The 30 most affordable downtowns to live in across America

The United States has no shortage of cities with charming downtown areas chock full of attractions. The best cities to live in, however, are not always the most affordable cities. When choosing where to live, a balance must be struck between the features and benefits a city may offer and the cost of day-to-day living in that city.

To help with the computation, GOBankingRates undertook a cost of living comparison by city — using ZIP codes to determine the downtown area — to find the best places to live in the U.S. if you’re looking to live in a downtown area. Information considered included median home prices and rent, utility costs and the cost of a monthly transportation pass.

The downtowns represented encompass a wide range of locations and sizes, with a multitude of different attractions. As they are the most affordable downtown areas in the country, they could offer good value for first-time homebuyers, or anyone else looking for an exciting city on a budget.

Click or swipe through to see the full list.