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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Indiana — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Frisco (index 118, rent $1,751/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. No major red flags in that number. We analyzed 283 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
#1 Ranked: Frisco — cost index 118, rent $1,751/mo, income $146,158
173 of 283 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Indiana — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Frisco (index 118, rent $1,751/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. No major red flags in that number. We analyzed 283 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
A closer look at Frisco: the cost index of 118 — we had to double-check this one — breaks down to a Utilities index of 108 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 145 (weakest). Median rent is $1,751/month — 8% below the national median — while household income sits at $146,158, meaning locals spend about 14% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
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. Frisco (index 118, rent $1,751); Naperville (index 122, rent $2,157); Sugar Land (index 112, rent $1,990). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Zooming out, Here's the state-level backdrop: Indiana averages a 89 cost index, $1,175/mo rent, and $58,513 income across 3 cities. That's $720 less than the national rent average. Solidly affordable Rust Belt living — and that context shapes every city in this ranking.
Look, Bottom line: Frisco leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And more often than not, 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 (that's pre-tax, of course).
225,007 residents · Texas
The #1 spot goes to Frisco, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,751/month — saving renters $1,728 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 108, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 145. At a 14% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
150,245 residents · Illinois
So, Naperville. Cost index of 122, rent at $2,157/month. It's higher than the national average. Median income is $150,937, which is above average. That tracks.
108,515 residents · Texas
Sugar Land earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 112 cost index sits 0 points above the national baseline, and the $137,511 — a detail that tends to get overlooked — median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Standard stuff, really. Homes list at $440,419 — $26,951 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 103, while Housing trails at 130.
111,620 residents · Texas
Here's Allen by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 109. Rent: $1,634/month — for better or worse — . Income: $129,130/year. Home price: $497,016. Population: 111,620. The strongest category is Utilities at 100; the most expensive is Housing at 122. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $3,132 per year vs. the national median. At this level, the city practically pays for your move.
116,320 residents · Texas
A closer look at League: the cost index of 105 breaks down to a Utilities index of 97 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 113 (weakest). Median rent is $1,764/month — 7% below the national median — while household income sits at $119,870, meaning locals spend about 18% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
We pull all cities outside Indiana and rank them by value ratio (income ÷ cost index). Cities offering lower costs or higher income than Indiana'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 Indiana for this analysis with a cost index of 118 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 118 and rent of $1,751/mo, while Mesquite (ranked #283) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,397/mo — a 24-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.
Indiana 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.