The New Most Affordable Place in Illinois is a Real Surprise

I don't pretend to be an economic genius or an expert in civic matters. However, I was genuinely surprised by the place in Illinois that was just crowned as the new most affordable city in the state.

This new ranking was just shared by 24/7 Wall St today. I respect that this is not some blogger's opinion, but based on the most recent data for all the financial categories that factor in to whether a place is affordable or not. Out of all the towns and cities in Illinois, guess where the most affordable place is?

Answer - Carbondale/Marion, Illinois

Here are the numbers that were used to decide this new affordability crown in Illinois:

• Overall cost of living - 13.3% lower than U.S. average
• Median household income - $55,289 ($21,419 less than statewide median)
• Median home value - $138,700 ($112,900 less than statewide median)

With the cost of living being that far below the national average, no surprise why the Carbondale part of Illinois is now considered one of the best places to make your dollars go further.

The least affordable city in Illinois? It's also the least surprising part of this new ranking as that's obviously Chicago. Never stop being you, Windy City.

Check out the full 24/7 Wall St ranking to see where other Illinois places ranked when it comes to affordable living.