The Best American Cities for Creatives (That You Can Actually Afford to Live In)

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Metro population: 337,288
Median 1BD rental: $782
Key stat: At Plaza Las Américas, the largest shopping center in the Caribbean, you’ll find seven mosaic art installations created by Puerto Rican artists.
 
If you want to avoid art (are you a robot?) it’ll be hard to do in San Juan, where colorful and vibrant murals and sculptures beautify the city. In fact, there’s an entire festival dedicated to them called Santurce es Ley, held in the summer. Of course, the Museo de Arte and Museo de Arte Contemporáneo are open year-round, while music runs in the veins of the city, with dancing in squares and bars any given day of the week.
 
History buffs can also bridge the gap between the past and present in Puerto Rico’s capital, where the cobblestone streets and Spanish-colonial architecture of Old San Juan complement the modern city and nearby sandy beaches. Swing by Hecho en Casa for a taste of Puerto Rico’s classic dish, mofongo, or La Factoria for totally different drinking experiences within its rooms -- classic cocktails, nightclub, candlelit speakeasy. Puerto Rico’s tropical climate is balm for winter-averse creatives seeking solace from the cold, but, of course, residents must contend with hurricane season. The Puerto Rican government estimates a cost of $139 billion for full recovery from Hurricane Maria, but San Juan has already come a long way. -- Liv Lawson

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Metro area population: 1.2 million
Median 1BD rental: $713
Key stat: $70 million -- estimate of what Breaking Bad spent filming in town

Next time the powers-that-be create a show based in the ABQ, it shouldn’t be about the development and sale of high-potency methamphetamine. It should be about making green chili, because damn is it delicious. You know you’ve attained hero status when you can eat it three times in a day: on some eggs for breakfast, a bowl of it at high noon, and a heavy dose for your burger at dinner. When that spice hits, it might just make you more creative than if you had taken a tab of acid. Whoa, sorry, got carried away there. (But, seriously, try Frontier or Sadie’s and you won’t want to ever leave town again.)

If New Mexican cuisine doesn’t make you feel as though you’ve been transported to another country altogether, the city’s Pueblo Revival architecture and striking Sandia Mountains will. Albuquerque, the state’s biggest city, has made leaps in recent years toward being as diverse and cosmopolitan as you’d expect from a major US hub. To boot, its housing prices are as low as Walter White and Jimmy McGill are willing to ethically sink, and, while the economy ain’t exactly gangbusters, aren’t you supposed to be busy writing that script for a new AMC series anyhow? -- Colin St. John

Nashville, Tennessee

Metro population: 1.8 million
Median 1BD rental: $915
Key stat: 59 -- local yellow pages listings for record labels

I developed a pretty serious crush on Nashville the first time we dropped my brother off at Vanderbilt, and my love for it proved to spring eternal. The people are nice, the BBQ is really nice, the economy is actually booming there (tech startups have been catching wind of the city’s awesomeness) -- and you just want to chuck your life and become a line dancer. And since affordable housing market is aplenty, you actually could.

One of the best parts about Nashville is that a lot of its finest gems are totally free. It’s called the Music City for a reason; the place holds 120 live music venues, and some of the best shows you’ll see are the ones at little hole-in-the-wall honky-tonks (but still opt for the big shows at Nashville Opera and Jazz Workshop, at least once). You can also spend hours -- or days, really -- exploring its 3,000 acres of biking, walking, and even horse trail; urban greenspace borderline outnumbers the just urban space in this Southern town. And speaking of Southern, the food does not disappoint. Celeb chefs make a home there for the same reason others want to: quality of life. And residents reap the benefits at spots like Hattie B’s (the famous Hot Chicken, do it) and Husk. -- Liz Newman

Baltimore, Maryland

Metro population: 2.8 million
Median 1BD rental: $938
Key stat: 36 -- books by newspaperman H.L. Mencken, the “Sage of Baltimore”

I used to think Baltimore would be a terrible place to live. As in “what are you honestly thinking”-level suckage. (Thanks, The Wire.) Then my best friend moved there; as a result, I found myself visiting a lot more, and subsequently eating my words between fistfuls of great crab cakes. Turns out the Charm City thing is actually real.

It’s one of the major cities that doesn’t make feel like you need to “escape,” a genuine rarity. This owes to the pace, two steps slower than New York and DC, though the waterfront bar scene doesn’t hurt -- even Inner Harbor isn’t exactly besieged by tourists. The music and art scene hold their own, especially during Artscape, the largest free arts festival in the country. Lexington Market is like the Pike Place of the East Coast, except a hell of a lot older; it’s been pedaling fresh fish, meats, and pretty much every food that exists since the 1700s. No wonder the bars and restaurants that line brick roads in Mt. Vernon and Fell's Point feel leftover from another era.

The selling point, above all else, is you can actually do all these things. Cost of living is a fraction of New York’s (and a meaningful one, actually, like half) and convenient to most of Northeast’s major cities by train, plane, or car. But if you live there, people most will likely be visiting you for crab cakes and Ravens games. Because that is what Maryland does. -- Liz Newman

Bend, Oregon

Metro population: 175,000
Median 1BD rental: $837
Key stat: #2 -- Bend's ranking for largest 5-year estimated job growth in the US

Nature has long stimulated the imagination of many an American. Just ask Ralph Waldo Emerson or Andrew Wyeth. Well, you can’t really ask them. They’re dead. But you get the point: the water, the mountains, the trees -- somewhere to breathe and get some thinking done. Bend, Oregon is a place where the natural surroundings are just a part of life, whether it be hiking in the foothills or kayaking down the Deschutes River. (A great brewery named after that body of water just so happens to be in Bend, too. Don’t sleep on Boneyard, either.)

There’s a solid restaurant scene and killer bars that beckon the younger folks and that pervasive, laid-back Oregon ‘tude. And guess what? You get it without put-a-bird-on-it Portland’s post-irony. The housing prices in Bend have spiked as of late -- plenty of young digital companies have strapped on their rock climbing shoes and made the move -- but it’s not totally outrageous. Yet. If you’re the sort who earns wages by telecommuting to big urban hubs, this is a great place to connect with the outside world while feeling most certainly outside of it. -- Colin St. John

Ft. Collins, Colorado

Metro population: 335,000
Median 1BD rental: $949
Key stat: 3% -- the local unemployment rate

When you’re having trouble coming up with a new subject for a painting or are experiencing writer’s block, what to do? Drink beer, of course. And you’d be well-suited, here, as Ft. Collins is one of the finest ale towns in the land, with the likes of New Belgium, Odell, Ft. Collins Brewery, and Funkwerks cooking up world-class suds. The town’s dispensaries (whoa), gorgeous vistas (whoa again, especially when combined with, well, ya know), and college-town lifestyle (Colorado State University is a major player here) are sure to get the creative juices flowing.

Ft. Collins still has an under-the-radar affordability, allowing for a full ‘Rado experience -- think: great weather, hiking, fishing, biking, skiing, rafting, golfing, watching ThunderCats DVDs under the influence -- with a cost of living at a fraction of Denver, Boulder, Aspen, or Vail. Plus, you won’t catch any holier-than-thou ego trips that you might find in some of Colorado’s more expensive places. This is a place where you can do your own thing and wave your freak flag without fear of comeuppance. -- Colin St. John

Madison, Wisconsin

Metro population: 870,000
Median 1BD rental: $833
Key stat: 17 million+, album sales by the band Garbage, formed in Madison

It’s a short list, overall, of American state capitals that contain the state’s flagship research university. That combo works to make places like Austin, Columbus, and the Twin Cities fantastic melting pots of grad students, policy nerds, and an array of overeducated bohemians. In Madison, long a hotbed of fiery politics, you’ve also got a battleground for the direction of middle America. Governor Scott Walker’s crusade against public unions has made purple-state-that-tilts-blue Wisconsin a focal point for how to imagine functional, fair state governance well into the future. Madison, as much as any town its size in America right now, is a place to stake out big ideas, defend them ferociously, and maybe put on some public theater, in the cold, when the legislature disagrees.

But this city named for a president, where 39 streets are named for the men who signed the Constitution, is about much more than the capitol building. Walk out its doors, a mile from the University of Wisconsin campus, and you’ll be on State St, the de facto main drag for college student shenanigans and a haven for live music, restaurants, and art. If you’re in a pensive mode, duck into Paul’s Book Store, a 1954-vintage repository of used books, or saunter past the offices of the century-old liberal magazine The Progressive. If you’re looking to dress up and raise hell, hit the strip on Halloween, when tens of thousands of students and other people with more creativity than sense pack the street for a street party the city a few years ago embraced and dubbed “Freakfest.” You can always get away from the crowds -- the city, concentrated on an isthmus between two large lakes, includes three more lakes within its borders -- but the promise of Madison is forever that you can jostle in a mob and perhaps emerge changed. -- Sam Eifling

New Orleans, Louisiana

Metro population: 1.5 million
Median 1BD rental: $798
Key stat: 70 -- number of parades in the city the week of Mardi Gras

The Big Easy just breathes stimulation. Walking through the French Quarter you could imagine yourself the next crafter of a character like Ignatius Reilly or Stanley Kowalski. Then, you way too many hurricanes at Pat O’Brien’s and forget all of your great ideas. No matter: You’ll come up with some more, no doubt inspired by the city’s music, its parties, its food (the best in America, no less). There is some kind of festival in town nearly every weekend and the weather never really fully cools off, so your chances for uninhibited, year-round imagination are legion. (As are your odds of developing cirrhosis; it’s like the damn booze comes out of the faucets down there.)

Rent is cheap, and the renaissance of New Orleans is in full swing. If you can survive all of the temptation, you’ll probably have some pretty damn good stories to tell. -- Colin St. John

Philadelphia

Metro population: 6 million
Median 1BD rental: $970
Key stat: 67 -- National Historic Landmarks in the city

As the fifth largest city in America, Philly has a lot riding on its shoulders, but if you thought this very-green town was just The Liberty Bell, cheesesteaks and Gritty, think again. Here, lifers and transplants alike are welcome to experiment, collaborate and thrive.

Community matters here: At the Pen & Pencil Club, journalists debate headlines alongside hospitality pros in America’s oldest members-only press club. At the annual Philly Tech Week, STEM recruitment is fueled by regional change-makers. Meanwhile, art and activism intersect at pop-up exhibits and public street art takeovers organized by local influencers. Walk around town and you’ll find works by artists like Nilé Livingston, a native Philadelphian whose arresting murals of James Baldwin and Grace Jones turns heads. Conrad Benner of Streets Dept, meanwhile, documents the city’s buzzing street art and mural scene by organizing events, exhibitions and tours around the artists themselves.

Feeling peckish? Though Philly has a touch of the college-town vibe -- more than a dozen colleges call the city home, almost half of them art schools -- the city has been slaying the food and booze scene for years with world-class fare. South Philly’s East Passyunk neighborhood alone is home to multiple James Beard nominees, Top Chef winners and Chef’s Table subjects. Over in West Philadelphia, resourceful residents are building their own farms. If you’re feeling parched, head to Fishtown and Kensington, where craft cideries, distilleries and breweries like Kurant, Stateside and New Liberty are refining drinking palettes. All in all, this big city with small town tendencies cultivates mission-minded artists, tech-savvy creatives, and rebellious talent who are just as energized by Super Bowl parades as civic engagement. -- Alisha Miranda

Iowa City, Iowa

Metro population: 75,798
Median 1BD rental: $848
Key stat: 17 Pulitzer Prizes awarded to the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop alumni

Home to the country’s oldest creative writing program and what’s considered one of the top graduate writing programs in the U.S., it’s little wonder why Iowa City is a haven for creatives who express themselves by putting pen to paper -- er, fingertips to keyboard. Let’s be real.

Iowa City is a college town through-and-through, as students make up about half of the city’s population. That’s a good thing for residents: A local university means access to free or cheap musical performances, book readings, workshops, and then some. Arts Iowa is a wonderful resource for theater, dance and art events, and film buffs will feel right at home thanks to FilmScene, an 8-year-old nonprofit and cinema screening indie, foreign and documentary films. Bonus: Concessions serves wine and beers from Iowa breweries on tap, exclusively.

Though you’ll probably want a car if you’re not a student, the city is pretty easy to get around using public transportation, by bike or on foot. In fact, downtown Iowa City is home to the Ped Mall, a -- you guessed it! -- pedestrian mall where you can shop, eat and enjoy live music performances throughout the summer when writer’s block strikes. -- Liv Lawson

Asheville, North Carolina

Metro population: 91,902
Median 1BD rental: $879
Key stat: 1994 -- when Highland Brewing, the city’s first brewery was born
 
Often dubbed “Beer City, USA,” Asheville continually clocks most breweries per capita because while the city may not be huge, its craft beer scene certainly is -- and it’s only growing. Highland Brewing celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2019, with at least 30 other breweries where you can draw a pint.
 
Beyond beer, creative types in particular will appreciate the River Arts District, where illustrators, printmakers, sculptors, painters and other artists make the magic happen. Don’t sleep on the queer feminist collective behind Firestorm Books & Coffee, a bookstore, co-op and event space that hosts events such as writing workshops for and by queer authors, tarot circles and community services.
 
Fancy a show? Catch acts ranging from comedian Janeane Garofalo to blues/soul musician Gary Clark Jr. at The Orange Peel, where locals receive some special perks. Oh, and about those beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains: It’s hard to not get creatively inspired, as one friend who grew up in Asheville put it. “The amount of shitty angst-filled poetry I wrote as a teenager… Good Lord.”  -- Liv Lawson

Savannah, Georgia

Metro population: 146,444
Median 1BD rental: $894
Key stat: 1733 -- the year Savannah, the oldest city in Georgia and last of the 13 English colonies, was founded
 
Nothing says southern charm like Savannah. If you can handle the heat, humidity and pests common in the south, you’ll be rewarded by the city’s rich history, evident in its 22 historic squares (Chippewa Square was famously depicted in “Forrest Gump”) and downtown Historic District.
 
The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD, aka “the university for creative careers”) contributes to Savannah’s artsy vibe -- don’t miss SCAD’s Savannah Film Festival in the fall. The city’s coastal location is ideal for creatives who prefer to live within driving distance of the beaches of Tybee Island, a barrier island 20 minutes from downtown that’s been a popular escape for locals since the 1800s. As with most cities, Savannah has its fair share of bad drivers, but there’s a free downtown bus service as well as Chatham Area Transit, while the city is working on expanding its bike-sharing system. -- Liv Lawson

Providence, Rhode Island

Metro population: 1.6 million
Median 1BD rental: $1014
Key stat: 84,000 -- works in the permanent collection at the 140-year-old RISD Museum of Art

You may think Providence is a town for tourists and Ivy leaguers -- and that’s totally true -- but it’s also a great place to park it if you’re neither of those things. You’re basically living in a vacation town that still has lots to do when the the vacation ends. And it still keeps pace with the big boys with by packing in the culture. In fact, creatives flock to Providence (this is the hometown of Rhode Island School of Design, aka RISD, aka Seth MacFarlane’s alma mater, nbd), and since it’s actually affordable to live within the city limits, they don’t necessarily struggle. It’s filled to the brim with painters, sculptors, performers, and artist communities. The city manages to maintain a laid-back festival environment 365 days a year without getting annoying.  

Now, the food is pretty delicious there. And just because it’s literally sandwiched (no pun intended) between Brown and RISD, you’ll likely just want to camp out on Thayer St; it’s flooded with falafel and kebab and curry joints, and slices that rival NYC’s. The city is also famous for its River Walk -- which in some cases can be overrated, but in this case is definitely not. It’s great for the usual walking-jogging rigmarole during days, and goes bonkers during the occasional WaterFire evenings, when droves turn out for an artist installation of nearly 100 braziers floating in the middle of the damn Woonasquatucket River. So, yeah, this place is actually on fire. -- Liz Newman

Richmond, Virginia

Metro population: 1.3 million
Median 1BD rental: $891
Key stat: 100 -- murals painted in five years of the annual Richmond Mural Project

We told you the best places for hipsters to vacation, well let us introduce you to one of the best places for them to dwell. This Old South town has basically become the Brooklyn of the Southeast. Most of that is because of Carytown, also known as the museum district, home to the 1920s Byrd Theater ($4 movie theater that plays new releases). Then there’s the Jazz Festival and Richmond Mural Project, an annual event when artists outfit the city in more than 100 murals.

But here’s the clincher: Richmond has the southern hospitality, the art, the food, and it’s still in Virginia. Meaning, you get the East Coast version of California -- acres of shoreline, river rapids, mountains, and perhaps most importantly, non-West Coast prices. The average home in Richmond is around $218k; if you aren’t packing for your move right now, maybe this will help: it’s the town that birthed Jimmy Dean the Sausage King. -- Liz Newman

Salt Lake City, Utah

Metro population: 2.5 million
Median 1BD rental: $859
Key stat: 20,000 -- attendance at the annual Utah Pride event

OK, so Salt Lake gets a bad rap in the hipness department courtesy of the its most famous residents, the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And while, yeah, the laws say that the barman will probably measure your shot at the local tavern and, no, you can’t really escape places like Temple Square, every hero needs an enemy! Have you seen SLC Punk!? Plus, Mormons make up less than half of the town’s population. So, you can go ahead and curse, drink coffee, not pay the tithe and live in your cheap house.

Being the hip, creative type in a town where you’d least expect it is, well, creative in and of itself. Plus, Salt Lake boasts that huge body of water (right next door) and some of the best skiing in the world (just an hour away). It’s a distinctly gorgeous place and, if you want some time to work on the next version of Under the Banner of Heaven, just get a gig working the lift lines at Park City. Or, go for a job right in town: the job market is hot. -- Colin St. John

Omaha, Nebraska

Metro population: 466,893
Median 1BD rental: $756
Key stat: $73 million -- the cost of the Omaha Zoo’s African Grasslands exhibit, which covers nearly 30 acres of land

You might be surprised to learn that Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is considered one of the best in the country. Then you see truly immersive exhibits, like the Desert Dome, billed as the world’s largest indoor desert, sitting atop the Kingdom of the Night, the world’s largest nocturnal exhibit, and are duly impressed.
 
For a long time, Nebraska’s capital has been overlooked for shinier locales, but don’t be fooled. The city’s investment in development doesn’t stop with conservation and growth at the zoo. It continues with major housing, office and road construction, as well as the renovation of the downtown Capitol District, complete with new restaurants, bars, and an apartment complex.
 
With multiple Fortune 500 companies (Mutual of Omaha, Union Pacific, TD Ameritrade), there are plenty of 9-to-5 jobs to be found while pursuing your craft. What keeps you here are low rent prices, creative outlets such as the Theatre Arts Guild and Omaha Symphony, and access to programming and resources from colleges including the University of Nebraska Omaha and Creighton, contributing to a nice balance of reality and artsy dreaming. On your down time, commiserate with fellow creatives over a pint, thanks to the booming brewery scene. And while you can walk to neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa thanks to the 11-year-old Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, you’ll want a car if you plan to call Omaha home. -- Liv Lawson

Kansas City, Missouri

Metro population: 489,000
Median 1BD rental: $736
Key stat: 90-plus, the number of barbecue restaurants in Kansas City’s metropolitan area

Kansas City offers a chance to enjoy some of life’s better indulgences: jazz, barbecue, and affordable rent. The Missouri city (not to be confused with its Kansan counterpart) offers world-renowned tastes of both music and meat throughout town, but particularly in and around the 18th Street and Vine district, a historic neighborhood which has seen a lot of recent investment. Kansas City barbecue is known for its burnt ends (fatty end cuts of brisket) and thicker, tangier, typically tomato- or molasses-based sauces -- hit up Arthur Bryant’s and Gates Bar-B-Q for some local favorites. Be sure to wash down all that ‘cue with some brews, courtesy the city’s fledgling craft beer scene. Kansas City was also named a “City of Music” by UNESCO in 2018, the only city in the U.S. to own that distinction. It’s only appropriate you treat your ears to the city’s cultural offerings at such venues as the Blue Room Jazz Club in the American Jazz Museum, or  and Mutual Musicians Foundation, a recognized historic landmark in its own right.

More practically speaking, public transit has moved much quicker during the last decade-ish, as the city implemented a RideKC system that includes a standard bus, bus rapid transit and a streetcar that looks closer to a light rail -- plus a significant investment in its sidewalks. Forget everything you knew about parallel parking. (Or maybe not, it may still be useful down the road.) -- Howard Oates

Louisville, Kentucky

Metro population: 621k
Median 1BD rental: $663
Key stat: 12, the number of counties included in the population of Louisville-Jefferson County, KY-IN Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA or “Kentuckiana”) -- seven in Kentucky and five in Indiana

Perched on the Ohio River, Louisville’s landscape provides scenic views, beautiful bridges, and a plethora of waterfront activities. The cons? Transit is mostly limited to car, although the buses connect the downtown vicinity effectively. But hey, at least you could afford your ride, since rent here sits well below the national median. The city does offer lovely strolls, especially between the riverfront and Louisville’s underrated architectural offerings, particularly the Old Louisville neighborhood, the largest historic preservation of Victorian-only buildings in the U.S. and third-largest in the world. And if you’re a work-from-home freelancer, co-working options like Story Louisville invite you to partake in the local creative community beyond parking in a coffee shop to sap wi-fi. When you need to let some steam off, be sure to check out performances at Actors Theatre or a drag show at Play Louisville. Want to get a foot in Louisville’s booming food, bourbon and hospitality biz, but do more than wait tables? Check out producer Copper & Kings, which hopes to build a more inclusive industry and fill in-demand jobs with its Ideal Bartending School, a free 15-week program aimed for budding bartenders from typically underrepresented groups -- women, people of color and low-income students.

If you’re a college sports enthusiast, Louisville loves its NCAA athletics more than anywhere else in the country. The city has been the highest rated TV market during March Madness for the last 20 years, and it buzzes around the University of Louisville, which is essentially the city’s pro sports franchise, since Louisville doesn’t have an MLB, NBA, or NFL team. Professional horse athletes, though, are a different matter. Churchill Downs is home to the world’s most famous horse race, maybe you’ve heard of it? The Kentucky Derby is the perfect excuse to invite friends and wear absurd hats, annually. -- Howard Oates

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