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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Premium market, smart picks: while Louisiana trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Frisco at index 118 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving Louisiana.
#1 Ranked: Frisco — cost index 118, rent $1,751/mo, income $146,158
172 of 282 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
Premium market, smart picks: while Louisiana trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Frisco at index 118 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving Louisiana.
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.
Frisco earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 118 cost index sits 6 points above the national baseline, and the $146,158 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $653,858 — $186,488 above the national median, reflecting the local market dynamics. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 108, while Housing trails at 145.
Bottom line: Frisco 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.
225,007 residents · Texas
Here's Frisco by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 118. Rent: $1,751/month. Income: $146,158/year. Home price: $653,858. Population: 225,007. The strongest category is Utilities at 108; the most expensive is Housing at 145. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $1,728 per year vs. the national median. That's a meaningful edge in practice. Not even close to the national average.
150,245 residents · Illinois
Here's Naperville by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 122. Rent: $2,157/month. Income: $150,937/year. Home price: $594,498. Population: 150,245. The strongest category is Utilities at 112; the most expensive is Housing at 154. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $3,144 more per year vs. the national median. This is where the math gets real for actual people. Solidly above average.
108,515 residents · Texas
Here's Sugar Land by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 112. Rent: $1,990/month. Income: $137,511/year. Home price: $440,419. Population: 108,515. The strongest category is Utilities at 103; the most expensive is Housing at 130. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $1,140 more per year vs. the national median. If you're a planner, this number should anchor your spreadsheet.
111,620 residents · Texas
Why Allen ranks #4: the numbers tell a clear story. At 109 on the cost index, residents save roughly 3% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,634/month while the median household pulls in $129,130/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 100, though Housing (122) lags behind. Home prices average $497,016 — $29,646 above the national median. That's not nothing.
116,320 residents · Texas
Here's League by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 105. Rent: $1,764/month. Income: $119,870/year. Home price: $368,400. Population: 116,320. The strongest category is Utilities at 97; the most expensive is Housing at 113. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $1,572 per year vs. the national median. If you've ever felt priced out, the numbers here offer a different path.
We pull all cities outside Louisiana and rank them by value ratio (income ÷ cost index). Cities offering lower costs or higher income than Louisiana'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 Louisiana 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 #282) 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.
Louisiana 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.