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10 Cities to Live in for $1,000 budget
Aug 14, 2025
These cities offer affordable lifestyle for a $1,000ish a month budget. Subscribe to our channel so you don't miss any future videos! Check out the books we love and recommend in our Black Excellence Book Club: https://www.blackexcellence.com/store/ Some links are affiliate links, which means we earn a very tiny commission if you make a purchase. __________________________________________________________ Sharing interesting and noteworthy stories in Black culture. All content provided by Black Excellence Media, LLC is for entertainment purposes only. None of the information or advice provided is to replace professional advice. Website: https://blackexcellence.com
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0:00
I think this is a video we all need to
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watch. This video is not about paying
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your rent, your car payment, insurance,
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groceries, student loan, utilities,
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credit card debt with just $1,000 a
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month. I'm sorry to bust your bubble,
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but obviously that doesn't exist in
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today's America. This video is about
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where you can possibly live on a,000ish
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monthly spending budget if you
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absolutely had to and you have
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absolutely the lowest monthly expenses
0:25
that can exist. That means food and
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shelter and either a paidoff car or
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you're taking the bus. That's it. Now,
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you know you're not going to be able to
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find anything in LA or New York.
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Obviously, right? But where else can you
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live in America on a thousandish budget?
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Well, today we're going to talk about
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it. Hi, my name is Jared and welcome to
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Black Excellence, where we celebrate all
0:44
the ways black people pursue excellence
0:47
in their everyday lives. If you're
0:48
searching for ways to fuel your own
0:50
journey of excellence with content on
0:52
where to live, where to travel,
0:54
lifestyle trends, and unconventional
0:56
ways to do it all, hit that subscribe
0:58
button and join our circle of
1:00
excellence. The cities we'll talk about
1:02
today offer low housing cost, affordable
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groceries, manageable utility bills, and
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in many cases, growing or established
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black communities that offer cultural
1:11
connection and support. Now, living on
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a,000ish budget is not only for those
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with low incomes. You might have a great
1:18
income, but are looking to just cut back
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on spending to save for your future. Or
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you might absolutely hate your current
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lifestyle and are looking to get out of
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the highinccome, high expense lifestyle
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most people are just trapped in. And
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when you say $1,000 budget, it's not for
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those making literally $1,000 a month.
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Obviously, that's not going to work.
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It's about keeping your fixed cost every
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month to be around $1,000. We all know
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you still need more money beyond that
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for your savings and investments. Before
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you pack up all your stuff and leave,
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I'm not endorsing any of these cities as
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great places to live at all. But for
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$1,000 a month, you can't be that picky.
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And seriously, with all the money you'll
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be saving, you could probably stay
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inside, work from home, and just travel
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most of the year. So, at number one, we
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have Pineluff, Arkansas. Pineluff
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consistently ranks among the most
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affordable cities in the US. The average
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rent for a one-bedroom apartment is
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around $560 a month with utilities and
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internet bringing the monthly total to
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just around or under $800 a month.
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Groceries and transportation are
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modestly priced allowing many residents
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to comfortably stay around the $1,000
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threshold. Pineluff has a black
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population of approximately 75% offering
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deep cultural roots and a strong sense
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of community. While the city struggles
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with economic development, its low cost
2:36
of living and rich history make it an
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appealing option for those on a tight
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budget. At number two, we have McAllen,
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Texas. McAllen offers warm weather and
2:45
an impressively low cost of living.
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Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment
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hovers around $700 a month, while
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utilities typically run just at $120.
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With groceries costing 15% less than the
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national average, residents can
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comfortably keep their expenses around
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$1,000 per month. Though the black
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population is relatively small, around
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just 1%, McAllen is one of the fastest
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growing metro areas in Texas and offers
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a diverse and inclusive community. Its
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proximity to the Mexican border also
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influences its culture and food scene.
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At number three, we're headed to the
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Midwest. And the Midwest has some of the
3:24
worst cities on Earth. Check out our
3:26
worst cities video. I'll leave a link or
3:29
you can click it up here. At number
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three, we have Toledo, Ohio. Toledo
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offers urban amenities at small town
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prices. A one-bedroom apartment averages
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just $650 monthly, and utilities
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generally stay around $150. Grocery
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costs are lower than average, and many
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households report living comfortably on
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that $1,000 a month budget. Toledo has a
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black population of approximately 27%
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and the city is known for its active
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faith-based organizations, blackowned
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businesses, and growing art scene. The
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revitalization of downtown Toledo, is
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also bringing new energy and
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opportunity. At number four, we have
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Jackson, Mississippi. Jackson, the
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capital of Mississippi, is one of the
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most affordable metro areas in the
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country. Average rent for a one-bedroom
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apartment is around $725 with utilities
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adding around just $120. Groceries and
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public transportation are extremely
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affordable, keeping total monthly costs
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within that $1,000 budget, or maybe at
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worst case around $1,200 a month.
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Jackson is a majority black city with
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nearly 82% of its residents identifying
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as African-American. It has a rich civil
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rights legacy and continues to be a
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cultural and political center for black
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Mississippians. At number five, we have
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Decar, Alabama. Located along the
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Tennessee River, Decatur boasts low
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housing costs with one-bedroom
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apartments averaging around $650
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monthly. Monthly utilities typically
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cost around $120 again, and groceries
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remain well below the national average.
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Decatur has a black population of
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roughly 22% and offers a slower pace of
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life, friendly neighbors, and access to
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natural beauty like Willer National
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Wildlife Refuge. While it's not a large
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city, Decar offers stability and a sense
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of belonging to many of its residents.
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Right now, we're about halfway through
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our list. And I'm going to have to stop
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you here and ask you for a quick favor.
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If you like our content, consider
5:30
showing support by hitting that
5:31
subscribe button. Let me know in the
5:33
comments what city sparks your interest
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if you're looking to get in on that
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$1,000ish budget. At number six, we have
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Youngstown, Ohio. Youngstown is a
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postindustrial city that has experienced
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a population decline, but offers some of
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the lowest living cost in the US. Rent
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averages just $550 for a one-bedroom
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apartment, and monthly utilities stay
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around or under $130. Groceries and
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public transportation are also extremely
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affordable. The black population is
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around 45% and Youngstown State
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University helps bring energy and youth
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to the city. Community gardens,
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neighborhood revitalization projects,
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and local nonprofits offer community
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connection and grassroots supports for
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residents. At number seven, we have
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Shreport, Louisiana. Shreport combines
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southern charm with affordable living.
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Rent for a one-bedroom apartment
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averages $730 a month, and utilities
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usually cost around $130. With groceries
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and transportation well within budget, a
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$1,000 lifestyle is doable. Shrepport
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has a strong black community comprising
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around 56% of the city's population. It
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also features a rich cultural landscape,
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including the Southern University Museum
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of Art and several blackowned eeries and
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jazz clubs. At number eight, we have
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Flint, Michigan. Despite its water
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crisis history, Flint is slowly
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recovering and it remains one of the
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most affordable places to live in the
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country. One-bedroom rentals go for
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around $500 a month and utilities hover
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around $120. Grocery costs are
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manageable and local transit options are
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available. Flint's population is
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approximately 54% black and the city has
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been a cradle of activism, creativity,
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and entrepreneurship. Community centers,
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art hubs, and educational programs aim
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to empower residents and rebuild trust
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and opportunity. At number nine, we have
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Huntington, West Virginia. With rent for
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a one-bedroom apartment averaging just
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$580 and monthly utility staying under
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$140, Huntington is another city where
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a,000ish lifestyle is possible. While
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the black population here is lower,
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around just 5%, the city is expanding
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its cultural footprint and inclusion
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efforts. Huntington offers access to
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nature, safety, and a strong sense of
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community, especially for retirees and
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individuals looking for a quieter life
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with lower expenses. And at number 10,
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we have Little Rock, Arkansas. Little
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Rock offers an appealing mix of southern
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hospitality and urban convenience at a
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low cost. Rent for a one-bedroom
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apartment typically runs $750, while
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utilities add up to just under $130. The
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city has a black population of 42% and
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its history and civil rights combined
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with modern development projects makes
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it an evolving resilient place to live.
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The city is home to numerous black
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professionals, creatives, and
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entrepreneurs. Cultural institutions
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like the Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
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help preserve and uplift black heritage
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in the region. So, these 10 cities prove
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that living on a budget of a,000ish a
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month in the US is actually kind of
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achievable. Each city offers unique
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advantages from historical and cultural
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depth to affordability and natural
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beauty. For black Americans in
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particular, many of these locations
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offer a strong sense of community,
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increasing political engagement and
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growing opportunities. Whether you're
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downsizing, starting over, or looking
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for a better quality of life without
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high financial pressures, these
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affordable cities offer a path forward
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with dignity, culture, and connection.
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That's it for this video. We'll check
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you guys out on the next one. Peace.
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