(The Center Square) – Residents of Marion County need to make $2,674 every month to maintain a modest standard of living, making it the least expensive place in Georgia to live, according to an analysis from 24/7 Wall St.
The Economic Policy Institute’s Family Budget Calculator was used to determine the local cost of living, which includes housing, food, health care, transportation and other necessities. In many of the locations examined in the study, which identified the region in each state where the cost of living is lowest, housing costs can account for less than 15 percent of total living expenses.
The monthly housing cost in Marion County was $385. And the median household income in the region stood at $44,309.
The May 2020 jobless rate there was 6.2%. Unemployment rates in half of the most affordable counties were above the 13% national average during the coronavirus pandemic, the website reported. And local population growth in recent years in many of these regions was less than the U.S. average.
The 24/7 Wall St. analysis ranked counties by estimating the cost of living for a single adult resident to have a modest quality of life.
The same firm released information about Georgia’s most expensive place to live last month.
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Least Expensive Region in Each State
| State | County / Region | Monthly Cost of Living | Monthly Housing Costs | Median Household Income | May 2020 Jobless Rate |
| Alabama | Dale County | $2,739 | $420 | $45,960 | 7.4% |
| Alaska | Aleutians East Borough | $3,336 | $783 | $69,706 | 15.8% |
| Arizona | Pima County | $2,881 | $568 | $51,037 | 8.4% |
| Arkansas | Craighead County | $2,620 | $458 | $45,868 | 8.5% |
| California | Merced County | $2,946 | $565 | $50,129 | 16.5% |
| Colorado | Pueblo County | $2,922 | $600 | $44,634 | 9.2% |
| Connecticut | Hartford County | $3,192 | $773 | $72,321 | 9.2% |
| Delaware | Sussex County | $3,201 | $622 | $60,853 | 16.0% |
| Florida | Baker County | $2,741 | $493 | $61,769 | 7.7% |
| Georgia | Marion County | $2,674 | $385 | $44,309 | 6.2% |
| Hawaii | Hawaii County | $3,719 | $823 | $59,297 | 21.1% |
| Idaho | Bannock County | $2,729 | $479 | $49,739 | 7.6% |
| Illinois | Alexander County | $2,731 | $304 | $34,709 | 14.1% |
| Indiana | Elkhart County | $2,665 | $519 | $55,399 | 11.9% |
| Iowa | Black Hawk County | $2,685 | $517 | $52,688 | 11.6% |
| Kansas | Wyandotte County | $2,741 | $546 | $44,873 | 14.0% |
| Kentucky | Pulaski County | $2,620 | $443 | $37,921 | 11.8% |
| Louisiana | Caddo Parish | $2,813 | $566 | $40,866 | 14.0% |
| Maine | Androscoggin County | $3,103 | $634 | $51,412 | 9.2% |
| Maryland | Baltimore City | $2,803 | $730 | $48,840 | 11.1% |
| Massachusetts | Hampden County | $3,121 | $744 | $53,403 | 18.0% |
| Michigan | Bay County | $2,657 | $502 | $48,005 | 20.0% |
| Minnesota | Benton County | $2,829 | $484 | $56,357 | 9.7% |
| Mississippi | Coahoma County | $2,685 | $455 | $30,009 | 15.1% |
| Missouri | St. Louis City | $2,625 | $578 | $41,107 | 13.5% |
| Montana | Custer County | $3,025 | $514 | $55,841 | 6.5% |
| Nebraska | Dodge County | $2,870 | $487 | $53,101 | 3.8% |
| Nevada | Nye County | $2,796 | $537 | $45,711 | 15.1% |
| New Hampshire | Coos County | $3,066 | $669 | $45,696 | 17.9% |
| New Jersey | Camden County | $3,224 | $823 | $67,118 | 15.0% |
| New Mexico | Bernalillo County | $2,605 | $569 | $51,643 | 9.2% |
| New York | Orleans County | $2,947 | $523 | $51,843 | 11.6% |
| North Carolina | Person County | $2,995 | $468 | $48,811 | 13.4% |
| North Dakota | Cass County | $2,683 | $542 | $62,031 | 7.8% |
| Ohio | Lucas County | $2,503 | $478 | $46,924 | 18.7% |
| Oklahoma | Choctaw County | $2,880 | $476 | $32,129 | 13.5% |
| Oregon | Douglas County | $2,913 | $506 | $45,812 | 14.7% |
| Pennsylvania | Lawrence County | $2,664 | $494 | $48,860 | 13.6% |
| Rhode Island | Providence County | $2,939 | $775 | $55,233 | 17.1% |
| South Carolina | Chesterfield County | $2,788 | $452 | $40,033 | 10.3% |
| South Dakota | Beadle County | $2,791 | $460 | $51,700 | 6.2% |
| Tennessee | Grainger County | $2,626 | $420 | $42,997 | 10.3% |
| Texas | Cameron County | $2,531 | $564 | $37,132 | 16.0% |
| Utah | Cache County | $2,754 | $467 | $56,840 | 4.8% |
| Vermont | Orleans County | $3,370 | $627 | $47,915 | 16.6% |
| Virginia | Danville City | $2,694 | $505 | $36,301 | 12.7% |
| Washington | Spokane County | $2,617 | $539 | $54,852 | 15.1% |
| West Virginia | Brooke County | $2,782 | $449 | $49,772 | 13.2% |
| Wisconsin | Sheboygan County | $2,770 | $488 | $58,943 | 12.5% |
| Wyoming | Hot Springs County | $3,028 | $511 | $51,875 | 6.8% |
Source: 24/7 Wall St.
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