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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
5 of 5 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, 5 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices.
#1 Ranked: Las Vegas — cost index 106, rent $1,695/mo, income $70,723
5 of 5 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K
5 of 5 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
5 of 5 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, 5 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices.
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, 5 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 5 cities in Nevada using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Las Vegas comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
Why Las Vegas ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 106 on the cost index, residents save roughly 6% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,695/month while the median household pulls in $70,723/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 98, though Housing (116) lags behind. Home prices average $422,842 — $44,528 below the national median.
Now, stack that against what people actually earn here: Nevada — no income tax and Vegas-fueled growth. The 5 cities we track here average a cost index of 111 and median income of $80,315. It lands right near the national baseline, which makes the differences between individual cities all the more important. The typical rent runs $1,817/month, which is $78 less than the national median.
Bottom line: Las Vegas leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. That tracks. 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.
660,929 residents · Nevada
Here's Las Vegas by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 106. Rent: $1,695/month. Income: $70,723/year. Home price: $422,842. Population: 660,929. The strongest category is Utilities at 98; the most expensive is Housing at 116. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,400 per year vs. the national median. If two cities have the same income, this cost gap is the tiebreaker.
337,305 residents · Nevada
The #2 spot goes to Henderson, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,772/month — saving renters $1,476 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 102, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 126. At a 24% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
284,771 residents · Nevada
The #3 spot goes to North Las Vegas, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,819/month — saving renters $912 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 99, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 119. A 28% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone (that's pre-tax, of course).
274,915 residents · Nevada
Why Reno ranks #4: the numbers tell a clear story. At 115 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 3% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,830/month while the median household pulls in $78,448/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 106, though Housing (137) lags behind. Home prices average $559,591 — $92,221 above the national median.
110,323 residents · Nevada
A closer look at Sparks: the cost index of 115 breaks down to a Utilities index of 106 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 138 (weakest). Median rent is $1,967/month — 4% above the national median — while household income sits at $86,979, meaning locals spend about 27% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Las Vegas | 0% | 8.23% | 0.48% | $75,297 |
2Henderson | 0% | 8.23% | 0.48% | $75,297 |
3North Las Vegas | 0% | 8.23% | 0.48% | $75,297 |
4Reno | 0% | 8.23% | 0.48% | $75,297 |
5Sparks | 0% | 8.23% | 0.48% | $75,297 |
We calculate what percentage of a $100K gross salary goes to median rent. Cities where rent consumes less of your paycheck rank higher. We also factor in estimated take-home pay after federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Las Vegas ranks #1 in Nevada for this analysis with a cost index of 106 and median income of $70,723.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Las Vegas, rent would consume about 20% 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.
Las Vegas (ranked #1) has a cost index of 106 and rent of $1,695/mo, while Sparks (ranked #5) has a cost index of 115 and rent of $1,967/mo — a 9-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 Las Vegas is $1,695/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $200 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 0% state income tax, estimated take-home on $100K in Las Vegas is approximately $75,297/year ($6,275/month). After median rent of $1,695/month, you'd have roughly $54,957/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Las Vegas is $422,842, which is 6.0× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Nevada has a 0% state income tax rate — one of the states with no income tax. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.23%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.48%.
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.