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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 12 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 12 cities in Arizona using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Tucs…
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tucson | $1,399 | 17% | 97 | Details |
| 2 | Glendale | $1,544 | 19% | 103 | Details |
| 3 | Mesa | $1,554 | 19% | 105 | Details |
| 4 | Phoenix | $1,556 | 19% | 104 | Details |
| 5 | Tempe | $1,679 | 20% | 108 | Details |
| 6 | Goodyear | $1,767 | 21% | 110 | Details |
| 7 | Peoria | $1,821 | 22% | 111 | Details |
| 8 | Chandler | $1,848 | 22% | 113 | Details |
| 9 | Surprise | $1,926 | 23% | 110 | Details |
| 10 | Buckeye | $2,004 | 24% | 110 | Details |
| 11 | Gilbert | $2,049 | 25% | 119 | Details |
| 12 | Scottsdale | $2,113 | 25% | 133 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Tucson — cost index 97, rent $1,399/mo, income $54,546
12 of 12 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K
12 of 12 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 12 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 12 cities in Arizona using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Tucson comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
Tucson earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 97 cost index sits 15 points below the national baseline, and the $54,546 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $321,688 — $145,682 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 89, while Healthcare trails at 100.
On a $100K salary, the key number is $2,500/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Tucson ($1,399/mo, 17%), Glendale ($1,544/mo, 19%), Mesa ($1,554/mo, 19%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $72,797 to $72,797/year across these top picks (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
12 of 12 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 12 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices.
Now zoom in on the cost categories. Arizona — desert sun, retiree magnet, and fast growth. The 12 cities we track here average a cost index of 110 and median income of $89,827. It lands right near the national baseline, which makes the differences between individual cities all the more important. The typical rent runs $1,772/month, which is $123 less than the national median.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Tucson | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
2Glendale | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
3Mesa | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
4Phoenix | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
5Tempe | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
6Goodyear | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
7Peoria | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
8Chandler | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
9Surprise | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
10Buckeye | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
547,239 residents · Arizona
A closer look at Tucson: the cost index of 97 breaks down to a Utilities index of 89 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 100 (weakest). Median rent is $1,399/month — 26% below the national median — while household income sits at $54,546, meaning locals spend about 31% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
187,050 residents · Arizona
Look, Glendale earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And roughly speaking, the 103 cost index sits 9 points below the national baseline, and the $70,139 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $403,915 — $63,455 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 95, while Housing trails at 108.
511,648 residents · Arizona
Mesa earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 105 cost index sits 7 points below the national baseline, and the $78,779 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $432,764 — $34,606 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 96, while Housing trails at 112. No gimmicks — just good numbers.
1,650,070 residents · Arizona
What does daily life actually cost in Phoenix? Start with the 24% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Utilities (index 95) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 109) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $77,041 and homes at $407,665 round out a profile that ranks #4 for clear reasons.
189,834 residents · Arizona
The #5 spot goes to Tempe, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,679/month — saving renters $2,592 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 100, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 120. A 26% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
Tucson ranks #1 in Arizona for this analysis with a cost index of 97 and median income of $54,546.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Tucson, rent would consume about 17% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
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.
Tucson (ranked #1) has a cost index of 97 and rent of $1,399/mo, while Scottsdale (ranked #12) has a cost index of 133 and rent of $2,113/mo — a 36-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 Tucson is $1,399/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $496 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 2.5% state income tax, estimated take-home on $100K in Tucson is approximately $72,797/year ($6,066/month). After median rent of $1,399/month, you'd have roughly $56,009/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Tucson is $321,688, which is 5.9× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Arizona has a 2.5% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.37%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.51%.
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.