By Melissa Wirkus, associate editor
As a nurse, you will probably never have a hard time finding a job or have to worry about standing in the unemployment line. But, unfortunately, nurses are not immune to the other challenges of these uncertain economics times. Rising gas prices, unaffordable mortgages and an overall higher cost of living are causing many people to consider moving to a city that is more affordable.
Taking a travel nursing assignment allows RNs to experience life in a low-cost city before making a full-time move.
Moving to a new city is a big change, but luckily, as an RN, you can “try out” a city first without making a permanent move by taking a travel nursing assignment. You can easily explore the cities outlined below to find one that offers a lower cost of living. Discover these economically-savvy gems with a travel assignment and you are sure to find one that makes both you and your bank account happy!
Places with the Best Gas Prices
It is no surprise that some of the nation’s lowest gas prices are found in the Lone Star state. Texas is home to some of our biggest oil reservoirs, making this state a haven for drivers who are fed up with sky-high gas prices. According to the Web site, GasBuddy.com, Houston, Fort Worth, Corpus Christi and Dallas all consistently make the list of the 10 cities in the U.S. with the lowest gas prices.
But if you want to find the cheapest gas in the nation, St. Louis, Missouri, is the place to be. Missouri also frequently ranks number one on the top 10 list categorized by state. Tulsa, Oklahoma; Virginia Beach, Virginia, and the state of Delaware are other regions that boast some of the lowest gas prices in the nation as well as excellent opportunities in the health care sector for RNs of all specialties and service lines.
Places with the Best Housing Prices
Whether you are planning on buying or renting your next dwelling, a region’s overall housing prices will have a direct effect on your buying power. Travel nursing is the ideal way to experience life in a new city with affordable housing prices before actually making the commitment of buying a home in an unfamiliar locale. According to Places Rated® Almanac, the city with the most affordable housing in the nation is Pine Bluff, Arkansas. The list is compiled using the factors of monthly mortgage payments on a typical starter house, property taxes and utilities.
The Texas metropolitan areas of Brownsville-Harlingen, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission and Texarkana ranked in the number two, three and four spots respectively on the list for affordable housing, followed by Danville, Illinois, rounding out the top five. Other areas known for their affordable housing prices when compared to the median household income include Wichita, Kansas; Indianapolis, Indiana; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Madison, Wisconsin.
Lowest Cost of Living
Even if you are not looking to buy a house and you bike to work, there is still the general cost of living to think about when finding an affordable place to live. From fast food to dry cleaners, the cost for basic goods and services can vary quite dramatically from one place to the next.
According to The Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER), Oklahoma is the state with the lowest cost of living. States in the Midwest and South rated as the most affordable, with Tennessee, Nebraska, Texas and Missouri rounding out the top five states with the lowest cost of living in the nation. The survey conducted by the C2ER looks at a variety of factors to determine cost of living including the price of groceries, transportation, housing and health care.
When looking for a low-cost place to live, mid-sized cities in Middle America and the South will give you the most bang for your buck. Luckily, there are thousands of travel nursing opportunities available in these cities, giving you the opportunity to experience new low-cost locations while earning great pay, before making any permanent decisions.
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