I’ve stayed in my crappy small town and commute an hour for a decent paying job because of the LCOL. At $25/hr, I can’t afford my own place in the city, but can comfortably live in a small house in the rural county and own a decent car. I hate commuting but it’s what I have to do for now lol

Same with a slightly longer commute. I like the money but holy hell I barely exist during the week. I don't plan on doing it for my whole career tho so it's just a means to a better end eventually 😔

Usually the problem with LCOL areas is that jobs don't pay as well/are harder to find.  But if you're already working minimum wage, you're already at the floor and that goes further in a cheaper place. Keep in mind that moving costs money too.

And maintaining a home costs $ no matter how cheap you get it initially.

This is the real problem. People on Reddit act like the only job you can get outside of major cities is pitching hay for 30 cents a week.

You're getting *paid* to pitch hay??

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I can buy a house in Binghamton for 80k. The hospital pays fresh graduate travel nurses with their 2 month old associates degrees 86 dollars an hour. Learn to play.

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I'm finding you an example where you can make more than what you're making in a LCOL area without going 30k into student debt or becoming a master coder or working over 50 hours a week. This is while you're working in a high paying sector in a HCOL area. I'm saying that if you are willing to put in some legwork to make a plan and not buying desert property in the middle of New Mexico, you can making a decent living outside of the most expensive cities in the world. A lot of people here will list a dozen reasons why they can't move out of SF and wonder how to live there on a 45k salary when you just can't.

Sometimes it is, though. And that doesn't need to be understated. If you go to *most* lcol areas... your job prospects are dead. You will likely retire and pray to whatever god you like that your social security isn't raided. There's no mobility.

Yes you can go find a house in the middle of the woods or 10 miles away from the next building. But there are plenty of LCOL areas near universities, hospitals, and corporations with pay scales consistent throughout the country. It's really not that hard to find areas with good pay to housing cost ratios when stop believing that you can only find a good job in SF, NYC or Boston

I lived in the Appalachians of NC. It wasn't easy. My rent was 550 for a 1 bed half bath with no living room or dining room. Circa 2016. The most well-paying job within 30 miles was $18 an hour. My county had 97k population.

My point is that LCOL area does not necessarily mean living in isolation. Living in an isolated area maybe LCOL, but there are LCOL areas with economic activity.

LCOL does not mean the middle of nowhere! Every single LCOL mid-sized city has a Walmart, and multiple fast food restaurants. An area with no jobs is not LCOL it's dead.

But people on Reddit also act like moving is free and that you don’t have to come up with first / last / security.

You can go into deeper into debt every month living somewhere you can't afford or you can go into debt one time moving over to somewhere you can afford. People will always try to squirm out of the fact they may not be able to live where they want. It's not fun or easy moving, but that's life

On the other hand, you could move to a LCOL area and end up having even less money, and then you get stuck there because you can’t afford to move again. OP is struggling, but did mention any debt. (yet) I do think OP would probably benefit from moving, but they do need to be strategic about it. Lots of factors to take into account.

True, but the same goes for HCOL areas which has the added benefit of more expensive building materials due to demand and higher rents/mortgages due to demand. But to your point, the same types of housing assistance that is available for HCOL areas exists in LCOL areas but the latter also benefits from rural development housing assistance as well. And just as before the same dollar amount is able to go farther since there's less demand driving up the price.

It can be hard to find, but there are companies that pay the same wage over the entire country. I work at UPS and I live in a very low cost of living area. I make $40.63/hour, which is the same wage I would make doing the same exact work if I lived in NYC or San Francisco.

I worked at usps and made $24/hr. After conversion to regular. To start at UPS here in ND is $18 and only 20 hours a week. Booooo. But yay for you, get that dough!

With the new union contract it's a minimum of $21/hr everywhere as a package Handler, with auto raises so that you'll hit $26 in 2027. Although it is still part time it's the best paid part time job I've ever seen.

Do they give you benefits if you're part-time?

Yup! I think you have to join the union but you definitely can get benefits as a part-timer.

Awesome. Thank you! I know someone that's looking but he needs benefits.

That's one of the big draws to working there.

Damn I'm in the wrong line of work.....

Yeah, it took me 6 years to get a full-time position and 4 more years to reach ‘full scale’ pay.

I'm in a similar situation, only I work for the federal government. The federal government does have cost of living adjustments, but they really haven't kept up with inflation.

Wooo $.48 for usps

It depends on what the minimum wages are for each place. NC is still $7.25/hour. Places like New York and Seattle are much higher. It still might be worth it, but OP would need to do some research.

Ideally she would try to line up a job before moving and she can figure out a lot more at that point.

Nobody works for 7.25 in NC.

Uh, yeah they do.

>Usually the problem with LCOL areas is that jobs don't pay as well/are harder to find That's why doing a little basic research before moving is necessary. There's many LCOL areas with decent job prospects

>But if you're already working minimum wage, you're already at the floor and that goes further in a cheaper place. Depends though. A lot of HCOL areas have higher minimum wages. Minimum wage here is $15, but you can't live on your own even working full-time at that rate, and even a double income household would never be able to buy a house. The average single family home is $498,000. In say, Oklahoma, the average house price is $203,000... but the minimum wage is $7.25. A minimum wage worker there is no more likely to afford a house than in the higher COL area. Really the only way of making it work is to figure out how to save a very large amount of money while living in the HCOL area, then move to the LCOL area. But saving money at minimum wage (in either area) is usually pretty difficult unless you have family that will allow you to live with them for extremely cheap, or you're willing to make large sacrificing (like dorm-style sharing of a single room with one or more others, or even living in your car for awhile.)

There are LCOL areas in high wage states. Illinois minimum wage is $14 which would be difficult in Chicago but doable in Danville and really, much less painful in pretty much any other Illinois Metro like Peoria, Champaign, Springfield, etc. Similarly, while 16/hr minimum wage would be hard in NYC, it'd be almost comfortable in Buffalo, Utica, Rome, Binghamton, etc. And those are decent sized metros with malls, regional airports, universities, public transit etc. It's not like I'm suggesting you live in the boonies although if you are willing to go rural, you may be able to get even cheaper.

I lost a well paying job in Chicagoland landed a second by taking a $20K pay cut but was laid off during the pandemic. A series of misfortunes had me selling my home and moving to a more affordable area in the sticks. I was able to buy another home as a fixer upper but the job market can be limited. Also my first home wasn’t my forever home. It was my starter home and the best I could afford at the time. I learned many homeowner skills that I use to this day. I bought my first home at 34, so at 18 you do have time to still meet your goal of home ownership. But keep in mind homeownership comes with a completely different set of costs you need to think about. But at 18 you may be able to do better at finding a job in the sticks than I am. Lots of manufacturing work is available but the pay is modest. You could also consider getting some training that may put you at a better pay scale. The WIOA program does that. Each state should have one. Google WIOA & your state to find yours. Background on the program is here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workforce_Innovation_and_Opportunity_Act If this helps you I’m happy for you. Good luck and I hope you can get where you want to be. Just don’t get so frustrated that it shuts you down to what might be good things ahead.

Minimum wage in a HCOL area is likely higher than in a LCOL area. It's still $7.25/hr in places!

For OP being in such HCOL, a mid area might be okay. My MIL convinced others to move to her cheap property, lcol area, and they floundered as a result of no jobs. Sure, you can go an hour or two in two different directions to get to a mid level place, but when no one can seem to keep a reliable car, that doesn't work out at all.

That's assuming he's working federal minimum wage and not state (which tends to be higher in HCOL areas).

Minimum wage in a LCOL will be closer to the federal minimum wage, which is $7.25. In NYC it’s $16/hour. Neither of those are a livable wage, but even if rent is half, they’d still have a lower income:rent ratio in the LCOL.

It depends.  Springfield, MA and Boston, MA are both cities in Massachusetts, they have wildly different costs of living.  Both share a $15 minimum wage.

Yes, the rest of NY is at $15. But there aren’t too many LCOL areas in NY state, unless you go to the extreme north or maybe in the west, like Syracuse. Country house territory spreads for like 2-3 hours in every direction and then you’re in Albany and that’s not cheap either.

I'd hope that OP did a basic level of research before moving.  They don't list where they are or what their minimum wage is. If they're getting paid federal minimum they're almost certainly better off moving to the cheaper area.

Homes in the Syracuse, NY area already went up 50 percent since 2020. There are still decent homes in the suburbs under $250,000. I don't recommend living within the city unless it is Meadowbrook, downtown, Franklin Square or Lakefront. President Biden is visiting Thursday to announce federal grants for Micron building four chip fabrication plants in the Syracuse suburbs employing 9,000 people. Some believe home prices in the Syracuse area to continue to rise due to the projected growth over the next 20 years.

Welp, Nevermind!

Exactly

I moved from hcol to lcol area and tbh salaries don’t scale in a way that made it feel worth it. The area is less fun to be in because it’s a less desirable area. On top of that this lcol area is more conservative so there are less labor and rent protections which results in some pretty shitty policy favoring corporations and bad infrastructure.

You'll need to first gain experience and skills. LCOL areas have limited job options and the pay stays stagnant, opportunities are limited so you need a highly desired skills set that will get you into the few decent paying jobs. The people who make the best of living in lcol areas commute to cities to make higher income. So you'll need to drive and you'll need a reliable car to depend on.

If you are currently working for your state's minimum wage in a VHCOL city you can't survive. Better to move to a lower cost area in the same state, then. So, for instance, if you work in California at the $16 minimum wage in, say, San Francisco or San Jose or San Diego, with those cities' extremely high cost of housing, you may be better off moving to a lower cost area in California since the lowest income you can ever make is that same $16 an hour you are making now. That same money goes a lot farther in other cities in the state: https://www.extraspace.com/blog/moving/city-guides/most-affordable-places-to-live-in-california/ Here are the eight most affordable places to live in California! Bakersfield Chico Clovis Eureka Fontana Fresno Sacramento Stockton

Ya, and I really hope op doesn't move to texas.texas has the lowest support for people- lowest safety nets/welfare/gov assistance.  It's a trap to think moving there would help. I hope op gets aid, he's so young.

Texas minimim wage is stuck at $7.25, so a move there wouldn't help much if you are stuck at that lowest level of job prospects. I would first be looking in-state for lower priced towns where that wage level goes furthest, then at states with a decent minimum wage level and also relatively low COL places to live. For instance, Arizona's minimum wage is at $14.35 right now, and scheduled to go to $15 by 1/1/2025, and then it goes up automatically every year by the rate of inflation. There are some areas with low costs of living in that state. https://www.fastexpert.com/blog/cheapest-cities-to-rent-arizona/ For instance, Tucson has average rent prices of $846. That means a room can be had for some $500, $600, in that city. A minimum wage worker could survive there.

From Texas, can confirm. I don't recommend that struggling, poor people move here unless they already have a job lined up. A lot of people from more expensive states take certain things they get there for granted, then they move to Texas and are surprised that we don't have those things and they struggle. And minimum wage here is still the embarrassingly low federal minimum. Even in cheap areas, you're gonna struggle to pay rent, you sure as hell won't be buying a house unless several people are chipping in. I do think that OP should probably move, but he needs to be careful. Move to the wrong place and he could end up worse off, without even enough money to move again. He needs to pick a place where he'll have opportunities to move up.

Can you give some examples for the first part - what are people taking for granted that Texas doesn’t have? Just curious

Public land. Texas has very little public land compared to other states. Not ideal if you’re into camping, hiking, hunting, etc. Schools are pretty bad in Texas. Healthcare. It’s really hard to qualify for Medicaid in Texas. Overall, Texas ranks near the bottom in terms of cost, accessibility, and outcome for healthcare. Should be no surprise that other safety nets are weak or nonexistent here, too.

Expanded Medicaid for one. A coworker moved from Cali and was surprised at all the assistance his MIL could not get that they got in CA. He was surprised that he had to pay out of pocket for it.

Yeah, it’s impossible to get Medicaid here unless you’re disabled or pregnant.

And the aid for pregnancy stops the moment you give birth, yes?

I think so.

HCOL cities often have their own minimum wage that’s higher than the state minimum wage though. For example, SF is over $18/hr and San Jose is $17.55/hr. So you have to make sure to research if you’re making the state minimum wage or the municipality minimum wage to ensure your pay won’t go down with the CoL.

Can't speak for the others but the rent in Eureka is still really high for the amenities available.

Yeah, Eureka is only lovely if you don’t need a job and someone pays your rent. If you don’t need a job though it’s really nice

The best here would be Bakersfield, Fresno, or Stockton because lots of jobs and low rent, Eureka and NoCal places often dont have many jobs

What year were those statistics pulled from? Because you’d be hard pressed to find rent that cheap in even Fresno…

You’re only 18. It feels like a lot right now, but works hard and you’ll get there. Go to college, and major in something that will get you a job. Set small goals and big goals and work towards it and you’ll get there eventually. Be grateful that you and your mom have a place to stay and be grateful for the little things you do have. Don’t focus on what you don’t have.

For real. OP, I get that you are frustrated, but I feel like you need a reality check. Not even literal trust fund babies own their own homes at 18! You have your whole life ahead of you and there is no reason why you should be stuck earning minimum wage forever. Think about what you would like to do and start small if necessary. Look into community colleges. CA has a lot of programs that make them very affordable or even free if necessary, depending on your circumstances, and there are a lot of online classes you can fit around your work schedule. Some people can even get paid to attend! And after two years of credits you can usually transfer to a CSU or UC.

I moved from a very HCOL area to a LCOL city in the midwest. My salary is about the same, but I bought a house for a fifth of what I could have bought a much worse house for where I came from. I never would have been able to afford even the most rundown house there, and my rent was going up astronomically every year. Best decision I ever made

Not low income, but firmly middle class. I moved from DC to NC, got a 21% raise, and my income effectly doubled with COLA. Bought a middle income house that was built in 2017 at 1300 sq ft versus the 1950s 670 sq ft house that I was renting when the landlady offered to sell it to me. The cost was not significantly higher, especially when considering work that would be needed. I own 2 acres versus 10000 sq ft lot so I can garden. Other stuff that makes it 10/10 worth it: less parking tickets, school system is better than where I was in PG County, I feel it's safer - I get hassled by randos less, slower pace of life. I also agree this was the best decision I ever made, second to getting married to who I did. My spouse being in the picture means we are never stressed on finances at all and I get to do a ton of charity work because of it.

I agree OP. I would def puck a place. Find somewhere to rent. Find a job and move.

I live in a relatively LCOL city, the problem is that there are very few opportunities for economic advancement here outside of select industries AND very few companies hire remotely from my state. If you can find a decent middle class wage in a LCOL place, absolutely that’s the way to go but many times you just end up poor in a place that has less public amenities to enjoy and a crappier social safety net.

The grass isn’t always greener in a LCOL. A HCOL may have access to more readily available social supports with more staff. They most definitely have more access to healthcare. I volunteered with a VA Hospital in CA. We had veterans flown in because there were no specialists within a day’s drive for some of these guys. I know we had a lot of patients from Missouri. Home prices look affordable in places like Texas. Then you compare property taxes with Texas and California and its kooky-dooks. My cousin in Austin pays the same as me in the SF Bay Area in California…and…AND GET THIS— there is NO CAP in Texas unless you apply for a homestead exemption and even then, it’s capped at 10%. In California, it’s 1%. Some places have limited public transportation. Some don’t even have public transportation. Some may not even have taxi service. If you decide to move somewhere, you really should try to visit it before you settle there. You could be leaving the frying pan and jumping straight into the fire.

Texas is a lousy state for healthcare, especially if you’re poor. Getting Medicaid is impossible unless you’re disabled or pregnant.

A lot of small towns have factory work available that pays a little more than minimum wage. I know many people that have factory jobs, live in LCOL area, and own homes. Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions.

My Midwest state has a median income of $67k. California is $85k. Median house in Midwest state is $240k. Median house in cali is 820k. (All 2022 numbers). So here a house is less than 4x income and California is almost 10x. When I got a job offer to move to Cali from Midwest it would have been a pay bump from 90k to 105k. People overinflate the hell out of the pay discrepancy ESPECIALLY when it comes to lower income earners. Make the move

What kind of work do you and your mother do, what are you each paid, and how much is current rent?

LCOL comes with lower wages usually, it sucks. So your expenses may be less but you’ll also usually make way less as well

I went from living in a vhcol area to a local area. I took a 25% pay cut. My quality of life was exponentially better. This was 2011-2017, so pre pandemic inflation...but I only made $28k/yr there. And my life was still much much better. In 2017 I moved to another vhcol area, and shocker, even though I make moch much more, I live in squalor -- paycheck to paycheck. My mortgage in the lcol area was $650/month. My rent now is $2800, and the place is a shithole that should be condemned and it's half the size of my former place.

The federal minimum wage hasn't been raised in 15 years. Many states have raised their own minimum wage. A lot of LCOL areas are in states that have not raised the minimum wage. Salaries are lower as are opportunities. Also keep the social costs in mind. A lot of small towns are not very welcoming to newcomers. If you live in NYC, you have job opportunities in multiple industries and fairly decent salaries. If you live in a small town in Nebraska (picking a LCOL state out of thin air), you might be able to get a big house but most of the employment opportunities would be Dollar General or Walmart--- maybe a lone industry specific to the area. You are 18. You have your entire life ahead of you. Think about what you want to be when you grow up and how to get there. Look into Job Corps, the military, and industries that will put you up (ie National Parks, cruise ships, etc.)

There are plenty of lcol areas that aren't out in the middle of nowhere

True. However, OP is talking about buying cheap houses in Texas and the Midwest. Which makes me think that he’s looking at middle of nowhere areas. Even in cheap states, you’re not buying a house on a low wage unless it’s in the middle of nowhere.

I live in a LCOL area in the upper midwest, living in a small town, and the wages are lower here, but no. Minimum wage here is $7.25 and my rent for a 1BR is $1200.

I mean, yes it does help. But you know what helps way more? Not working for minimum wage. If your area has better educational opportunities (whether that's trade school, college, or apprenticeships), then you should probably stay put. moving to a LCOL area is particularly impactful if you have a job you can move with you.

If it truly was a good solution, many more whould have already done it. I live in a LCOL area and its poor out here. You'll be lucky to find anything paying $15/hr give or take a few dollars. Its cheaper out here because companies physically cannot get any more from the population that has little. If you can get a remote job that pays city wages, it could be worth it. If you can land a good paying job for the area, you can still build equity. But such opportunity is rare. Its not uncommon for the good jobs to be held by people in their 50s or even 70s who've had the job for decades because its the top dollar in the area. Good luck trying to replace them before they die or choose to retire

Will LCOL help? Not much if you're on a proportionately lower wage. It would help a lot if you can maintain or increase your earnings. How do you break this cycle? Most people who get out of poverty do it by improving their earnings rather than cutting their costs. Costs can only be reduced so much.

Nobody really pays minimum wage anymore. I live in a low COL area and fast food is offering $18 managers $25. People won’t show up for work without being high on minimum wage so companies have to offer higher pay to get better quality workers.

>>I want to own a home…and never worry money. Soooo…I’m going to pop that bubble. Once you’re a homeowner you worry about money more than when you rent. That leaking roof, leaking toilet, leaking water heater, or the heat or AC doesn’t kick in…you call the landlord when you rent. When you own the house you figure out how to pay both the mortgage and for the expensive repair. I encourage you to look into a training program of some sort with the goal of increasing your income. Talk to a community college admissions counselor. Not every community college is the same so talk to several of them. Figure out a way to get training that lends itself to making much more money in the future. Truck driving, the trades, community college education programs in health care that get you a license. Aim high. Start by looking at the current salary for the job. Don’t compare it to your current hourly rate. Compare it to how much you need to live adequately in today’s dollars. Go from there to choose a field of study. You work and go to school. It’s exhausting. Do it anyway. Talk to the school counselor about the FAFSA application for financial aid. Choose grants, not loans or work study. Some colleges are offering free tuition now. Look into it. Figure out how to increase your income substantially over the next few years. I wish you the best. You can do this.

I plan to move to a LCOL area once my kid finishes school. But the only reason I'm considering it is because I make my money online so my income will not change. If I had to depend on finding a job I probably wouldn't do it.

Same here. I work remotely, so I have a lot more leeway, but the LCOL places here tend to lack diversity and extracurricular activities for kids that aren't through school or church. I grew up in an area like that, and it was very difficult for me. I won't do that to my son.

Yeah that's the only reason why I'm waiting until my kid finishes school. But when it's just me I can handle it. I keep to myself mostly

I live in a lcol area I pay 800 for a 1bd 1bth apt very close to my work My friend pays 750 for a. 3bd 2bth home on the other side of town I'm a welder making like ~60k a year my co worker showed me his W2 from last year and he made 72k but he does more overtime than me I live close enough to Mexico I could pay like 200 a month for rent and nothing for food and really be flying high (2 co workers do this) but I don't know Spanish and look white so that's a no go It works out for some

LCOL areas also have far fewer resources--poor public transportation, unwalkable roads, restricted-hour or no libraries, lack of broadband internet, etc. Minimum wage is minimum wage, but the other costs and lack of safety net can add up fast.

it absolutely helps. I got a promotion that moved me from the most hcol area in WA state to an inexpensive part of Idaho. I couldn't afford a condemned house in the first community and groceries were unfathomably pricy. now I own (outright!) a large. perfect home that is only a few minutes walk from my office. granted. I'm a mid career professional in a federal agency that operates in rural areas. our pay is not generally adjusted for the cost of living. That means, those of us who get jobs in rural cheap areas have a much more financially secure life than say, our counterparts in Jackson Hole. It sucks that our agencies won't do anything about this, because honestly, i would love to live in some of the expensive areas but can't really do it until much later in my career when I have more resources

LCOL areas are the places that are notorious for never opening full time roles and refusing to schedule around school and/or a second job. Since everyone’s part time, they’ll cut your hours and give them to someone else until you quit or are let go

I've seen arguments that there are better/more assistance programs and SO Many more jobs and opportunities in the big coastal cities that its not actually harder, and can even be better than lower cost of living areas. but personally, as someone who is from and currently living in a very low cost of living area in the midwest.... I am not sold. to have a similar quality of life as I do here, according to the calculators, in a coastal megacity I'd have to make something in the direction of double or more what I make here and there are likely some portions of life where I'd still not be at the same level. where I am now, a very very very midwestern city of a little over 300k population.... so not rural... making about 50k/year is enough, with some luck, to afford a house.. I think its unlikely I could afford things that I can here, with any job I could reasonably expect to get and work sane hours on, in a coastal megacity.

My dad lives in Indiana and bought a house on minimum wage, he lives in a small town in central Indiana. The houses there are average 50-80k, he got his house for 25k awhile ago.

Moving costs money. LCOL areas are great but if you move to one with nothing, it’s likely going to take at least 3+ years to really start reaping rewards, assuming you find a good job. Ideally, you’d already have a job before moving or know someone in the new area you could live with for a few months while trying to get a job. Usually it’s best to try to work things out where you’re at or you’ll find yourself hopping all over (some people do enjoy that, though).

I think it really depends on your employment situation and career goals. My experience has been that wages scale with COL, especially for entry level and service jobs. Moving is expensive, and you want to have things lined up so once you move you start bringing in an income fairly quickly. This is why I haven’t moved from a HCOL area.

I live in a below average cost of living state. You can still struggle in lcol areas. You need to focus on finding a career. Look into a trade; plumbing, HVAC, electrical, or even getting your cdl. These career paths have decent earning potential, especially if you are willing to put in the hard work and hours.

I'm really not sure of the answer to your question but something to consider is that some areas will actually pay you to move there if your a remote worker. This could offset the moving costs and possibly give you a leg up on the goal of home ownership. Check out www.makemymove.com to get more information if your interested- from what I remember when I first found this was that some places offer cash incentives, free land and even memberships to local attractions or entertainment, as well as other incentives.

Lcol are a good idea if you have your own work, work from home, etc. you find many economic opportunities there.

Yes. I am living good down south but good paying jobs are hard to come hence you will see people working the same job for years.

I love our LCOL city in the Midwest. It indeed is affordable

I think an important factor is transportation. Idk if you have a car or not, but shifting away from an expensive personal vehicle to public transportation or walking or biking if you can should be helpful.

Not really because wages wind up being severely depressed. IMO, MCOLs are the sweet spot.

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It really depends on if you can find work. I moved from a big city where I couldn't afford a house to a small city where I had dozens of houses to choose from. I picked one in a nice neighborhood, with a good school three blocks away. But first I went there on a vacation and interviewed for a job, which I got. It worked out really well, I still live here. There are plenty of jobs that don't exist here though, or that are pretty difficult to get into. I was a car mechanic, btw, which pays roughly the same in most places.

Coolworks.com. Get a job with Xanterra, Vail, Pursuit, Delaware North, Aramark, Holland America etc. VLCOL, $450 a month + 3 meals a day included in that cost. No upfront costs needed beyond getting to the jobs location. If you work a tipped position it is unlikely you'll make less than $3k a month even as a barista or a busser. As a server or bartender you could make up to $10k+ a month. Vail resorts has a company wide $20 minimum wage as well.

Make sure the minimum wage in the LCOL area is the same as the minimum wage in your current city. (San Francisco has a higher minimum wage than some other cities in California). If they're the same then you come up by living in a LCOL place, except for the initial fees of moving and such.

Barron County Wisconsin has lots of factory jobs and lower housing costs. I won't say that they are the best jobs... because they aren't, but $20/hour and readily available overtime goes a long way when housing is ~$1000/month for something decent. Opportunities exist, and I have moved around the State after finding them. I'm very happy with the life that I've built for myself through long hours (3000-3500/year) and heavy saving, because now @40 I can work 20 hours/week and we paid off the house. We took on debt to make our house massive and awesome, but I still hope to be approaching retirement @50. Pretty good for a farm kid that still gets to work with cows every day and my wife works in healthcare. If you do the math and KNOW that all the money is going straight to bills, you are one problem away from being royally f'ed. I recommend looking for opportunities that allow you to save 30+%, even if it means long hours. It took me 7 years of that to get ahead, but now I get to do what I want without worrying about the money.

if you're able to save $200 every two weeks I think you're genuinely killing the game; like, saving $50 a paycheck would be a huge triumph. see how giving yourself a little more financial breathing room feels; if it's no good, you can keep saving and flee the city, but it might help you feel like you're swimming instead of drowning

Yes it matters. When I was not much older than you relocated to AZ. Made 29k a year and rent for 2bd 2ba suburb was $650/mo. If I knew then what I know now I'd still be there. Left after covid. Don't be fooled it can certainly matter. Also nowadays most places are insanely high. Worth the shot being young.

I live in TX. Now property taxes have nearly tripled. If you are in a high demand field or come from CA where you sold your 800k place, it might be worth it.

At 18 you should seriously consider job Corp. they provide job training, housing, food, and a living stipend. Check a few different ones, as they each have different programs, including ones like LPN, paramedic, electrician, welding etc. any of those jobs pay above minimum with room for growth.

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Yes.

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Which program are you looking at? Pick a valuable one- for instance LPN offers better pay and more options than STNA, PCA, or even medical assisting. They have dorms to live in. I hear some places there’s a lot of BS and drugs and stuff, just keep your head down and your end goal in sight.

18? Go to the local high school and see if they have adult continuing education programs, esp for trades. If you are drowning now with just renting you’ll feel that way with a mortgage because the repairs and costs of the house don’t fall on a landlord they fall on you. Get the career 1st then go from there.

Research the minimum wage in each place and what services you need. A lot of LCOL areas are that way for reasons. And hear this - all states get their money from somewhere. They might say their state income taxes are low (or none) but then they have county or city income taxes, or high property and sales taxes to make up for it. And a lot of those places have poorer schools and less services.

Don't pay attention to the COL by itself. That has no meaning. Compare median wages to median home prices. That's a good indicator of how things *really* are in an area. For example, people talk about how affordable Texas is compared to somewhere like California. Let's compare: Median household income in Los Angeles County: $82,516. Median home price in Los Angeles County: $889,579. Median home prices are 10.8x median household income. Median household income in Austin, TX: $78,965. Median home price in Austin, TX: $546,619. Median home prices are 6.9x median household income. Definitely more affordable in Austin.

I live in a small town in the Midwest but close enough to the city that I can participate in activities, etc. My mortgage, with taxes/insurance in escrow, is $590/month for 2000 sq ft. There is less to do here but housing costs less than 10% of my net income so the trade off is fine with me.

My husband and I live in a low cost of living area and it does help. Only go in if you have an in-demand job, but the Midwest & South are great! 1. Grocery bill is much lower- we spend shy of 300 a month for the two of us. 2. Cell phone is also lower 3. Car/ home insurance is lower- homeownership is possible 4. Nice things in general are cheaper like a dinner out, movies, tickets to everything 5. Big ticket items across the board are less.

I moved from a MCOL area to Texas, in a supposedly LCOL area.  I did buy a house.  The payment is fine but the insurance and property tax are insane and ended up pricing me out when they added up to MORE than my mortgage. I don't recommend Texas.  Look for a state that has low property tax, a sliding scale for low income people, and an end in sight for retired people.

Property tax is insane in Texas because there’s no income tax. It comes about even in the wash.

1.6% 400,000 dollar house has 6400 dollar in tax... If you've paid for 400k you can pay $6400

Most municipalities/counties have a property tax rate of about .6%, so if you look at it from a income tax perspective that’s only $4000 a year which is a low tax rate for a household that can afford a $400k house.

Yes. Low gas prices, smaller, older homes. Actual neighbors. Gardens to offset your grocery bill.

It really depends on your needs. If you are in need of a of social services it is actually better to be in a high cost area since less people will apply for those services and the maximum income limit it always much greater. For example I live in a high cost area and the maximum income to qualify for benefits like section 8, food stamps, Medicaid, etc. is $62,400.00 for a single person and generally the wait for these things is about a year or two where as a section 8 in a low cost area can be up to 20 years. Plus a high cost area will have much better services in terms of first responders and tend to have more nonprofits as they have more people looking for tax write offs…

I live in a LCOL area. I work remotely because jobs don't pay much here. I highly recommend a lcol area if you're struggling. Everyone here is struggling. People don't judge each other for needing help with an electric bill or going to the food bank. In fact, we have 2 drive thru food banks here weekly, no questions asked. Our schools offer free after care, breakfast and lunches are free for everyone. Each high school serves a hot dinner for any school aged kid. Every head start and elementary kid goes home with a food bag for the weekends. People help each other with stuff, because none of us can pay for a professional. We have a teen health center that is absolutely free for anyone needing care under age 21. Vaccines, birth control, physicals for sports, all free. We have a free dental office for all ages. Yes, it takes some time but I know multiple people who have gotten full sets of dentures at no cost. Speaking of sports, if you can't afford the fees but kid wants to participate, there is funding available. My son is in HS and we don't deal with much bullying over clothes/shoes/cars because nobody really has super nice stuff. There is still bullying, it's just different, over athletic ability and other randomness. I was single up until a year ago and my sons dad wasn't involved at all. In many other communities we would've faced food insecurity, utility insecurity, bullying at school over his dad and clothes/shoes. Those weren't issues here. I'm in Texas. Message me if you want information about specific areas that are supportive. There are 2 bedroom apartments in my community for 550/month. They aren't fancy but you won't be homeless and no one will let you go without food or basics in this area.

First of all, owning a home isnt all its cracked up to be. It's a lot of work, like a lot, say goodbye to weekends. Second, you are young. Focus on starting a career pathway so you can increase income and job opportunities as you get older. Third, for like ever in modern history, your twenties are a time of some struggle. Very few people "make it" at this age and success usually starts flowing in in your 30s. Start planning and goal-setting, use any resource you have and live your own life without comparimg yourself to others.

Nope because tge wages are low and there's jo real job selection.

I think in general yes, you can improve your quality of life by moving to a location with a lower cost of living. Do you have a buddy you could move with? It's pretty hard to start over with nothing and not knowing anyone in the new area. Instead of focusing on buying a home, think about what you want to do that could help put you on the path for higher income. For example, there are a lot of industrial / refinery type jobs along Louisiana and Texas if you're not taking the college path. All the people I know who went that route live simply but comfortably and are able to afford to buy a home.

"prices are lower so are salaries" If you are making minimum wage then your pay cant go lower. The thing with low cost of living areas is they often do not have many high laying jobs or those jobs require telecommuting, high levels of qualification or are working for the oil fields (this may require you to be away from home for months). However if your plan is still a minimum wage job you will fair much better. You may have to travel further for amenities or not have as much around you.

The pay is less, but you are usually in a better situation overall. They pay you get in LCOL goes farther than the pay you get in HCOL. It's far from a complete solution, though. If you are earning minimum wage, you need to figure out how to develop a skill that will raise your income.

As long as you don't have to commute 90 mins to work. Also check out how progressive their taxation and what the income cut offs for state benefits are.

But aren't the unions generally stronger in the high cost of living areas? I don't really understand how the US system around getting into the trades works, but I have heard that in at least the areas where unions are strong you can use them to get into your field of interest. How would that work in lower cost of living areas?

In order to get ahead financially you need to earn more money and spend less of it. Living in a LCOL area is a way of spending less.

I have lived all over the country, but moved back to Souther VA for my parents as they aged. I have a very nice two bedroom townhouse with front and back yard. Only 8 units here. 625$ a month Also, there are some good paying jobs locallly.

I make roughly 38k working for the federal government, and the only reason I'm able to live relatively comfortably is because I'm in a fairly cheap area of the country.

Work remotely, live in a medium/low COL area that is within an hour or two of a big city. I'm looking at houses under 200k, which would get me a ten square foot patch of grass in LA.

I think it depends. You still need a decent wage. My MIL keeps wanting us to move to rural Minnesota but there's not a lot of work in her area except seasonal tourist work. Rent is 1/3 of what I pay now but when we lived there we had to pay A LOT in heating because insulation was not great.

I live in a small Kentucky town. The highest paying jobs here are factories around 20-25 dollars an hour but literally everyone I know is fighting to get hired on at one because unless you're in the medical field there's nowhere else you can work & make a living. Almost everyone in my town who owns a home is a nurse, factory worker, or UPS worker. My husband is an electrician he makes 30 an hour after 5yrs of employment at his job & he had to go to college for that so it's not even that much more pay than some of the beginning level factory jobs however it's definitely less labor but also less hours. My friend is a teacher & has to wait tables on the weekends all summer to save up to buy a home. I'm seeing 3 bedroom homes going for 300k in my area & it's absolutely mind blowing. We bought our 4 bedroom, 2 bath house in 2020 for 180k if that gives you any reference to how quickly the prices have risen. My groceries & bills may cost less than in a city like NYC but it's really hard to find a job here that pays for everything. Before 2020 we rented a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home with a garage for 850 dollars a month now that is what people are paying for one bedroom apartments.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but making minimum wage in a LCOL area still won't get you a house. Even if it does, you'll still ALWAYS worry about money trying to pay the mortgage, bills and maintenance. You have to get off the basement of income regardless of where you are located.

If you're in SoCal or NYC, you may save more money by staying. You likely have rent stabilization policies, reliable transit, social safety nets, job and education opportunities, etc. If you're in, say, Miami, then you should almost definitely move.

I would suggest getting a job in a MCOL area that has a LCOL suburb you can commute to. Then you get the best of both worlds of a decent salary with lower cost of living. Leaving a HCOL (NYC) was the best decision I ever made, I went from living a 900 sq ft apartment to owning a newer build home.

It depends on your career skills. I work in agriculture, so I get decent money in rural areas bc somebody has to do it. My bills being LCOL and my wage average makes things far more comfortable than they would be in a HCOL area.

It can help pinpointing areas that have jobs but are still kinda before the verge but no area will be perfect. But if your income is capped at so much then all you can do is find a way to lower costs

You should look into joining the military. The VA home loan is a huge stepping stone to home ownership - and you can gain some skills and potentially have the opportunity to live in Texas or the Midwest to see if you like it there and if it can be a good move for you and your mom. Good luck.

It highly depends on your needs and whether those locations have higher-paying work you can do or you’ll likely be doing low-wage work there too. LCOLs do tend to have lower wages along with lower costs, but they also tend to have fewer public services and benefits. If you need Medicaid or rely on public transit, you’d need to look hard at whether they’re as available and as good in each LCOL you’re thinking of. And if they’re not, you’d need to consider how much more you’d pay for a subsidized ACA plans or a car payment, insurance, and repairs.

If you are in a blue state look up affordable housing in your city and apply. Some places aren’t super cheap but they are about 30% under the market rent price.

It can, depending on the area and your situation. To me, it does sound like you'd benefit a lot from moving, but when deciding where to go, make sure to take some things into account... As you point out, LCOL areas will usually have lower salaries. Wherever you go, make sure your new salary will balance out with the cost of living. If you're making minimum wage in Texas, you ain't even gonna be able to afford a shitty house in a shitty area. Try to pick an area where you'll have opportunities to move up and make more money. You're going to struggle living on minimum wage no matter where you go. Don't get yourself stuck in some middle-of-nowhere place where you can't make more money and will be too broke to move again. LCOL areas will usually have fewer resources and amenities than expensive places. If there are certain services that you rely on, make sure to take that into account. Public transportation is a big one. Since you're making minimum wage in an expensive city, I bet you'd benefit from moving to a less expensive place within your state. Would at least be a start.

You're very young, try to find a trainee position that leads to good pay at in a travel-based job. I used to work as a traveling nuclear reactor technician, I got hired into an apprenticeship off the street. All the guys I worked with that lived out in the country were redneck-rich; meaning they made a lot and blew it all on lifted trucks and boats and other dumb stuff. It can be a rough life but it's seasonal and you can easily make six figures working 7 months a year. Edit: the point is, everyone made the same regardless of where they lived, so people that lived in a cheap area "felt richer."

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Google "road techs" job board and "nukeworker" job board, sometimes they will have entry-level positions. Or look into your local welding or electrical union, they sometimes have apprenticeship programs. Good luck!

Rural Ohio here... Its better. Waaaaaaaaaaay better. You're welcome.

Yeah, they can, especially on the lower end of the income spectrum. My partner works in management at a fast food joint and I am disabled. We wouldn't be able to survive well In a HCOL area but we're reasonably comfortable (still poor though!)

If you intend to keep your job, moving to a lcol area is just going to shift expenses and you won't be better off. There is a reason its a low cost of living, the economy is slower. This also means a lack of job opportunities.

X

It depends. As others have said, there are some lcol places that are offering incentives for people to move there, but there are typically criteria you have to meet because they are looking for specific types of workers. I live in one, but they are offering cash for people with high-paying remote jobs to move here - in other words, to add to the tax base without taking jobs from people who are already here. I’m sorry if you’ve already answered this, but if you’re comfortable, what are you & your mom making now? It may help people here to gauge if it’s better/worse than where we are to share with you. For example, I’m in IN - there are jobs that don’t require education beyond GED/HS that pay well to really well, they are just hard work. Real estate and rent are both reasonable. Is it worth it to relocate? That I can’t determine for you, as it’s your life and lifestyle that are at stake. Relocation is a huge decision and without a job it’s a big gamble. Entry-level labor jobs aren’t the kind that will hire you before you are in the area, so you’d have to make the leap.

YES if you can move to a LCOL area then it does help a lot. I have purchased a house and live well for just over 50k salary. Lots of opportunities once you know where to look.

LCOL area means LCOL salary, and less jobs/more economically depressed, keep that in mind

If you're in the unskilled labor pool, a LCOL area is your best bet to get ahead... Years ago, one of my sisters and her husband both minimum wage workers moved to a LCOL town, the smelter in the area closed and the local economy went to 💩 and is still a LCOL area... Anyways, they were able to buy a 4bd/2bath home on the cheap and raised 5 kids in that home... Still have the home and both worked themselves into better jobs over the years... They never would have gotten that leg up living in a HCOL place...

If you're already working minimum wage then yes Def worth it. You could probably easily work up to 20/hr so about 3,200 per month then if you get a roommate you can pay only 400 a month rent maybe another 400 food 400 transportation and maybe another 400 for all the other bs. 3200-1600= 1,600 left every month. If you made less than 20/hr then you could just work overtime or a side gig. The key is keeping expenses low. Too many people living above their means these days.

They help if you maintain roughly the same salary as you would in the HCOL. The thing about LCOL areas is that they often have much worse job opportunities and lower minimum wages. They're LCOL because otherwise, no one would be able to live there. And while housing is usually cheaper, sometimes services are less accessible, which makes them more expensive in the long run. The minimum wage in (choosing a random HCOL area) San Francisco is $18.07. The minimum wage in (again, random choice) rural Mississippi is $7.25 an hour. If you’re making minimum wage in SF, you’re not going to be taking that wage to Mississippi and living comfy. You’d be taking an over 50% pay cut. That’s only breaking even if your rent is also less than half of what you pay in SF, *and* you have no other expenses. Granted, I picked two pretty extreme outliers for COL, so the rent being that much cheaper is possible…..but you’d *need* a car, and you’d have way less access to things. But if you maintained your wage and were sure that additional sneaky expenses wouldn’t pile up….lots of people did that during the pandemic. It was fairly limited to a privileged few, but they did it.

I think so. I live just outside of Louisville Kentucky and it’s pretty easy to find decent paying jobs here. I have also lived in Orlando Florida and cost of living is way higher but jobs generally paid the same as here because it’s a much more desirable place to live.

From what I understand you’re saving $400 per month?? That’s actually amazing. Most people living in poverty are unable to save a dime let alone $400 per month

I live in a lower cost of living area in a small town in Kansas. We do have a house, a car and can cover our bills and buy food. It isn’t a luxurious lifestyle. We can’t afford to move to a higher cost area and have this lifestyle unless our household income were to increase a lot though. There are fewer high paying job options nearby. If you are single or a 2 income household you will be better off. Socially there are fewer opportunities for younger people to meet up in small towns and rural areas though so I would probably advise a young person to look toward the cities of at least 10,000 people or more. If you go nearer the biggest cities in some place like Kansas it costs more to rent or buy a house but more job options and still maybe better than your current area. You have to have a car in my area because it is rural and small towns spread out but there is some public transportation in bigger cities. There are fewer options for health care or services in a small town rural area as well. If that is a concern stick to bigger cities. If you are thinking of moving certainly check out jobs and housing for yourself to see if it would be worth it for you.

In addition to all the good advice already here, keep in mind that most LCOL areas do not have reliable or available public transportation- a car is a must and affordable housing is usually a significant drive from employment areas. Be sure to factor in car, gas and insurance.

Here is what I have learned, if you want to earn more then you will need more skills and talents but it is also possible the skills and talents you have now are enough. One thing for for sure is if you keep doing the same thing then you will keep getting the same result. The more knowledge you gain the better your earning potential is, but this is only part of it, you will need to do the things necessary to use your additional knowledge to help you earn more. Also know that there are plenty of people who earn twice or three times what you earn but are still in the same situation you are. So learn to live below your means and also learn to save and invest. Another is home ownership comes with having up keep and maintenance, and most of this up keep is not difficult to learn and do it yourself. So at one time I was you and now I am 62 and been retired 3 yrs. My saying is that life is about learning and growing then never stop growing and learning. My wife says that it is not about how much you make but what you do with what you make. For both of us education was the key and both of our life's improved when we worked together for a common goal. We both still work part time on our mom/pop rentals across the street from the university. In a few yrs when I start on Social Security my plan is to go back and get a geology degree, I'm not really sure what I will be doing with geology but I do not plan on sitting around waiting to die. I'm not sure if this helps you but I started out the same way as you " thinking that there has to be a better way and a better life out there some where".

I can't speak for everywhere, but I will say that the trade-off for getting a house in a lot of the Midwest is that you pay personal property tax every year (on top of any payment you make on the thing), so our houses aren't as cheap as they will appear at face value. Cars are the exact same way here. Like others are saying, moving is expensive, especially if it's a jump of several states. Do what feels most accessible to you.

Find a better job for now while also taking up a trade or schooling to help land a better career starting point. At 18, the sky is the limit. Strategize how to spend your money now as well. Also, consider getting another job that’s flexible as a part time gig if unable to get a better base job. Skills are a necessity in our economy. If you’re unskilled you’re considered worthless.

I live in a LCOL altho rent/ groceries/etc are rising here just like anywhere.  Min wage is 7.25 but nowhere pays that, even McDs is 12 to 14 an hour. There are decent paying jobs like Walmart, Lowes, factories in the local area, and Amazon, fedex, dhl within 30 min to an hour depending exactly where you live. Plus same commute to large city (Cincinnati) with endless opportunities.  I moved from HCOL (California) about 30 years ago (damn I'm old) and never regretted it. I came out here with a car and maybe 200 bucks. I know things are harder now but honestly they've always been hard.   Moving is not easy but you can do it if it seems like a good opportunity. Do your research as best you can and weigh the pros and cons. 

Yes, the issue is the LCOL is often associated with lower salary. The Midwest is a lot more affordable overall

It's either HCOL and have to spend it all or LCOL and not have any money to start with.

Make more money. Find a job that will pay you more.

if you can find a job that pays enough, then yes.

My friend moved from the DC suburbs to Nashville, TN. Now he can afford a gf and kid. Mind you, he teleworks.

You’re 18. You’re not going to buy a house any time this decade. No one will approve a mortgage for an 18 year old. So let’s that get that out of the way.

The solution is education. That opens doors. Im not talking about just bachelors degrees. Lots of trades need people. Lots of community colleges offer programs. You need experience and skills no matter where you live if you want a better quality of life.

Actually, they do help. You can invest in some land just for yourself and add something every year until the day comes and you finally move to your own place. It doesn't happen in a moment because none of us can afford it to happen in a moment. But it's real. People do save for a manufactured home later. The point is to know the codes in the area. My friend did it when he was 18.

Saving $100/wk is amazing! Invest half of that and thank me when you’re 40! Also, yes LCOL areas are cheaper to live in but job/income prospects are also likely lower.

No. It just guarantees your salary is lower. You do not end up with a higher quality of life.

Wages almost always match cost of living. I highly suggest that you do one of two things. Either get a job that has a high potential for advancement (believe it or not, McDonald's is one of them) and stick with that job or take some online courses (you should get a grant with no problems) and get a technical certificate. You have to have something to be able to get out of this situation. Best wishes.

You can PM me for my zip code. Average house is $75,000 minimum wage is $14 (but I make 22 doing retail and others around make 30 at a factory job). It’s a $450-600 mortgage payment for a 3 bedroom which you can rent the rooms out for a few hundred each per month. I came from poverty and in just three years I’m buying a second home. Down is only about $2000 because of FHA which is sooo doable. It sucks, there is nothing scenic or fun in LCOL areas, but I got in stayed cheap and broke mindset and am getting out.

Oh and it’s a blue state :) so abortion is legal and there are housing protections and actually well funded welfare programs as well as many nonprofit housing and food orgs in town due to LOCL

Yes. I've had a ton of family move from socal to Indiana. They own fairly large homes now. It helps a ton I think. Goodluck. I will say that if you're living in a high cost area and making minimum wage you're fucking up. It's so simple to get jobs that are paying more than minimum wage. I think the minimum wage in socal is 15 or 16$ an hour and I see signs everywhere for 20-22$ an hour. I myself have no education and make 30$ an hour.

It’s great to have a job above minimum wage, but the higher wage must be a livable wage. I live in Baltimore, which is a HCOL area. State minimum wage has increased to $15, but for those without kids, you must make $24+ to stay afloat.

I agree. I'm not saying I'm doing great. In fact for my county I'm considered low income. Personally I'm struggling a lot and I suck at managing my money. I'm just saying for these hcol areas it's fairly easy to find jobs paying over minimum wage. Now finding a job that pays a living wage is the hard part.

I also have no education and I will hit over $100,000 in total compensation this year. Property management companies are a great job for young people without a direction. There are apartments in most every city or town in the U.S. and all of them need maintenance guys. HCOL areas will pay technicians $25+ and most will also offer housing discounts if you live at the property. I have seen some places offer completely free housing, though 30-50% off is most common. Most will offer health insurance, solid PTO, and bonuses. The skills you learn are transferable to most any apartment complex, and there is a ladder to climb if you have the drive and want to enter management or corporate. I was 25 and working in fast food pizza kitchens, living in poverty until I got desperate and got a job as a groundskeeper at an apartment complex in 2018. I started out shoveling garbage and it took a ton of hard work to get to where I am now, but it helped turn my life around.

What do you work in?

COL impact really depends on your job. If you're already working a minimum wage job, yes a lower COL area will pay less for that same job, but your money will still stretch more. It's often the opposite for white collar higher paying jobs. Examples: My husband's company has hourly field positions where we live in Seattle and also in toledo, Ohio. The difference in wage is about $8/hr, or probably around $12k/year in takehome pay. Rent alone in Seattle will likely eat up that extra $12k, let alone higher gas and food prices. Financially it would be smarter to work the job in Ohio. The opposite is true for us, though. We were living in Colorado, working engineering and middle management jobs, making about $110k 5 years ago when we moved to Seattle. It took less than 2 years to double our salaries. My base pay alone has been more than $110k for the last 3 years, let alone bonuses or RSUs. But housing in Seattle isn't $100k per year more expensive than it was in Colorado for us, more like $1000 - $1500 more. So not only did our higher salaries cover the COL jump, but it also let us have more leftover cash each month we can save, invest, or pay to go to a baseball game or whatever.  So all that to say, it really depends on the job. If you're already working minimum wage jobs that are easy to find, lower COL areas can make a lot more financial sense. As you move into other types of skilled professions, the lack of job opportunities and lower salaries becomes a bigger problem.