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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The gap is staggering: 96 points separate #1 Evansville (index 85) from #286 San Francisco (index 181). That spread means your housing, groceries, and daily expenses can cost 53% more depending on which city you choose. Here are all 286 cities, ranked with 2026 data (that's pre-tax, of course).
115,332 residents · Indiana
Here's Evansville by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 85. Rent: $1,010/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — . Income: $52,251/year. Home price: $194,790. Population: 115,332. The strongest category is Housing at 63; the most expensive is Healthcare at 88. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $10,620 per year vs. the national median. That's a strong position by any measure.
265,304 residents · Ohio
Frankly, the #2 spot goes to Toledo, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,060/month — saving renters $10,020 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 57, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 85. A 27% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
133,188 residents · North Dakota
A closer look at Fargo: the cost index of 92 breaks down to a Housing index of 80 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 95 (weakest). 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. Not flashy. Just effective.
396,119 residents · Kansas
Why Wichita ranks #4: the numbers tell a clear story. And for the typical household, at 87 on the cost index, residents save roughly 25% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,125/month while the median household pulls in $63,072/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 68, though Healthcare (90) lags behind. Home prices average $198,074 — $269,296 below the national median.
188,701 residents · Ohio
Why Akron ranks #5: the numbers tell a clear story. At 84 on the cost index, residents save roughly 28% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,134/month while the median household pulls in $48,544/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 61, though Healthcare (87) lags behind. Home prices average $134,376 — $332,994 below the national median.
#1 Ranked: Evansville, IN — cost index 85, rent $1,010/mo, income $52,251
$2,820/mo rent gap across the ranking
0 of 286 cities keep rent under 30% of $40K gross income
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 | 30% | 85 | Details |
| 2 | ToledoOH | $1,060 | 32% | 83 | Details |
| 3 | FargoND | $1,096 | 33% | 92 | Details |
| 4 | WichitaKS | $1,125 | 34% | 87 | Details |
| 5 | AkronOH | $1,134 | 34% | 84 | Details |
| 6 | Des MoinesIA | $1,141 | 34% | 88 | Details |
| 7 | RockfordIL | $1,151 | 35% | 86 | Details |
| 8 | Cedar RapidsIA | $1,158 | 35% | 88 | Details |
| 9 | Fort WayneIN | $1,160 | 35% | 90 | Details |
| 10 | TopekaKS | $1,169 | 35% | 87 | Details |
| 11 | ShreveportLA | $1,170 | 35% | 85 | Details |
| 12 | Little RockAR | $1,171 | 35% | 89 | Details |
| 13 | DaytonOH | $1,186 | 36% | 85 | Details |
| 14 | TulsaOK | $1,207 | 36% | 89 | Details |
| 15 | MaconGA | $1,207 | 36% | 87 | Details |
| 16 | SpringfieldMO | $1,209 | 36% | 90 | Details |
| 17 | MemphisTN | $1,234 | 37% | 86 | Details |
| 18 | AmarilloTX | $1,245 | 37% | 89 | Details |
| 19 | OklahomaOK | $1,255 | 38% | 89 | Details |
| 20 | MobileAL | $1,264 | 38% | 89 | Details |
| 21 | Sioux FallsSD | $1,265 | 38% | 95 | Details |
| 22 | McallenTX | $1,272 | 38% | 91 | Details |
| 23 | BeaumontTX | $1,275 | 38% | 88 | Details |
| 24 | LafayetteLA | $1,279 | 38% | 90 | Details |
| 25 | KilleenTX | $1,280 | 38% | 90 | Details |
The gap is staggering: 96 points separate #1 Evansville (index 85) from #286 San Francisco (index 181). That spread means your housing, groceries, and daily expenses can cost 53% more depending on which city you choose. Here are all 286 cities, ranked with 2026 data (that's pre-tax, of course).
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 63) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 88) 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.
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.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Evansville, IN | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $31,152 |
2Toledo, OH | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $30,972 |
3Fargo, ND | 1.95% | 7.04% | 0.94% | $31,592 |
4Wichita, KS | 5.7% | 8.7% | 1.28% | $30,092 |
5Akron, OH | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $30,972 |
6Des Moines, IA | 5.7% | 6.94% | 1.43% | $30,092 |
7Rockford, IL | 4.95% | 8.83% | 1.73% | $30,392 |
8Cedar Rapids, IA | 5.7% | 6.94% | 1.43% | $30,092 |
9Fort Wayne, IN | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $31,152 |
10Topeka, KS | 5.7% | 8.7% | 1.28% | $30,092 |
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.
Yes. On a $40K salary in Evansville, rent would consume about 30% 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 85 and rent of $1,010/mo, while San Francisco (ranked #286) has a cost index of 181 and rent of $3,830/mo — a 96-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 $40K in Evansville is approximately $31,152/year ($2,596/month). After median rent of $1,010/month, you'd have roughly $19,032/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.