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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
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. Financially, that's significant.
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.
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. Financially, that's significant.
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.
Dive into Evansville's numbers: cost index 59 (52 points below national average), rent $1,010/month, income $52,251, and a home price of $194,790. And in practical terms, the city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 59, while Healthcare runs 92. With 115,332 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs. Honestly, this is the kind of city that makes you wonder why more people aren't paying attention. The numbers are right there — rent that doesn't eat your paycheck, costs that actually leave room for a life. And yet it barely shows up in the national conversation about affordable places to live. Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe that's what keeps it affordable.
Now, the part that complicates the narrative: Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 111, rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. There's real money on the table here.
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 | 22% | 59 | Details |
| 2 | ToledoOH | $1,060 | 23% | 62 | Details |
| 3 | FargoND | $1,096 | 24% | 64 | Details |
| 4 | WichitaKS | $1,125 | 25% | 66 | Details |
| 5 | AkronOH | $1,134 | 25% | 66 | Details |
| 6 | Des MoinesIA | $1,141 | 25% | 67 | Details |
| 7 | RockfordIL | $1,151 | 25% | 67 | Details |
| 8 | Cedar RapidsIA | $1,158 | 25% | 68 | Details |
| 9 | Fort WayneIN | $1,160 | 25% | 68 | Details |
| 10 | TopekaKS | $1,169 | 26% | 68 | Details |
| 11 | ShreveportLA | $1,170 | 26% | 68 | Details |
| 12 | Little RockAR | $1,171 | 26% | 68 | Details |
| 13 | DaytonOH | $1,186 | 26% | 69 | Details |
| 14 | TulsaOK | $1,207 | 26% | 70 | Details |
| 15 | MaconGA | $1,207 | 26% | 70 | Details |
| 16 | SpringfieldMO | $1,209 | 26% | 71 | Details |
| 17 | MemphisTN | $1,234 | 27% | 72 | Details |
| 18 | AmarilloTX | $1,245 | 27% | 73 | Details |
| 19 | OklahomaOK | $1,255 | 27% | 73 | Details |
| 20 | MobileAL | $1,264 | 28% | 74 | Details |
| 21 | Sioux FallsSD | $1,265 | 28% | 74 | Details |
| 22 | McallenTX | $1,272 | 28% | 74 | Details |
| 23 | BeaumontTX | $1,275 | 28% | 74 | Details |
| 24 | LafayetteLA | $1,279 | 28% | 75 | Details |
| 25 | KilleenTX | $1,280 | 28% | 75 | Details |
115,332 residents · Indiana
No sugarcoating: What does daily life actually cost in Evansville? Start with the 23% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 59) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 92) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $52,251 and homes at $194,790 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
265,304 residents · Ohio
Why Toledo ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. And for the typical household, at 62 on the cost index, residents save roughly 49% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,060/month while the median household pulls in $47,532/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 62, though Healthcare (92) lags behind. Home prices average $126,270 — $341,100 below the national median.
133,188 residents · North Dakota
Dive into Fargo's numbers: cost index 64 — we had to double-check this one — (47 points below national average), rent $1,096/month, income $66,029, and a home price of $312,872. And with some exceptions, the city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 64, while Healthcare runs 93. With 133,188 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
396,119 residents · Kansas
The way we see it, Dive into Wichita's numbers: cost index 66 (45 points below national average), rent $1,125/month, income $63,072, and a home price of $198,074. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 66, while Healthcare runs 93. With 396,119 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
188,701 residents · Ohio
Here's Akron by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 66. Rent: $1,134/month. Income: $48,544/year. Home price: $134,376. Population: 188,701. The strongest category is Housing at 66; the most expensive is Healthcare at 93. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $9,132 per year vs. the national median. This is the type of edge you don't see advertised.
| 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.