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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
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 inde…
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | EvansvilleIN | $1,010 | 20% | 59 | Details |
| 2 | ToledoOH | $1,060 | 21% | 62 | Details |
| 3 | FargoND | $1,096 | 22% | 64 | Details |
| 4 | WichitaKS | $1,125 | 23% | 66 | Details |
| 5 | AkronOH | $1,134 | 23% | 66 | Details |
| 6 | Des MoinesIA | $1,141 | 23% | 67 | Details |
| 7 | RockfordIL | $1,151 | 23% | 67 | Details |
| 8 | Cedar RapidsIA | $1,158 | 23% | 68 | Details |
| 9 | Fort WayneIN | $1,160 | 23% | 68 | Details |
| 10 | TopekaKS | $1,169 | 23% | 68 | Details |
| 11 | ShreveportLA | $1,170 | 23% | 68 | Details |
| 12 | Little RockAR | $1,171 | 23% | 68 | Details |
| 13 | DaytonOH | $1,186 | 24% | 69 | Details |
| 14 | TulsaOK | $1,207 | 24% | 70 | Details |
| 15 | MaconGA | $1,207 | 24% | 70 | Details |
| 16 | SpringfieldMO | $1,209 | 24% | 71 | Details |
| 17 | MemphisTN | $1,234 | 25% | 72 | Details |
| 18 | AmarilloTX | $1,245 | 25% | 73 | Details |
| 19 | OklahomaOK | $1,255 | 25% | 73 | Details |
| 20 | MobileAL | $1,264 | 25% | 74 | Details |
| 21 | Sioux FallsSD | $1,265 | 25% | 74 | Details |
| 22 | McallenTX | $1,272 | 25% | 74 | Details |
| 23 | BeaumontTX | $1,275 | 26% | 74 | Details |
| 24 | LafayetteLA | $1,279 | 26% | 75 | Details |
| 25 | KilleenTX | $1,280 | 26% | 75 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Evansville, IN — cost index 59, rent $1,010/mo, income $52,251
$2,820/mo rent gap across the ranking
79 of 286 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
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.
$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.
Evansville comes in at #1. Rent is $1,010 a month. Household income is $52,251. The cost of living index is 59. That's about what we'd expect given the state context.
Zooming out, Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 111 — we had to double-check this one — , rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. That's a spread that makes moving costs look trivial. Not even close to the national average.
Bottom line: Evansville, IN leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. 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.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Evansville, IN | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $45,327 |
2Toledo, OH | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $45,057 |
3Fargo, ND | 1.95% | 7.04% | 0.94% | $45,987 |
4Wichita, KS | 5.7% | 8.7% | 1.28% | $43,737 |
5Akron, OH | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $45,057 |
6Des Moines, IA | 5.7% | 6.94% | 1.43% | $43,737 |
7Rockford, IL | 4.95% | 8.83% | 1.73% | $44,187 |
8Cedar Rapids, IA | 5.7% | 6.94% | 1.43% | $43,737 |
9Fort Wayne, IN | 3.05% | 7% | 0.78% | $45,327 |
10Topeka, KS | 5.7% | 8.7% | 1.28% | $43,737 |
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 $60K salary, 79 cities (28%) 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
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.
265,304 residents · Ohio
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. The delta here is big enough to fund a retirement account.
133,188 residents · North Dakota
Dive into Fargo's numbers: cost index 64 (47 points below national average), rent $1,096/month, income $66,029, and a home price of $312,872. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 64, while Healthcare runs 93. With 133,188 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
396,119 residents · Kansas
What does daily life actually cost in Wichita? Start with the 21% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 66) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 93) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $63,072 and homes at $198,074 round out a profile that ranks #4 for clear reasons (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
188,701 residents · Ohio
Dive into Akron's numbers: cost index 66 — this is the part where it gets real — (45 points below national average), rent $1,134/month, income $48,544, and a home price of $134,376. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 66, while Healthcare runs 93. With 188,701 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
We calculate what percentage of a $60K 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 $60K salary in Evansville, 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.
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 $60K in Evansville is approximately $45,327/year ($3,777/month). After median rent of $1,010/month, you'd have roughly $33,207/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.