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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
High income and low costs rarely coexist — but Frisco pulls it off. At $146,158 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — median household income and a 102 cost index, residents enjoy purchasing power that 98% exceeds the national average. We found this pattern across 283 cities in South…
High income and low costs rarely coexist — but Frisco pulls it off. At $146,158 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — median household income and a 102 cost index, residents enjoy purchasing power that 98% exceeds the national average. We found this pattern across 283 cities in South Carolina using 2026 data.
A closer look at Frisco: the cost index of 102 breaks down to a Healthcare index of 100 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 102 (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 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.
The surface-level take is fine. The deeper take is better. 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. That's a strong position by any measure (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
There's more to the story, though. State context matters: South Carolina's 3 cities average a 102 cost index with $1,752/month median rent and $69,493 household income. Lowcountry charm and migration-driven growth. In the comparison grid, two cities swap places when you switch from rent to total cost.
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.
#1 Ranked: Frisco — cost index 102, rent $1,751/mo, income $146,158
Frisco: high income, low cost — a rare combo
171 of 283 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
A closer look at Frisco: the cost index of 102 breaks down to a Healthcare index of 100 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 102 (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.
111,620 residents · Texas
Why Allen ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 95 on the cost index, residents save roughly 16% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,634/month — whether that matters depends on your situation — while the median household pulls in $129,130/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 95, though Healthcare (99) lags behind. Home prices average $497,016 — $29,646 above the national median.
180,010 residents · North Carolina
The #3 spot goes to Cary, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,649/month — this is the part where it gets real — — saving renters $2,952 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 96, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 99. At a 15% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
213,509 residents · Texas
Here's Mckinney by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 98. Rent: $1,675/month. Income: $120,273/year. Home price: $483,340. Population: 213,509. The strongest category is Housing at 98; the most expensive is Healthcare at 100. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,640 per year vs. the national median. For anyone running the numbers, this is where it clicks.
150,245 residents · Illinois
A closer look at Naperville: the cost index of 126 breaks down to a Healthcare index of 105 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 126 (weakest). Median rent is $2,157/month — 14% above the national median — while household income sits at $150,937, meaning locals spend about 17% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
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 South Carolina is far from monolithic in affordability.
We pull all cities outside South Carolina and rank them by value ratio (income ÷ cost index). Cities offering lower costs or higher income than South Carolina'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 South Carolina 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 #283) 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.
South Carolina 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.