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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 $40K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. We ran the numbers on 5 cities in Nevada using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Las Vegas comes o…
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. In a market where everything is going up, this stands still — in a good way (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
337,305 residents · Nevada
A closer look at Henderson: the cost index of 110 breaks down to a Utilities index of 102 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 126 (weakest). Median rent is $1,772/month — 6% below the national median — while household income sits at $88,654, meaning locals spend about 24% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
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.
274,915 residents · Nevada
Look, Here's Reno by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 115. Rent: $1,830/month. Income: $78,448/year. Home price: $559,591. Population: 274,915. The strongest category is Utilities at 106; the most expensive is Housing at 137. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $780 per year vs. the national median. Even in a down market, this kind of cost structure protects household budgets.
110,323 residents · Nevada
Dive into Sparks's numbers: cost index 115 (3 points above national average), rent $1,967/month, income $86,979, and a home price of $523,431. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 106, while Housing runs 138. With 110,323 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
#1 Ranked: Las Vegas — cost index 106, rent $1,695/mo, income $70,723
0 of 5 cities keep rent under 30% of $40K
0 of 5 cities keep rent under 30% of $40K 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 $40K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. 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.
Dive into Las Vegas's numbers: cost index 106 (6 points below national average), rent $1,695/month, income $70,723, and a home price of $422,842. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 98, while Housing runs 116. As a major city with 660,929 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
On a $40K salary, the key number is $1,000/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Las Vegas ($1,695/mo, 51%), Henderson ($1,772/mo, 53%), North Las Vegas ($1,819/mo, 55%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $32,372 to $32,372/year across these top picks.
0 of 5 cities keep rent under 30% of $40K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $40K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market.
What's equally notable: The 5 cities we track in Nevada paint a surprisingly balanced picture. Average cost index: 111. Median rent: $1,817/month. Household income: $80,315. Nevada is known for no income tax and Vegas-fueled growth — and the data backs that reputation convincingly.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Las Vegas | 0% | 8.23% | 0.48% | $32,372 |
2Henderson | 0% | 8.23% | 0.48% | $32,372 |
3North Las Vegas | 0% | 8.23% | 0.48% | $32,372 |
4Reno | 0% | 8.23% | 0.48% | $32,372 |
5Sparks | 0% | 8.23% | 0.48% | $32,372 |
We calculate what percentage of a $40K 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 $40K salary in Las Vegas, rent would consume about 51% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
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 $40K in Las Vegas is approximately $32,372/year ($2,698/month). After median rent of $1,695/month, you'd have roughly $12,032/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.