Not just one but two Alabama cities just made the top 10 list of least expensive urban areas in The Council for Community and Economic Research’s (C2ER) Quarter 3 2023 Cost of Living Index. Keep reading to find out where they are and why they made the list.

Florence + Annison-Calhoun County

Coming in at #6 was Anniston-Calhoun County, Alabama. Right behind it at #7 was Florence, Alabama. Both urban areas had an 83.0 cost of living index, nearly 20 percent below the national average (index 100).

This index measures the cost of living based on six component categories:

Housing
Utilities
Grocery items
Transporation
health care
Miscellaneous goods + services

C2ER explains their methodology as follows:

“The Cost of Living Index measures regional differences in the cost of consumer goods and services, excluding taxes and non-consumer expenditures, for professional and managerial households in the top income quintile. Covering 61 different items, prices are collected quarterly by chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, and university applied economic centers in each participating urban area.”
The Council for Community and Economic Research

In addition to being in the overall top 10, Florence was ranked the #4 least expensive place for apartment rent in Q3, with the average rate there being $753 compared to the average of $1,547.

More to love about Florence + Anniston

Florence and Anniston both have a lot going for them besides being affordable areas to live. Here are some of our favorite new spots in these charming cities:

Cypress Row, a family-owned spot, is opening soon in downtown Florence.
A new bookstore and coffee shop, Court Street Books, is coming to Florence this winter.
In downtown Anniston, Lulu’s Place just opened, and the community is loving it.
The beautiful new Anniston City Market just celebrated its grand opening.

Want updates like this delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter today.