged the No. 2 spot on GOBankingRates' ranking, with Fort Myers coming up behind Tallahassee. It also scored 85 points for livability, and has an even larger retiree population at 22.2 percent. However, the cost of living in Fort Myers is 4.2 percent higher than the national average. The Sunshine State offers many tax breaks for residents—most notably, no income and inheritance taxes—allowing retirees to maximize their income, while enjoying plenty of outdoor activities like golfing, fishing, and lying on the beach. The top five is rounded out by Raleigh, North Carolina, at No. 3 (livability score: 84); Pensacola, Florida, at No.4 (livability score: 83); and Greenville, South Carolina, at No.5 (livability score: 82). The only city in the West to make it to the top 10 was Las Vegas at No. 7. You can see the complete list on
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Here's How Much You'll Pay in Mortgage Interest in These 15 Cities — Is Buying a Home Still Worth It?
House hunters in the United States continue to face the double whammy of near-record home prices and high mortgage rates. In some cases, the mortgage interest alone might be enough to dissuade people from buying a home. Try This: For You: Nationally, the average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 6.74%, according to the latest data from Freddie Mac. That hasn't changed much over the past year but it remains well above the sub-3% rates seen earlier in the decade. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve reports that homes in the U.S. sold for a median price of $410,800 during the 2025 second quarter — down from a record of $442,600 in late 2022 but still much higher than the historical average. GOBankingRates reveal how much mortgage interest you'll pay in 15 cities — and whether buying a home in these popular spots are still worth it. Ballooning Interest Payments The combination of pricey housing and high mortgage rates means some homeowners will spend a lot more in mortgage interest than most Americans pay for a single home. A recent study from JW Surety Bonds found that homeowners in major U.S. cities will spend an average of nearly $490,000 on interest over the lifetime of a 30-year loan. That number was based on a mortgage interest rate of 6.89%. Check Out: For its study, JW Surety Bonds collected data from Freddie Mac and Zillow and analyzed historical mortgage interest rates and median home values across the top 50 most populous U.S. cities. Researchers also surveyed 970 U.S. adults to get their pulse on the current housing market. Nearly one-quarter (23%) or potential first-time homebuyers said the most they would be willing to pay in lifetime interest is $200,000 to $300,000. That's not only much less than what the average buyer would pay under current conditions — it doesn't even come close to what homeowners in some cities face. These Cities Have the Highest and Lowest Interest Payments Homeowners in the priciest U.S. cities can expect to pay more than $1 million over the course of a 30-year mortgage loan at current rates. Here's how much you'll pay in mortgage interest in the 10 most expensive cities for average home prices: San Jose, California: $1,665,279 San Francisco, California: $1,424,814 San Diego, California: $1,124,184 Los Angeles, California: $1,070,928 Seattle, Washington: $972,213 Long Beach, California: $935,920 New York, New York: $841,886 Boston, Massachusetts: $831,328 Washington, DC: $663,344 Miami, Florida: $646,056 Here are the five cities with the cheapest home prices and lowest interest payments: Detroit, Michigan: $83,959 Memphis, Tennessee: $160,339 Baltimore, Maryland: $204,197 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: $220,772 Milwaukee, Wisconsin: $228,521 Is Buying a Home Worth It? Whether you should buy a home right now mainly depends on your financial situation. If you're financially comfortable, with little debt and enough saved up for a large down payment, there's no reason you shouldn't go ahead and buy a home even with mortgage rates at their highest point in decades. On the other hand, Ramsey Solutions recommends holding off on a new home if any of the following apply to you: You have a lot of current debt that needs to be paid down. You don't have a full emergency fund that can cover at least three to six months of typical expenses. You haven't saved enough for a down payment that can cover at least 5% to 10% of the home price for first-time buyers, or 20% of the home price for most others. You can't afford the house payment based on your current income and budget. More From GOBankingRates 5 Old Navy Items Retirees Need To Buy Ahead of Fall The New Retirement Problem Boomers Are Facing This article originally appeared on Here's How Much You'll Pay in Mortgage Interest in These 15 Cities — Is Buying a Home Still Worth It? Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
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America's 50 Most Livable Retirement Towns
Many retirement towns may be cheap to live in but lack the livability necessary for retirees to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. Discover More: Read Next: The 50 towns ranked in GOBankingRates' new original study are ranked in order of their livability index scores, as sourced via AreaVibes, to represent the nation's most livable retirement towns. This study referenced the U.S. Census 2023 5-Year American Community Survey to source cities with total populations of at least 10,000 and population percentages for ages 65 and over of at least 33%, plus the median household income in each location. Key Findings Dunedin, Florida, ranked as the nation's most livable retirement town. The city's livability score of 84 propelled it to the top spot. Nearly 35% of the population is 65 or over. The three most livable retirement towns are in Florida. Dunedin, Ormond Beach and Sebastian, each of which have livability scores of 83 or 84. Florida towns dominated, with 26 in the top 50. Seven ranked among the top 10, including Dunedin (#1), Ormond Beach (#2), Sebastian (#3), Gulfport (#6), Estero (#8), Naples (#9) and Venice (#10). Eight Arizona cities made this list: Oro Valley (#5), Cottonwood (#11), Prescott (#30), Sun City (#34), Catalina Foothills (#35), Fountain Hills (#44), Apache Junction (#47) and Payson (#48). Take a look at the 50 most livable retirement towns in America. Find Out: Read Next: 1. Dunedin, Florida Population 65+ (%): 34.7% Median household income: $68,068 Livability: 84 Be Aware: 2. Ormond Beach, Florida Population 65+ (%): 33.3% Median household income: $67,482 Livability: 83 3. Sebastian, Florida Population 65+ (%): 35.9% Median household income: $68,863 Livability: 83 4. Parole, Maryland Population 65+ (%): 34.4% Median household income: $119,591 Livability: 82 5. Oro Valley, Arizona Population 65+ (%): 34.9% Median household income: $105,342 Livability: 81 6. Gulfport, Florida Population 65+ (%): 35.6% Median household income: $68,617 Livability: 81 See More: 7. Pompton Plains, New Jersey Population 65+ (%): 34.7% Median household income: $113,661 Livability: 79 8. Estero, Florida Population 65+ (%): 50.7% Median household income: $100,459 Livability: 79 9. Naples, Florida Population 65+ (%): 56.2% Median household income: $140,833 Livability: 79 10. Venice, Florida Population 65+ (%): 59.9% Median household income: $74,340 Livability: 79 11. Cottonwood, Arizona Population 65+ (%): 34.1% Median household income: $47,162 Livability: 77 Explore Next: 12. Ocean City, New Jersey Population 65+ (%): 34.2% Median household income: $101,782 Livability: 77 13. Mesquite, Nevada Population 65+ (%): 45% Median household income: $74,439 Livability: 77 14. Tavares, Florida Population 65+ (%): 38% Median household income: $57,644 Livability: 76 15. Punta Gorda, Florida Population 65+ (%): 53.6% Median household income: $79,291 Livability: 76 16. Mount Dora, Florida Population 65+ (%): 33.1% Median household income: $69,931 Livability: 75 Check Out: 17. Burr Ridge, Illinois Population 65+ (%): 35.8% Median household income: $154,508 Livability: 75 18. Willow Street, Pennsylvania Population 65+ (%): 38.7% Median household income: $106,867 Livability: 75 19. Huntley, Illinois Population 65+ (%): 35% Median household income: $86,349 Livability: 74 20. Murrells Inlet, South Carolina Population 65+ (%): 37% Median household income: $75,438 Livability: 74 21. Garden City, South Carolina Population 65+ (%): 38% Median household income: $50,027 Livability: 74 For You: 22. Cypress Lake, Florida Population 65+ (%): 43.1% Median household income: $62,767 Livability: 74 23. North Fort Myers, Florida Population 65+ (%): 47.2% Median household income: $55,696 Livability: 74 24. West Vero Corridor, Florida Population 65+ (%): 51.8% Median household income: $59,162 Livability: 74 25. Fredericksburg, Texas Population 65+ (%): 33.9% Median household income: $57,474 Livability: 73 26. Pinehurst, North Carolina Population 65+ (%): 39.4% Median household income: $104,955 Livability: 73 Read More: 27. Hudson, Florida Population 65+ (%): 48.1% Median household income: $49,063 Livability: 73 28. Laguna Woods, California Population 65+ (%): 83% Median household income: $60,235 Livability: 73 29. Fernandina Beach, Florida Population 65+ (%): 37.7% Median household income: $92,535 Livability: 72 30. Prescott, Arizona Population 65+ (%): 40.5% Median household income: $69,151 Livability: 72 31. Englewood, Florida Population 65+ (%): 59.4% Median household income: $65,557 Livability: 72 That's Interesting: 32. Cocoa Beach, Florida Population 65+ (%): 35.3% Median household income: $82,381 Livability: 71 33. Iona, Florida Population 65+ (%): 59% Median household income: $66,143 Livability: 71 34. Sun City, Arizona Population 65+ (%): 74.9% Median household income: $52,111 Livability: 71 35. Catalina Foothills, Arizona Population 65+ (%): 34.9% Median household income: $113,201 Livability: 70 36. New Smyrna Beach, Florida Population 65+ (%): 35.3% Median household income: $78,373 Livability: 70 View Next: 37. St. Simons Island, Georgia Population 65+ (%): 38% Median household income: $105,944 Livability: 70 38. Bonita Springs, Florida Population 65+ (%): 42.9% Median household income: $90,486 Livability: 70 39. Laurel, Florida Population 65+ (%): 44.9% Median household income: $89,282 Livability: 70 40. Lady Lake, Florida Population 65+ (%): 52.4% Median household income: $47,260 Livability: 70 41. Marco Island, Florida Population 65+ (%): 59% Median household income: $104,105 Livability: 70 Trending Now: 42. The Villages, Florida Population 65+ (%): 85.2% Median household income: $76,523 Livability: 70 43. North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Population 65+ (%): 38.8% Median household income: $72,111 Livability: 69 44. Fountain Hills, Arizona Population 65+ (%): 39.6% Median household income: $104,788 Livability: 69 45. Wildwood, Florida Population 65+ (%): 42.6% Median household income: $71,858 Livability: 69 46. Bayonet Point, Florida Population 65+ (%): 33.2% Median household income: $42,157 Livability: 68 Learn More: 47. Apache Junction, Arizona Population 65+ (%): 33.7% Median household income: $58,619 Livability: 67 48. Payson, Arizona Population 65+ (%): 37.8% Median household income: $65,175 Livability: 66 49. Little River, South Carolina Population 65+ (%): 43.6% Median household income: $64,590 Livability: 66 50. Ocean Pines, Maryland Population 65+ (%): 44.2% Median household income: $91,400 Livability: 66Editor's note: Photos are for illustrative purposes only. In many cases, the closest major city outside of the city mentioned in the article was used. Methodology: GOBankingRates analyzed cities with at least 10,000 total population and a population percent for ages 65 and over of at least 33%, as sourced from U.S. Census 2023 5-Year American Community Survey. The total households and household median income was also sourced from the same source. Using the livability index was sourced for each location in order to help determine the overall quality of life. The cities were sorted to show the highest livability index first representing the most livable retirement towns. All data was collected on and is up to date as of July 29, 2025. More From GOBankingRates 5 Ways Trump Signing the GENIUS Act Could Impact Retirees10 Unreliable SUVs To Stay Away From Buying This article originally appeared on America's 50 Most Livable Retirement Towns Solve the daily Crossword
