Phoenix recently ranked among the top cities in the United States for a “fresh start,” according to a report from This Old House. But what makes the Valley of the Sun such a good place to start anew? For one, the city is among the most affordable in the country.

This Old House ranked the 50 most populous metro areas in the country based on a number of metrics that make a city great for a fresh start, including walkability, green spaces, air quality, unemployment, crime rates and more. Phoenix ranked No. 17 overall — but when it comes to affordability, the metro ranks even higher.

Phoenix registered a regional price parity of 99.2 — that means that on average, prices in the city are about 7.8% lower than the U.S. average. Phoenix also recorded only a 5.2% increase on the Zillow Rent Index, indicating that regional rents increased by just over 5% from October 2021 to October 2023. For comparison, regional rents increased by 10.9% during the same time period in Raleigh, North Carolina, the No. 1 city on the list.

So while Phoenix scored less optimally for certain metrics — like the percentage of days with good air quality (only 15.3%) or the unemployment rate (3.8% in September 2023) — it’s still among the best places in the country for a fresh start thanks to relative affordability.