Markets

Insider Trading

Hedge Funds

Retirement

Opinion

25 Best Kept Secret Places to Live in the US

In this article, we will be navigating through the 25 best-kept secret places to live in the US. If you wish to skip our detailed analysis, you can move directly to the 5 Best Kept Secret Places to Live in the US.

Places Out of Big Metros: A Viable Living Option

Most often, home buyers look out for housing in big metros or places that are quite known. This shifts away the focus from many small towns or cities that go unnoticed although they offer a good quality of life. Finding a house in the most sought-after locations such as big cities is a draining task. Amidst a national housing crisis where the inventory of houses is unable to cater to the rising demand while home prices climb, certain overlooked places might offer a lower cost of living thereby becoming a potential place to seek living with fully available amenities. These underrated places in the US will be discussed in detail in the following article. US cities with the most foreclosures in 2023 have also been previously covered.

Home Builders to the Rescue

The housing issues in the US as mentioned above have been persistent. Many American home construction companies enable people to settle in their desired locations across the country. Some of the notable names in this regard include Taylor Morrison Home Corporation (NYSE:TMHC), KB Home (NYSE:KBH), and LGI Homes, Inc. (NASDAQ:LGIH). You can also take a look at some of the best housing stocks to buy.

Taylor Morrison Home Corporation (NYSE:TMHC) is a leading American homebuilder. The company caters to the needs of many first-time, move-up, luxury and resort lifestyle homebuyers. On January 4, Taylor Morrison Home Corporation (NYSE:TMHC) reported that it has secured the title of America’s Most Trusted Home Builder by Lifestory Research. More than 58,000 home shoppers were surveyed for this purpose. The firm was successful in winning this title for the ninth consecutive year even while customer trust is being challenged by factors including house affordability and high interest rates.

KB Home (NYSE:KBH) is another company recognized for building homes in the US. The company has constructed more than 680,000 homes in the past. On January 19, KB Home (NYSE:KBH) announced the grand opening of its newest home community in southwest Las Vegas. Residents of this community can easily access golf courses, hiking trails, and parks. Exploration Park, Mountain’s Edge Regional Park, and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area can also be visited. Prices for the new homes start from the low $400,000s.

Beazer Homes (NYSE:BZH) is one of the largest homebuilding companies in the US. The company constructs houses in states including Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. On January 10, Beazer Homes (NYSE:BZH) reported that it will be hosting the grand opening for the new Buchanan model at Windtree. The grand opening for the company’s most recent master-planned Nashville community, Windtree, has been planned for January 27. Buyers will also have the option to select room-specific layouts at no extra cost through Beazer’s Choice Plans. The new single-family homes in the respective community are considered to be energy efficient as well.

Without further ado, let’s move to the 25 best-kept secret places to live in the US.

25 Best Kept Secret Places to Live in the US

Our Methodology:

In order to rank the 25 best-kept secret places to live in the US, we used a consensus approach. We sourced data from multiple sources including Reader’s Digest, Global Viewpoint, Town & Tourist, and The Wanderlust Within. To find the most common cities and towns that were considered best-kept secret places across our sources, we calculated an average score. This score was found by dividing the sum of the respective rankings for a place across all sources by the number of sources in which it appeared. Since this was an average score, places with a lower score tend to be more commonly known for being secret. Once we had a list of all the places with the lowest scores, we acquired their average home prices from Zillow, a leading real-estate source. The latest data was available as of December. Please note that the sources had already considered factors that deem these places good for living so we incorporated home prices to rank these places.

Finally, we ranked the 25 best-kept secret places to live in the US in descending order of their average home prices.

By the way, Insider Monkey is an investing website that tracks the movements of corporate insiders and hedge funds. By using a similar consensus approach, we identify the best stock picks of more than 900 hedge funds investing in US stocks. The top 10 consensus stock picks of hedge funds outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here). Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional looking for the best stocks to buy, you can benefit from the wisdom of hedge funds and corporate insiders.

25 Best Kept Secret Places to Live in the US

25. Taos, New Mexico       

Average Home Price: $442,038

Taos ranks as one of the best-kept secret places in the US. The city offers views of mountains and forests. The community is also welcoming. The average home price in the city is $442,038 as recorded in December 2023.

24. Berlin, Maryland

Average Home Price: $430,185

Berlin is a town in Maryland where the average home price is $430,185. Apart from historical sites in the surroundings, residents can also visit many restaurants, boutiques, and outdoor spaces. The town is also quieter relative to the large cities around.

23. Buffalo, Wyoming      

Average Home Price: $371,226

The city of Buffalo offers many outdoor recreational activities. It is also deemed a good place for families since it hosts schools as well. As recorded in December 2023, the average home price in Buffalo is $371,226.

22. Putney, Vermont 

Average Home Price: $366,837

Another town that ranks as one of the 25 best-kept secret places to live in the US is Putney. The average home price in the town is $366,837. Biking, hiking, and skiing can be availed. The schooling system is also good.

21. Belfast, Maine 

Average Home Price: $351,147

Belfast is a seaside city which is popular among tourists. The average home price is affordable in the city. Belfast also offers an active nightlife and several entertainment options.

20. Rapid City, South Dakota     

Average Home Price: $329,266

Rapid City ranks among other best-kept hidden places to live in the US. Museums, galleries, and music clubs can be visited while staying in the city. The average home price in Rapid City is $329,266 as recorded in December 2023.

19. Holland, Michigan      

Average Home Price: $314,292

The 25 best-kept hidden secret places for living in the US include Holland. This Michigan-based city is located near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan which allows recreation. The average home price in Holland is $314,292 as recorded by Zillow in December 2023.

18. Eureka Springs, Arkansas     

Average Home Price: $289,898

Eureka Springs is situated in the Ozark Mountains. Other than the art galleries and boutiques in the city, outdoor activities can be accessed around the year. The average home price in Eureka Springs is also as low as $289,898 which makes the city an affordable place to settle in.

17. Broken Bow, Oklahoma 

Average Home Price: $288,341

Broken Bow is another best-kept secret city to live in the US which has a relatively smaller population. Amenities are widely available while the homes are cheap on average. The Broken Bow Lake allows engaging in fishing and boating.

16. Chattanooga, Tennessee 

Average Home Price: $287,374

Another hidden place to seek living in the US is the city of Chattanooga in Tennessee. The average home price in the city is $287,374 as recorded in December 2023. The city is historic and the downtown area is vibrant. It is also a good vacation destination.

15. Norfolk, Virginia

Average Home Price: $280,417

Norfolk is a coastal city where residents can enjoy the waterfront. Various parks and trails can be conveniently accessed. The average home price in the city is $280,417 which is also affordable.

14. Medora, North Dakota  

Average Home Price: $268,355

Medora is a rather peaceful city which hosts a smaller number of people. Many local restaurants and shops can be visited downtown. The average home price in the city is $268,355. Hence, Medora ranks among other best-kept secret places in the US.

13. Lewisburg, West Virginia      

Average Home Price: $260,747

Lewisburg is another best-kept secret place to reside in the US. The city hosts many restaurants, coffee shops, and pubs. Hiking, fishing, and camping can also be done. Local events taking place in the city are another attraction.

12. Kenmare, North Dakota

Average Home Price: $220,971

As recorded in December 2023, the average home price in Kenmare is $220,971. The city has a laid-back vibe to offer and is one of the best-kept hidden places to live in the US. It is also a great place for families to settle in.

11. Dubuque, Iowa

Average Home Price: $211,164

Dubuque ranks as one of the 25 best-kept secret places to seek living in the US. The location of the city along the Mississippi River makes it a suitable option for outdoor enthusiasts. Bigger cities including Chicago and Minneapolis can also be easily accessed.

10. Caseville, Michigan    

Average Home Price: $193,179

Caseville is located on Saginaw Bay of Lake Huron. Residents can enjoy their time visiting the hiking trails or the beach. The Cheeseburger Festival is a known attraction. The local community is friendly. As recorded in December 2023, the average home price in the city is $193,179.

9. Florence, Alabama       

Average Home Price: $188,421

Florence is based in Alabama and ranks among other best-kept secret living destinations in the US. It is located along the Tennessee River and allows for outdoor recreation. It has a rich musical heritage. The average home price in the city is only $188,421.

8. Valentine, Nebraska     

Average Home Price: $180,692

The average home price in Valentine is $180,692 as recorded in December 2023. The city is deemed good to live and work in. The city has a smaller population and a calming atmosphere to offer. Hence, Valentine is another best-kept secret place for living in the US.

7. Cave City, Kentucky    

Average Home Price: $165,803

Cave City is one of the best-kept hidden places suitable for living in the US. The average home price in the city is quite affordable. Residents can visit different shopping and dining places while staying in the city.

6. Jefferson, Texas

Average Home Price: $151,197

Jefferson is another best-kept secret place to live in the US which offers an average home price of $151,197. The school system is good thereby making the city a good option for families. Numerous outdoor recreational opportunities and events can be enjoyed while living in Jefferson.

Click to continue reading and see 5 Best Kept Secret Places to Live in the US.

Suggested articles:

Disclosure: None. 25 Best Kept Secret Places to Live in the US is originally published on Insider Monkey.

The $250 Trillion AI Hype is Real. A few years from now, you’ll probably wish you’d bought this stock.

When Jeff Bezos said that one breakthrough technology would shape Amazon’s destiny, even Wall Street’s biggest analysts were caught off guard.

Fast forward a year and Amazon’s new CEO Andy Jassy described generative AI as a “once-in-a-lifetime” technology that is already being used across Amazon to reinvent customer experiences.

At the 8th Future Investment Initiative conference, Elon Musk predicted that by 2040 there would be at least 10 billion humanoid robots, with each priced between $20,000 and $25,000.

Do the math. According to Musk, this technology could be worth $250 trillion by 2040.

Put another way, that’s roughly equal to:

  • 175 Teslas
  • 107 Amazons
  • 140 Metas
  • 84 Googles
  • 65 Microsofts
  • And 55 Nvidias

And here’s the wild part — this $250 trillion wave isn’t tied to one company, but to an entire ecosystem of AI innovators set to reshape the global economy.

It’s a leap so massive, it could reshape how businesses, governments, and consumers operate worldwide.

Even if that $250 trillion figure sounds ambitious, major firms like PwC and McKinsey still see AI unlocking multi-trillion-dollar potential.

How could anything be worth that much?

The answer lies in a breakthrough so powerful it’s redefining how humanity works, learns, and creates.

And this breakthrough has already set off a frenzy among hedge funds and Wall Street’s top investors.

What most investors don’t realize is that one under-owned company holds the key to this $250 trillion revolution.

In fact, Verge argues this company’s supercheap AI technology should concern rivals.

Before I reveal the details, let’s talk about how some of the richest people on the planet are positioning themselves.

  • Bill Gates sees artificial intelligence as the “biggest technological advance in my lifetime,” more transformative than the internet or personal computer, capable of improving healthcare, education, and addressing climate change.
  • Larry Ellison — through Oracle, is spending billions on Nvidia chips and partnering with Cohere to embed generative AI across Oracle’s cloud and apps.
  • Warren Buffett — not known for tech hype — says this breakthrough could have a ‘hugely beneficial social impact.

When billionaires from Silicon Valley to Wall Street line up behind the same idea — you know it’s worth paying attention to.

Even as we admire what Tesla, Nvidia, Alphabet, and Microsoft have built, we believe an even greater opportunity lies elsewhere…

But the real story isn’t Nvidia — it’s a much smaller company quietly improving the critical technology that makes this entire revolution possible.

And judging by what I’m hearing from both Silicon Valley insiders and Wall Street veterans…

This prediction might not be bold at all:

A few years from now, you’ll wish you’d owned this stock.

The best part? You can discover everything about this company and its groundbreaking technology right now.

I’ve compiled everything you need to know about this groundbreaking company in a detailed, members-only report.

Trust me — you’ll want to read this report before putting another dollar into any tech stock.

For a ridiculously low price of just $9.99 a month, you can unlock a year’s worth of in-depth investment research and exclusive insights – that’s less than a single fast food meal!

Here’s why this is a deal you can’t afford to pass up:

• Access to our Detailed Report on this Game-Changing AI Stock: Our in-depth report dives deep into our #1 AI stock’s groundbreaking technology and massive growth potential.

• 11 New Issues of Our Premium Readership Newsletter: You will also receive 11 new issues and at least one new stock pick per month from our monthly newsletter’s portfolio over the next 12 months. These stocks are handpicked by our research director, Dr. Inan Dogan.

• One free upcoming issue of our 70+ page Quarterly Newsletter: A value of $149

• Bonus Reports: Premium access to members-only fund manager video interviews

• Ad-Free Browsing: Enjoy a year of investment research free from distracting banner and pop-up ads, allowing you to focus on uncovering the next big opportunity.

• 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee:  If you’re not absolutely satisfied with our service, we’ll provide a full refund within 30 days, no questions asked.

If you’re thinking about getting in, don’t wait – because once Wall Street catches wind of this story, the easy money will be gone.

Space is Limited! Only 1000 spots are available for this exclusive offer. Don’t let this chance slip away – subscribe to our Premium Readership Newsletter today and unlock the potential for a life-changing investment.

Here’s what to do next:

1. Head over to our website and subscribe to our Premium Readership Newsletter for just $9.99 a month.

2. Enjoy a year of ad-free browsing, exclusive access to our in-depth report on the revolutionary AI company, and the upcoming issues of our Premium Readership Newsletter over the next 12 months.

3. Sit back, relax, and know that you’re backed by our ironclad 30-day money-back guarantee.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! Subscribe now and take control of your AI investment future!

No worries about auto-renewals! Our 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee applies whether you’re joining us for the first time or renewing your subscription a month later!

AI, Tariffs, Nuclear Power: One Undervalued Stock Connects ALL the Dots (Before It Explodes!)

Artificial intelligence is the greatest investment opportunity of our lifetime. The time to invest in groundbreaking AI is now, and this stock is a steal!

AI is eating the world—and the machines behind it are ravenous.

Each ChatGPT query, each model update, each robotic breakthrough consumes massive amounts of energy. In fact, AI is already pushing global power grids to the brink.

Wall Street is pouring hundreds of billions into artificial intelligence—training smarter chatbots, automating industries, and building the digital future. But there’s one urgent question few are asking:

Where will all of that energy come from?

AI is the most electricity-hungry technology ever invented. Each data center powering large language models like ChatGPT consumes as much energy as a small city. And it’s about to get worse.

Even Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, issued a stark warning:

“The future of AI depends on an energy breakthrough.”

Elon Musk was even more blunt:

“AI will run out of electricity by next year.”

As the world chases faster, smarter machines, a hidden crisis is emerging behind the scenes. Power grids are strained. Electricity prices are rising. Utilities are scrambling to expand capacity.

And that’s where the real opportunity lies…

One little-known company—almost entirely overlooked by most AI investors—could be the ultimate backdoor play. It’s not a chipmaker. It’s not a cloud platform. But it might be the most important AI stock in the US owns critical energy infrastructure assets positioned to feed the coming AI energy spike.

As demand from AI data centers explodes, this company is gearing up to profit from the most valuable commodity in the digital age: electricity.

The “Toll Booth” Operator of the AI Energy Boom

  • It owns critical nuclear energy infrastructure assets, positioning it at the heart of America’s next-generation power strategy.
  • It’s one of the only global companies capable of executing large-scale, complex EPC (engineering, procurement, and construction) projects across oil, gas, renewable fuels, and industrial infrastructure.
  • It plays a pivotal role in U.S. LNG exportation—a sector about to explode under President Trump’s renewed “America First” energy doctrine.

Trump has made it clear: Europe and U.S. allies must buy American LNG.

And our company sits in the toll booth—collecting fees on every drop exported.

But that’s not all…

As Trump’s proposed tariffs push American manufacturers to bring their operations back home, this company will be first in line to rebuild, retrofit, and reengineer those facilities.

AI. Energy. Tariffs. Onshoring. This One Company Ties It All Together.

While the world is distracted by flashy AI tickers, a few smart investors are quietly scooping up shares of the one company powering it all from behind the scenes.

AI needs energy. Energy needs infrastructure.

And infrastructure needs a builder with experience, scale, and execution.

This company has its finger in every pie—and Wall Street is just starting to notice.

Wall Street is noticing this company also because it is quietly riding all of these tailwinds—without the sky-high valuation.

While most energy and utility firms are buried under mountains of debt and coughing up hefty interest payments just to appease bondholders…

This company is completely debt-free.

In fact, it’s sitting on a war chest of cash—equal to nearly one-third of its entire market cap.

It also owns a huge equity stake in another red-hot AI play, giving investors indirect exposure to multiple AI growth engines without paying a premium.

And here’s what the smart money has started whispering…

The Hedge Fund Secret That’s Starting to Leak Out

This stock is so off-the-radar, so absurdly undervalued, that some of the most secretive hedge fund managers in the world have begun pitching it at closed-door investment summits.

They’re sharing it quietly, away from the cameras, to rooms full of ultra-wealthy clients.

Why? Because excluding cash and investments, this company is trading at less than 7 times earnings.

And that’s for a business tied to:

  • The AI infrastructure supercycle
  • The onshoring boom driven by Trump-era tariffs
  • A surge in U.S. LNG exports
  • And a unique footprint in nuclear energy—the future of clean, reliable power

You simply won’t find another AI and energy stock this cheap… with this much upside.

This isn’t a hype stock. It’s not riding on hope.

It’s delivering real cash flows, owns critical infrastructure, and holds stakes in other major growth stories.

This is your chance to get in before the rockets take off!

Disruption is the New Name of the Game: Let’s face it, complacency breeds stagnation.

AI is the ultimate disruptor, and it’s shaking the foundations of traditional industries.

The companies that embrace AI will thrive, while the dinosaurs clinging to outdated methods will be left in the dust.

As an investor, you want to be on the side of the winners, and AI is the winning ticket.

The Talent Pool is Overflowing: The world’s brightest minds are flocking to AI.

From computer scientists to mathematicians, the next generation of innovators is pouring its energy into this field.

This influx of talent guarantees a constant stream of groundbreaking ideas and rapid advancements.

By investing in AI, you’re essentially backing the future.

The future is powered by artificial intelligence, and the time to invest is NOW.

Don’t be a spectator in this technological revolution.

Dive into the AI gold rush and watch your portfolio soar alongside the brightest minds of our generation.

This isn’t just about making money – it’s about being part of the future.

So, buckle up and get ready for the ride of your investment life!

Act Now and Unlock a Potential 100+% Return within 12 to 24 months.

We’re now offering month-to-month subscriptions with no commitments.

For a ridiculously low price of just $9.99 per month, you can unlock our in-depth investment research and exclusive insights – that’s less than a single fast food meal!

Space is Limited! Only 1000 spots are available for this exclusive offer. Don’t let this chance slip away – subscribe to our Premium Readership Newsletter today and unlock the potential for a life-changing investment.

Here’s what to do next:

1. Head over to our website and subscribe to our Premium Readership Newsletter for just $9.99.

2. Enjoy a month of ad-free browsing, exclusive access to our in-depth report on the Trump tariff and nuclear energy company as well as the revolutionary AI-robotics company, and the upcoming issues of our Premium Readership Newsletter.

3. Sit back, relax, and know that you’re backed by our ironclad 30-day money-back guarantee.

Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! Subscribe now and take control of your AI investment future!


No worries about auto-renewals! Our 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee applies whether you’re joining us for the first time or renewing your subscription a month later!