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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Midwest dominates with 10 of top 10. 10 of the 10 top-ranked cities are in the Midwest. Rust Belt affordability and steady incomes keep these cities competitive. We analyzed 286 cities across the country to build this ranking using 2026 federal data. Evansville, IN takes the #1 spot with a cost inde…
Rent ranges from $1,010/mo in Evansville to $3,830/mo in San Francisco — a monthly difference of $2,820, or $33,840 per year.
Evansville (index 59) and San Francisco (index 224) sit 165 points apart on the cost index — proof that the US is far from monolithic in affordability.
10 of the 10 top-ranked cities are in the Midwest. Rust Belt affordability and steady incomes keep these cities competitive.
The race is tight: Evansville, Toledo, Fargo, Wichita, Akron are all within 7 points of each other. At this level, differences in rent, taxes, or a single category can sway the decision.
Midwest dominates with 10 of top 10. 10 of the 10 top-ranked cities are in the Midwest. Rust Belt affordability and steady incomes keep these cities competitive. We analyzed 286 cities across the country to build this ranking using 2026 federal data. Evansville, IN takes the #1 spot with a cost index of 59 and rent of $1,010/month.
Here's Evansville by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And on balance, cost index: 59. Rent: $1,010/month. Income: $52,251/year. Home price: $194,790. Population: 115,332. The strongest category is Housing at 59; the most expensive is Healthcare at 92. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $10,620 per year vs. the national median. Even in a down market, this kind of cost structure protects household budgets.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Evansville, IN — cost index 59, rent $1,010/mo, income $52,251
$2,820/mo rent gap across the ranking
173 of 286 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | EvansvilleIN | $1,010 | 7% | 59 | Details |
| 2 | ToledoOH | $1,060 | 7% | 62 | Details |
| 3 | FargoND | $1,096 | 8% | 64 | Details |
| 4 | WichitaKS | $1,125 | 8% | 66 | Details |
| 5 | AkronOH | $1,134 | 8% | 66 | Details |
| 6 | Des MoinesIA | $1,141 | 8% | 67 | Details |
| 7 | RockfordIL | $1,151 | 8% | 67 | Details |
| 8 | Cedar RapidsIA | $1,158 | 8% | 68 | Details |
| 9 | Fort WayneIN | $1,160 | 8% | 68 | Details |
| 10 | TopekaKS | $1,169 | 8% | 68 | Details |
| 11 | ShreveportLA | $1,170 | 8% | 68 | Details |
| 12 | Little RockAR | $1,171 | 8% | 68 | Details |
| 13 | DaytonOH | $1,186 | 8% | 69 | Details |
| 14 | TulsaOK | $1,207 | 8% | 70 | Details |
| 15 | MaconGA | $1,207 | 8% | 70 | Details |
| 16 | SpringfieldMO | $1,209 | 8% | 71 | Details |
| 17 | MemphisTN | $1,234 | 8% | 72 | Details |
| 18 | AmarilloTX | $1,245 | 9% | 73 | Details |
| 19 | OklahomaOK | $1,255 | 9% | 73 | Details |
| 20 | MobileAL | $1,264 | 9% | 74 | Details |
| 21 | Sioux FallsSD | $1,265 | 9% | 74 | Details |
| 22 | McallenTX | $1,272 | 9% | 74 | Details |
| 23 | BeaumontTX | $1,275 | 9% | 74 | Details |
| 24 | LafayetteLA | $1,279 | 9% | 75 | Details |
| 25 | KilleenTX | $1,280 | 9% | 75 | Details |
115,332 residents · Indiana
So, Evansville. And most of the time, cost index of 59, rent at $1,010/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $52,251, which is below the national median. Moving on.
265,304 residents · Ohio
Look, the #2 spot goes to Toledo, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,060/month — saving renters $10,020 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 62, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 92. A 27% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
133,188 residents · North Dakota
Look, a closer look at Fargo: the cost index of 64 breaks down to a Housing index of 64 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 93 (weakest). Median rent is $1,096/month — 42% below the national median — while household income sits at $66,029, meaning locals spend about 20% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
396,119 residents · Kansas
Wichita earns its position at #4 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 66 cost index sits 45 points below the national baseline, and the $63,072 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $198,074 — $269,296 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 66, while Healthcare trails at 93.
188,701 residents · Ohio
The #5 spot goes to Akron, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,134/month — saving renters $9,132 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 66, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 93. A 28% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Evansville, IN | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $40,112 |
2Toledo, OH | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $39,877 |
3Fargo, ND | 1.95% | 7.04% | 0.94% | $40,687 |
4Wichita, KS | 5.7% | 8.7% | 1.28% | $38,727 |
5Akron, OH | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $39,877 |
6Des Moines, IA | 5.7% | 6.94% | 1.43% | $38,727 |
7Rockford, IL | 4.95% | 8.83% | 1.73% | $39,119 |
8Cedar Rapids, IA | 5.7% | 6.94% | 1.43% | $38,727 |
9Fort Wayne, IN | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $40,112 |
10Topeka, KS | 5.7% | 8.7% | 1.28% | $38,727 |
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Evansville (ranked #1) has a cost index of 59 and rent of $1,010/mo, while San Francisco (ranked #286) has a cost index of 224 and rent of $3,830/mo — a 165-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Evansville is $1,010/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $885 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Evansville is $194,790, which is 3.7× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.