According to U.S. News and World Report, Hickory, North Carolina is the cheapest place to live in the U.S. This month, U.S. News and World Report released its ranking of the cities with the lowest cost of living, based on the median gross rent and annual housing costs for mortgage-paying homeowners. The average Hickory home value is $276,748, up 5.3% over the past year, according to Zillow's Home Value Index. Youngstown, Ohio is the second cheapest place to live in the U.S., according to U.S. News and World Report. Since 2010, new businesses have been popping up in its downtown, according to U.S. News and World Report.

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