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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
No sugarcoating: 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…
#1 Ranked: Evansville, IN — cost index 59, rent $1,010/mo, income $52,251
$2,820/mo rent gap across the ranking
18 of 286 cities keep rent under 30% of $50K 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 | 24% | 59 | Details |
| 2 | ToledoOH | $1,060 | 25% | 62 | Details |
| 3 | FargoND | $1,096 | 26% | 64 | Details |
| 4 | WichitaKS | $1,125 | 27% | 66 | Details |
| 5 | AkronOH | $1,134 | 27% | 66 | Details |
| 6 | Des MoinesIA | $1,141 | 27% | 67 | Details |
| 7 | RockfordIL | $1,151 | 28% | 67 | Details |
| 8 | Cedar RapidsIA | $1,158 | 28% | 68 | Details |
| 9 | Fort WayneIN | $1,160 | 28% | 68 | Details |
| 10 | TopekaKS | $1,169 | 28% | 68 | Details |
| 11 | ShreveportLA | $1,170 | 28% | 68 | Details |
| 12 | Little RockAR | $1,171 | 28% | 68 | Details |
| 13 | DaytonOH | $1,186 | 28% | 69 | Details |
| 14 | TulsaOK | $1,207 | 29% | 70 | Details |
| 15 | MaconGA | $1,207 | 29% | 70 | Details |
| 16 | SpringfieldMO | $1,209 | 29% | 71 | Details |
| 17 | MemphisTN | $1,234 | 30% | 72 | Details |
| 18 | AmarilloTX | $1,245 | 30% | 73 | Details |
| 19 | OklahomaOK | $1,255 | 30% | 73 | Details |
| 20 | MobileAL | $1,264 | 30% | 74 | Details |
| 21 | Sioux FallsSD | $1,265 | 30% | 74 | Details |
| 22 | McallenTX | $1,272 | 31% | 74 | Details |
| 23 | BeaumontTX | $1,275 | 31% | 74 | Details |
| 24 | LafayetteLA | $1,279 | 31% | 75 | Details |
| 25 | KilleenTX | $1,280 | 31% | 75 | Details |
No sugarcoating: 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 (though the trend is moving in the right direction).
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.
Rankings quantify the landscape. But the decision to move is personal. Use the spotlights above to zero in on 2-3 finalists, then run your actual salary through the calculator. The question isn't just "where is it cheapest?" — it's "where does my specific income buy the life I want?" Start here. Dig deeper on the linked city pages.
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 $50K salary, 18 cities (6%) 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.
115,332 residents · Indiana
The numbers for Evansville are straightforward: 59 on the cost index, $1,010/month rent, $52,251 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. It lines up with what you'd expect.
265,304 residents · Ohio
Real talk: Here's Toledo by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 62. Rent: $1,060/month. Income: $47,532/year. Home price: $126,270. Population: 265,304. The strongest category is Housing at 62; the most expensive is Healthcare at 92. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $10,020 per year vs. the national median. That adds up much faster than people realize (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
133,188 residents · North Dakota
Fargo earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 64 cost index sits 47 points below the national baseline, and the $66,029 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $312,872 — $154,498 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 64, while Healthcare trails at 93.
396,119 residents · Kansas
In plain English: Wichita earns its position at #4 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 66 cost index sits 45 points below the national baseline, and the $63,072 — make of that what you will — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $198,074 — $269,296 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 66, while Healthcare trails at 93.
188,701 residents · Ohio
Akron earns its position at #5 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And on balance, 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. Not even close to the national average.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Evansville, IN | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $38,597 |
2Toledo, OH | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $38,372 |
3Fargo, ND | 1.95% | 7.04% | 0.94% | $39,147 |
4Wichita, KS | 5.7% | 8.7% | 1.28% | $37,272 |
5Akron, OH | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $38,372 |
6Des Moines, IA | 5.7% | 6.94% | 1.43% | $37,272 |
7Rockford, IL | 4.95% | 8.83% | 1.73% | $37,647 |
8Cedar Rapids, IA | 5.7% | 6.94% | 1.43% | $37,272 |
9Fort Wayne, IN | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $38,597 |
10Topeka, KS | 5.7% | 8.7% | 1.28% | $37,272 |
Yes. On a $50K salary in Evansville, rent would consume about 24% 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.
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 $50K in Evansville is approximately $38,597/year ($3,216/month). After median rent of $1,010/month, you'd have roughly $26,477/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.