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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.
The ranking uses a composite of 2026 data from Census Bureau population/income surveys, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary benchmarks, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Evansville (index 59, rent $1,010); Toledo (index 62, rent $1,060); Fargo (index 64, rent $1,096). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
The #1 spot goes to Evansville, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,010/month — saving renters $10,620 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 59, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 92. At a 23% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget (that's pre-tax, of course).
If you only look at rent, it's perfect. Zoom out and it's complicated. In Evansville, the healthcare index sits at 92 — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing about.
One more thing before the rankings — this context changes everything: $2,820/mo rent gap across the ranking. 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. If you've ever felt priced out, the numbers here offer a different path.
Bottom line: Evansville, IN leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these 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 | 6% | 59 | Details |
| 2 | ToledoOH | $1,060 | 6% | 62 | Details |
| 3 | FargoND | $1,096 | 7% | 64 | Details |
| 4 | WichitaKS | $1,125 | 7% | 66 | Details |
| 5 | AkronOH | $1,134 | 7% | 66 | Details |
| 6 | Des MoinesIA | $1,141 | 7% | 67 | Details |
| 7 | RockfordIL | $1,151 | 7% | 67 | Details |
| 8 | Cedar RapidsIA | $1,158 | 7% | 68 | Details |
| 9 | Fort WayneIN | $1,160 | 7% | 68 | Details |
| 10 | TopekaKS | $1,169 | 7% | 68 | Details |
| 11 | ShreveportLA | $1,170 | 7% | 68 | Details |
| 12 | Little RockAR | $1,171 | 7% | 68 | Details |
| 13 | DaytonOH | $1,186 | 7% | 69 | Details |
| 14 | TulsaOK | $1,207 | 7% | 70 | Details |
| 15 | MaconGA | $1,207 | 7% | 70 | Details |
| 16 | SpringfieldMO | $1,209 | 7% | 71 | Details |
| 17 | MemphisTN | $1,234 | 7% | 72 | Details |
| 18 | AmarilloTX | $1,245 | 7% | 73 | Details |
| 19 | OklahomaOK | $1,255 | 8% | 73 | Details |
| 20 | MobileAL | $1,264 | 8% | 74 | Details |
| 21 | Sioux FallsSD | $1,265 | 8% | 74 | Details |
| 22 | McallenTX | $1,272 | 8% | 74 | Details |
| 23 | BeaumontTX | $1,275 | 8% | 74 | Details |
| 24 | LafayetteLA | $1,279 | 8% | 75 | Details |
| 25 | KilleenTX | $1,280 | 8% | 75 | Details |
115,332 residents · Indiana
Look, a closer look at Evansville: the cost index of 59 breaks down to a Housing index of 59 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 92 (weakest). Median rent is $1,010/month — 47% below the national median — while household income sits at $52,251, meaning locals spend about 23% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
265,304 residents · Ohio
A closer look at Toledo: the cost index of 62 breaks down to a Housing index of 62 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 92 (weakest). And on balance, median rent is $1,060/month — 44% below the national median — while household income sits at $47,532, meaning locals spend about 27% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
133,188 residents · North Dakota
The #3 spot goes to Fargo, and the breakdown explains why. Fairly typical for a city this size. Renters here pay $1,096/month — though some people might weigh that differently — — saving renters $9,588 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 64, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 93. At a 20% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
396,119 residents · Kansas
Why Wichita ranks #4: the numbers tell a clear story. At 66 on the cost index, residents save roughly 45% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,125/month while the median household pulls in $63,072/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 66, though Healthcare (93) lags behind. Home prices average $198,074 — $269,296 below the national median.
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.