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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The income-cost paradox: Frisco pays $146,158 — 82% above the national median — while costing just 102 on the index. Only 40 of 288 tracked cities share this unusual profile. Here's the full 285-city ranking for 2026.
The income-cost paradox: Frisco pays $146,158 — 82% above the national median — while costing just 102 on the index. Only 40 of 288 tracked cities share this unusual profile. Here's the full 285-city ranking for 2026.
In plain English: the ranking uses a composite of 2026 data from Census Bureau population/income surveys, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary benchmarks, and Tax Foundation tax rates. You get the picture. Frisco (index 102, rent $1,751); Allen (index 95, rent $1,634); Cary (index 96, rent $1,649). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Real talk: Frisco earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 102 cost index sits 9 points below the national baseline, and the $146,158 median income means purchasing power here is genuinely above average. Homes list at $653,858 — $186,488 above the national median, reflecting the local market dynamics. On the cost side, Healthcare leads the way at 100, while Housing trails at 102 (that's pre-tax, of course).
It checks most boxes — but the housing costs are the asterisk. In Frisco, the housing index sits at 102 — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing about (though the trend is moving in the right direction).
If you've ever wondered why some 'cheap' cities don't feel cheap, this explains it: Frisco: high income, low cost — a rare combo. Frisco earns above the national median ($146,158 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 102 vs 111). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 40 of 288 cities share it. Financially, that's significant (more on that below).
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 (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
#1 Ranked: Frisco — cost index 102, rent $1,751/mo, income $146,158
Frisco: high income, low cost — a rare combo
172 of 285 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
225,007 residents · Texas
So, Frisco. Cost index of 102, rent at $1,751/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $146,158, which is above average. That alone makes it worth considering.
111,620 residents · Texas
A closer look at Allen: the cost index of 95 breaks down to a Housing index of 95 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 99 (weakest). Median rent is $1,634/month — 14% below the national median — while household income sits at $129,130, meaning locals spend about 15% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
180,010 residents · North Carolina
Cary earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 96 cost index sits 15 points below the national baseline, and the $129,399 median income means purchasing power here is genuinely above average. Homes list at $620,401 — $153,031 above the national median, reflecting the local market dynamics. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 96, while Healthcare trails at 99.
213,509 residents · Texas
What does daily life actually cost in Mckinney? Start with the 17% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 98) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 100) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $120,273 — we had to double-check this one — and homes at $483,340 round out a profile that ranks #4 for clear reasons.
150,245 residents · Illinois
Here's Naperville by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. And for many people, cost index: 126. Rent: $2,157/month. Income: $150,937/year. Home price: $594,498. Population: 150,245. The strongest category is Healthcare at 105; the most expensive is Housing at 126. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $3,144 more per year vs. the national median. That could be a concern depending on your priorities.
Frisco earns above the national median ($146,158 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 102 vs 111). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 40 of 288 cities share it.
Rent ranges from $1,751/mo in Frisco to $2,964/mo in Miami — a monthly difference of $1,213, or $14,556 per year.
Frisco (index 102) and Miami (index 173) sit 71 points apart on the cost index — proof that Arkansas is far from monolithic in affordability.
We pull all cities outside Arkansas and rank them by value ratio (income ÷ cost index). Cities offering lower costs or higher income than Arkansas's averages surface first. Population and rent data provide additional context. 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.
Frisco ranks #1 in Arkansas for this analysis with a cost index of 102 and median income of $146,158.
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.
Frisco (ranked #1) has a cost index of 102 and rent of $1,751/mo, while Miami (ranked #285) has a cost index of 173 and rent of $2,964/mo — a 71-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 Frisco is $1,751/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $144 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Frisco is $653,858, which is 4.5× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Arkansas has a 0% state income tax rate — one of the states with no income tax. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.19%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.6%.
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.