Harlingen, TX Boasts Lowest Cost of Living in US

After consistently ranking among the ten lowest costs of living in the U.S., Harlingen, TX took over the top position in the nation for the second quarter of 2010. The rankings are compiled by the Council for Community and Economic Research.

Harlingen’s Cost of Living Index was 81.8 compared to a national average of 100. The “composite index” is based on six components. The components (and the index for Harlingen) were: grocery items (81.2), housing (71.7), utilities (103.2), transportation (91.7), health care (96.6) and miscellaneous goods and services (79.0).

“Companies consider low cost of living as a positive factor when considering potential new locations,” according to Bill Martin, CEO of the Harlingen Economic Development Corporation. “With our housing costs over 28 percent below the national average, we look pretty good to executives living in areas with high housing costs.” Martin continued. “Being able to boast a cost of living 18.2 percent below the national average is useful in our economic development efforts since a low cost of living is an indication of a low cost of doing business,” Martin concluded.

McAllen and Brownsville, Texas, are two other cities in the Rio South Texas region that made the “least expensive” list at number five and seven respectively.

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