Looking for an affordable place to hang your proverbial hat? If so, Southwest Michigan is a great choice.

Among the 257 urban areas that participated in the first quarter 2020 Cost of Living (COL) Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research, the after-tax cost for a professional/managerial standard of living ranged from more than twice the national average in downtown Manhattan to almost 25 percent below in McAllen, Texas. Southwest Michigan’s geographical center—Kalamazoo, Michigan—ranks in the top three most affordable urban areas in the nation and boasts a cost of living that is 21.6 percent less than the national average.

How do we stack up?

Cost of living is often top of mind for those considering a relocation for work or family. Employers too should gather location intelligence on the communities in which they operate or are considering for investment.

While other communities advertise a low cost of living, Southwest Michigan makes that claim based on fact: the community has the third lowest cost of living in the nation as confirmed by the COL Index. Affordable housing in the region’s geographic center—Kalamazoo-Portage MI Metro—is the top driver for landing it at the top of the list, as well as low prices at the grocery store and for miscellaneous expenses like hamburgers, pizza, movie tickets, and more!

Take a look at how the community’s overall cost of living compares to peer regions across reported categories in our full report.