The top 10 most affordable cities in the U.S. for a high quality of life and job opportunities.

In order to live comfortably in San Francisco, California, you would need to earn twice as much as the average American, according to a May Moody's Analytics report.

Based on median gross rent and annual housing costs for mortgage-paying homeowners, U.S. News and World Report published a list of cities with the lowest cost of living.

The four indexes used to categorize the data were based on sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, and the U.S. Department of Labor.

• Quality of life: How satisfied residents are with their daily lives
• The affordability of living within one's means for the average resident in each city.
• Desirability: Which ranked cities people would most like to live
• Job market: The strength of each city's job market

Each index was given a score of 0-10.

In the U.S., the most affordable place to reside is Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Overall score: 6.6

Quality of life: 6.5

Value: 8.2

Northeastern Indiana's Fort Wayne is near Ohio and Michigan's borders.

After Indianapolis, Fort Wayne is the second-most populated city in the state. Recently, the city has experienced a long-term revitalization aimed at promoting new housing and economic development in its downtown and riverfront areas, as reported by U.S. News and World Report.

According to RentCafe, the cost of living in Fort Wayne is 1% lower than the state average and 9% lower than the national average.

The average annual salary in Fort Wayne is $50,720, with most salaries ranging from $34,342 to $65,478.

The median rent for all bedroom counts in Fort Wayne is $1,200, while the average home value is $234,244, up 6.6% over the past year.

The 10 most affordable places to live in the U.S.

1. Fort Wayne, Ind.
2. Huntsville, Ala.
3. Wichita, Kan.
4. Springfield, Mo.
5. Davenport, Iowa
6. Hickory, N.C.
7. Montgomery, Ala.
8. Green Bay, Wis.
9. Little Rock, Ark.
10. Oklahoma City, Okla.

In America, Huntsville, Alabama was ranked as the second most affordable city with an overall score of 6.8, a quality of life score of 6.6, and a value score of 8.1.

Huntsville, with a homeownership rate of 70.46%, a median home value of $292,700, and a median annual property tax of $963, is the best-overlooked metro area for homeownership, according to a July LendingTree report.

One of the city's lowest median rents was $863 per month for a one-bedroom apartment.

According to PayScale, Huntsville's cost of living is 8% lower than the national average and housing expenses are 25% lower.

Huntsville was ranked as the No. 2 most rent-friendly city in America, according to a report from ApartmentAdvisor.

The U.S. space program was closely associated with Huntsville during the Space Race of the 1960s, and NASA has a significant presence in the city with one of its largest centers situated on a military base. The city is also home to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center.

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