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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
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. 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 …
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. 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.
On a $30K salary, the key number is $750/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. And in practical terms, evansville ($1,010/mo, 40%), Toledo ($1,060/mo, 42%), Fargo ($1,096/mo, 44%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $23,752 to $23,422/year across these top picks.
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.
Now zoom in on the cost categories. For context: the typical American city has a cost index of 111, pays $1,895/month in rent, and earns $80,367 per household. The top-ranked cities here tell a dramatically different story — one that's worth exploring city by city.
Strip away assumptions, and something unexpected emerges. $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. For dual-income households, this multiplies into serious savings.
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.
#1 Ranked: Evansville, IN — cost index 59, rent $1,010/mo, income $52,251
$2,820/mo rent gap across the ranking
0 of 286 cities keep rent under 30% of $30K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
115,332 residents · Indiana
Why Evansville ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 59 on the cost index, residents save roughly 52% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,010/month while the median household pulls in $52,251/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 59, though Healthcare (92) lags behind. Home prices average $194,790 — $272,580 below the national median.
265,304 residents · Ohio
Toledo earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. That tracks. The 62 cost index sits 49 points below the national baseline, and the $47,532 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $126,270 — $341,100 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 62, while Healthcare trails at 92.
133,188 residents · North Dakota
A closer look at Fargo: the cost index of 64 breaks down to a Housing index of 64 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 93 (weakest). That's a reasonable number. Median rent is $1,096/month — 42% below the national median — while household income sits at $66,029, meaning locals spend about 20% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
396,119 residents · Kansas
Wichita is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,125/month — we had to double-check this one — , which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 66. Income sits at $63,072. That's a reasonable number.
188,701 residents · Ohio
Akron earns its position at #5 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 66 cost index sits 45 points below the national baseline, and the $48,544 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $134,376 — $332,994 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 66, while Healthcare trails at 93 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
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.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $30K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market.
10 of the 10 top-ranked cities are in the Midwest. Rust Belt affordability and steady incomes keep these cities competitive.
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | EvansvilleIN | $1,010 | 40% | 59 | Details |
| 2 | ToledoOH | $1,060 | 42% | 62 | Details |
| 3 | FargoND | $1,096 | 44% | 64 | Details |
| 4 | WichitaKS | $1,125 | 45% | 66 | Details |
| 5 | AkronOH | $1,134 | 45% | 66 | Details |
| 6 | Des MoinesIA | $1,141 | 46% | 67 | Details |
| 7 | RockfordIL | $1,151 | 46% | 67 | Details |
| 8 | Cedar RapidsIA | $1,158 | 46% | 68 | Details |
| 9 | Fort WayneIN | $1,160 | 46% | 68 | Details |
| 10 | TopekaKS | $1,169 | 47% | 68 | Details |
| 11 | ShreveportLA | $1,170 | 47% | 68 | Details |
| 12 | Little RockAR | $1,171 | 47% | 68 | Details |
| 13 | DaytonOH | $1,186 | 47% | 69 | Details |
| 14 | TulsaOK | $1,207 | 48% | 70 | Details |
| 15 | MaconGA | $1,207 | 48% | 70 | Details |
| 16 | SpringfieldMO | $1,209 | 48% | 71 | Details |
| 17 | MemphisTN | $1,234 | 49% | 72 | Details |
| 18 | AmarilloTX | $1,245 | 50% | 73 | Details |
| 19 | OklahomaOK | $1,255 | 50% | 73 | Details |
| 20 | MobileAL | $1,264 | 51% | 74 | Details |
| 21 | Sioux FallsSD | $1,265 | 51% | 74 | Details |
| 22 | McallenTX | $1,272 | 51% | 74 | Details |
| 23 | BeaumontTX | $1,275 | 51% | 74 | Details |
| 24 | LafayetteLA | $1,279 | 51% | 75 | Details |
| 25 | KilleenTX | $1,280 | 51% | 75 | Details |
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Evansville, IN | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $23,422 |
2Toledo, OH | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $23,287 |
3Fargo, ND | 1.95% | 7.04% | 0.94% | $23,752 |
4Wichita, KS | 5.7% | 8.7% | 1.28% | $22,627 |
5Akron, OH | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $23,287 |
6Des Moines, IA | 5.7% | 6.94% | 1.43% | $22,627 |
7Rockford, IL | 4.95% | 8.83% | 1.73% | $22,852 |
8Cedar Rapids, IA | 5.7% | 6.94% | 1.43% | $22,627 |
9Fort Wayne, IN | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $23,422 |
10Topeka, KS | 5.7% | 8.7% | 1.28% | $22,627 |
We calculate what percentage of a $30K 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.
Yes. On a $30K salary in Evansville, rent would consume about 40% 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.
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.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 3.05% state income tax, estimated take-home on $30K in Evansville is approximately $23,422/year ($1,952/month). After median rent of $1,010/month, you'd have roughly $11,302/year for all other expenses.
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.