The southern United States offers numerous locales with high livability scores and relatively reasonably priced homes compared to the rest of the country. Minimum salaries needed to afford a home vary widely across the South, however, so prospective buyers should do their homework.
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To help you get started, GOBankingRates has compiled a list of the South’s most livable cities, along with the minimum salary needed for homeownership in each. The list blends data from AreaVibes, Sperling’s BestPlaces, the U.S. Census, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Zillow and the Federal Reserve.
Here’s the full list, along with the median household income and some additional information about each location.
Blacksburg, Virginia
- Livability score: 89
- Salary needed (annual cost of living): $53,036
- Median household income: $48,070
The home of Virginia Tech, Blacksburg is located in Montgomery County. Blacksburg’s median income of $48,070 is the second lowest among AreaVibes’ most livable cities, topping only Bowling Green, Kentucky (69th most livable with a median income of $46,719. The average value of a single-family home in Blacksburg is about $411,000.
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Seminole, Florida
- Livability score: 89
- Salary needed (annual cost of living): $56,053
- Median household income: $77,335
You’ll find the town of Seminole about 25 miles west of Tampa. Seminole is popular with the retired set – about a third of its 20,000 residents are age 65+. The average single-family home in Seminole is worth about $433,000.
Dr. Phillips, Florida
- Livability score: 89
- Salary needed (annual cost of living): $66,369
- Median household income: $101,540
Named after citrus industry pioneer Philip Phillips, the unincorporated Dr. Phillips neighborhood is a suburb of Orlando. The total cost of living in Dr. Phillips is $5,531 a month, and the average single-family home is worth $568,000.
Springfield, Virginia
- Livability score: 89
- Salary needed (annual cost of living): $78,732
- Median household income: $123,69
Springfield is located about 15 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. Single-family homes in Springfield are worth more than $700,000. The cost of living comes in around $6,600 a month.
Purcellville, Virginia
- Livability score: 89
- Salary needed (annual cost of living): $90,222
- Median household income: $162,981
The town of Purcellville is located in Loudon County, about 50 miles northwest of Washington D.C. Homes aren’t cheap here, with average values approaching $900,000. Purcellville is also a relatively young town, with only 9% of its 9,000 residents age 65+.
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Cary, North Carolina
- Livability score: 90
- Salary needed (annual cost of living): $68,474
- Median household income: $129,399
Cary is located just west of Raleigh, the state capital. Part of North Carolina’s Research Triangle region, it has a population of about $177,000. An average single-family home in Cary is worth around $630,000.
Lynchburg, Virginia
- Livability score: 91
- Salary needed (annual cost of living): $40,621
- Median household income: $59,808
You’ll find Lynchburg in central Virginia, about two hours east of Richmond by car. Single-family homes in Lynchburg are worth about $250,000 on average. Lynchburg’s average monthly cost of living (about $3,400) is among the lowest among AreaVibes’ 100 most livable cities.
Fort Thomas, Kentucky
- Livability score: 91
- Salary needed (annual cost of living): $47,820
- Median household income: $100,819
Fort Thomas is located near the Kentucky-Ohio border near Cincinnati. Compared to other locales in AreaVibes’ most livable list, Fort Thomas offers relatively inexpensive single-family homes ($336,000 on average). The average monthly cost of living in Fort Thomas is just under $4,000.
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Wilton Manors, Florida
- Livability score: 91
- Salary needed (annual cost of living): $78,021
- Median household income: $79,390
Part of the Miami metro area, Wilton Manors is located just north of Fort Lauderdale. Wilton Manors is a popular spot for retirees, with more than a quarter of its 11,000 residents age 65 and up. The average value of a single-family home here is $721,000.
Bellevue, Kentucky
- Livability score: 92
- Salary needed (annual cost of living): $40,277
- Median household income: $67,143
You’ll find Bellevue just east of Cincinnati, along the Kentucky-Ohio state line. In addition to its strong livability rating, Bellevue offers relatively inexpensive single-family homes ($230,000 on average) and monthly living costs ($3,356).
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities across the United States with the highest livability scores, as sourced from AreaVibes. The 30 most livable cities in each state were identified. To qualify for this study, each city had to have all data points available and a total population of at least 5,000. All relevant data was sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, Sperling’s BestPlaces, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, Zillow Home Value Index and Federal Reserve Economic Data. All data was collected on and is up to date as of May 14, 2025.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Here’s How Much You Must Make To Afford a Home in the South’s Most Livable Cities
