No. 14 Cheapest Place to Live: Conway, Ark.

Monthly rent for 2-br apartment: $525
Monthly house payment: $971
Gallon gas: $2.701
Hamburger: $2.22
Half-gallon milk: $1.98

Education, health, and manufacturing are major industries in the city of Conway, part of the Little Rock metro area. Large employers include Acxiom (ACXM), University of Central Arkansas, and Conway Regional Medical Center, according to the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates median household income at $41,966 and the poverty rate at 19.9 percent. The jobless rate in Conway was 5.9 percent in April, according to the Arkansas Department of Workforce Services.