Where You Live Matters

Are you paying a lot for rent?

Where you live makes a big difference in your budget. WalletHub studied cities across America and discovered this fact: there are locations where renters spend as little as 15% of their income on housing. In the least affordable cities, people can pay over 30%. That’s more than double what the first group of renters pays! Bismarck, North Dakota, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, ranked among the most affordable places. Lower rent relative to income creates budget flexibility that many are missing in cities like Newark, New Jersey, Detroit, Michigan, and Miami, Florida.

When housing costs stay low, people have margin to give, save, spend, and invest wisely. That’s what enables you to prepare for the future, but when rent demands too much of your income, everything else gets squeezed. Savings shrink, debt increases, and stress rises. Scripture reminds us that wise stewardship involves planning for today and the future, not living on the edge financially.

You may not be able to move to a more affordable city right now, but you can evaluate your situation. Are you living paycheck to paycheck? Are you living beyond your means? Is the cost of housing preventing you from consistently giving and saving? Financial freedom isn’t just about how much you earn. It’s about creating margin so you can live out the purposes and plans God has for your life, and sometimes, one of the wisest financial decisions you can make is choosing where you live.

I want to personally invite you to join us in Knoxville, Tennessee, this September 10th through 12th. We look forward to celebrating all that God has done through Crown over the last 50 years. Learn more at crown.org/50years.