Might be of interest...
http://www.chministries.org/The heavy religious leaning notwithstanding, but if you're moving to the US, then you need to learn to live with that
Also
www.daveramsey.com and have a look at the ELP section for the Zip codes you're looking at...
The three largest items of personal debt in the US are Student loans, Medical loans, and Credit card debt...
As far as the first two go, if your insurance won't cover the bill, then they slap interest on it and bill you until it's paid, or you die. Repeat as often as required.
Having insurance does not exempt you from medical bills, having enough insurance does.
Student loans are similar.
Both items can be cash flowed with care and planning.