This Gorgeous Illinois County Is Also the Most Affordable

It's really the best of both worlds. If you desire to live in what is arguably the most beautiful county in Illinois, it also happens to be the most affordable in the entire Land of Lincoln. Just make sure you're bringing a backpack with you.

What is the most affordable county in Illinois?

There's a new ranking that's just been shared by 24/7 Wall St that declares the least expensive county in Illinois is almost not in Illinois. Feel free to make up your own joke about that reality. It's Pope County, Illinois which is located in the extreme southern tip of the state bordering Kentucky.

Here are some financial numbers shared about Pope County, Illinois and how affordable it is to live there:

• Estimated cost of living in county: 18.0% lower than national average
• Estimated cost of living in state: 1.1% lower than national average
• Median household income: $62,500 in county ($80,306 statewide)
• Median home value: $165,300 in county ($263,300 statewide)

Those numbers are nice, but if you make Pope County, Illinois a destination, come for the natural beauty like Jackson Falls and the multitude of great camping and hiking places in that part of Illinois.

While some of the suburbs around Chicago often get mentioned as best places to live, there's an argument to be made that this tip of southern Illinois is really a much better option especially if you're looking to enjoy the great outdoors. The bonus is it won't cost you much to live in that part of Illinois either.