In the last several years, U.S. immigrants had a hard time living in the country, with former President Donald Trump’s immigrant-unfriendly policies. His administration railed against even legal forms of immigration, driving countless foreign workers in the U.S. anxious about their livelihoods.
Thankfully, though, many states have opened their doors to immigrants instead of supporting Trump’s stricter policies. However, the most immigrant-friendly cities in the U.S. aren’t the cheapest to live in. New York, for one, has high costs of living but is widely accepting of immigrants. Los Angeles is the same. Considering that many foreign workers in the U.S. have to remit a part of their income to their home countries, they’d need a location where costs of living are cheaper.
Plus, buying a home presents challenges for non-U.S. citizens. Most of them don’t have a credit history in the country, which lenders require. But in fact, many reputable mortgage companies are actually willing to accommodate non-U.S. citizens, whether they’re immigrants, green card holders, work visa holders, or foreign nationals. Yes, they’ll accommodate them even without a credit history.
All lenders ask of them is that they fit the risk profile. So if you’re an immigrant employed in a certain company, just show your lender proof of your employment as well as proof of your income. If you have a credit history, show that to them, too.
Then, consider the following states that’ll give you affordable housing and costs of living:
- Oklahoma
Oklahoma ranked second in 2019 Best State rankings in terms of costs of living. Kiplinger named Oklahoma City — the state’s capital — as one of the U.S.’s most affordable cities. The place has sufficient land for development with a housing index of 70.1, which is the lowest score in the U.S. Its median house price fall at only $124,000, and the average rental rate for a one-bedroom apartment is only $629.
According to the American Immigration Council, 6% of Oklahoma’s residents are immigrants, most of whom hail from Mexico. In addition, another 6% of their residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
The industries in Oklahoma with the most immigrant workers include Accommodation and Food Services, Construction, Manufacturing, Healthcare and Social Assistance, and Retail Trade. As for occupations, most immigrants work as construction and extraction crews, food prep and service crews, building and grounds maintenance personnel, production staff, and office and administrative support staff.
- Indiana
Indiana’s cost of living index is 90.4, placing them tenth for the most affordable costs of living in the U.S. Don’t be fooled by that low ranking, though; Indiana is far from expensive. They have smaller towns and cities that allow a cheaper lifestyle. In fact, Indianapolis, the capital city, is one of the most inexpensive cities in the U.S.
The median price of homes in Indiana is $142,600. For a one-bedroom apartment, the average monthly rent is $662.
Indiana is also home to numerous immigrants from Mexico. The industries where most of them are employed are manufacturing, educational services, healthcare, and social assistance, accommodation and food services, and retail trade. They usually work in production, transportation and material moving, office and administrative support, food preparation and service, or educational instruction and library.
- Arkansas
With a cost of living index of 87.8, Arkansas is the third in the most affordable costs of living in the U.S. The state has a diverse geography, making it known as the Natural State. Megacorporations including Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods, and Baptist Health are based in Arkansas, so employment won’t be a problem there.
Immigrants represent 1 in 20 residents of Arkansas. Though they’re few, they’ve proven vital to the state’s economy. They’re prevalent in the state’s manufacturing, construction, retail trade, healthcare and social assistance, and accommodation and food services industries. Most of them hold positions in production, transportation and material moving, construction and extraction, building and grounds maintenance, and management departments.
The median home price in Arkansas is just $128,101. In Van Buren City, that amount can afford you a three-bedroom and two-bathroom abode.
- Mississippi
Mississippi has the lowest costs of living in the entire U.S. Its housing index is 66.1, the cheapest in the country. The median home price is just $126,502, and for that price, you can buy a dwelling with three bedrooms and two bathrooms, particularly in Gulfport. If you’re renting a one-bedroom apartment, your monthly payment will just be around $612.
Immigrants in this state are relatively fewer, though, and most of them hail from Mexico as well. They’re commonly employed in accommodation and food services, manufacturing, healthcare and social assistance, educational services, and construction industries. Their occupations are mostly in food preparation and service, management, building and grounds maintenance, transportation and material moving, and production departments.
Before buying a home, try opening an account in an international bank in your home country with branches in the U.S. That’ll give you an advantage in securing a loan. As for the rest of the requirements, just manage your finances well, because at the end of the day, your citizenship or residency status is less important than your ability to pay back.
