Monthly rent for 2-br apartment: $551
Monthly house payment: $923
Gallon gas: $2.666
Hamburger: $3.22
Half-gallon milk: $2.19

In the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Henry County is home to plastics-and-polymer processors, logistics-and-distribution companies, and food processors. Major employers include textile home furnishings company Springs Global (SGPS3:BZ ), Henry County Public Schools, and Memorial Hospital of Martinsville, according to the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp. While costs may be low, the area is not wealthy: Median household income is $34,437 and the county's poverty rate is 17.5 percent of individuals, estimates the U.S. Census Bureau.