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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Perhaps more importantly, State context matters: South Dakota's 1 cities average a 74 cost index with $1,265/month median rent and $74,714 household income. No income tax and Great Plains affordability. The 12-month trend chart is where this ranking comes alive.
Perhaps more importantly, State context matters: South Dakota's 1 cities average a 74 cost index with $1,265/month median rent and $74,714 household income. No income tax and Great Plains affordability. The 12-month trend chart is where this ranking comes alive.
Look, 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: we ran the numbers three times. The result held every time: 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 meaningful edge in practice (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Here's Frisco by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 102. Rent: $1,751/month. Income: $146,158/year. Home price: $653,858. Population: 225,007. The strongest category is Healthcare at 100; the most expensive is Housing at 102. 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.
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.
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
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
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 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
111,620 residents · Texas
Allen earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 95 cost index sits 16 points below the national baseline, and the $129,130 median income means purchasing power here is genuinely above average. Homes list at $497,016 — $29,646 above the national median, reflecting the local market dynamics. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 95, while Healthcare trails at 99 (that's pre-tax, of course).
180,010 residents · North Carolina
The #3 spot goes to Cary, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,649/month — 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
Why Mckinney ranks #4: the numbers tell a clear story. At 98 on the cost index, residents save roughly 13% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,675/month while the median household pulls in $120,273/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 98, though Healthcare (100) lags behind. Home prices average $483,340 — $15,970 above the national median (your mileage may vary — literally).
150,245 residents · Illinois
The #5 spot goes to Naperville, and the breakdown explains why. That alone makes it worth considering. Renters here pay $2,157/month — costing renters $3,144 more per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 105, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 126. At a 17% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
Frisco ranks #1 in South Dakota 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.
South Dakota 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.