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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 95 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 95 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, Premium market, smart picks: while South Dakota 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 South Dakota.
In plain English: 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 adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
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.
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 118, rent $1,751/mo, income $146,158
175 of 285 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
225,007 residents · Texas
A closer look at Frisco: the cost index of 118 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 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
150,245 residents · Illinois
Naperville earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 122 cost index sits 10 points above the national baseline, and the $150,937 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $594,498 — $127,128 above the national median, reflecting the local market dynamics. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 112, while Housing trails at 154 (that's pre-tax, of course).
108,515 residents · Texas
The #3 spot goes to Sugar Land, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,990/month — costing renters $1,140 more per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 103, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 130. At a 17% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
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 (your mileage may vary — literally).
116,320 residents · Texas
The #5 spot goes to League, and the breakdown explains why. That alone makes it worth considering. Renters here pay $1,764/month — saving renters $1,572 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 97, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 113. At a 18% 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 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 #285) 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.
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.