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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Premium market, smart picks: while Tennessee 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 Tennessee (not adjusted for inflation, but still telli…
Premium market, smart picks: while Tennessee 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 Tennessee (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Why Frisco ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 118 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 6% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,751/month while the median household pulls in $146,158/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 108, though Housing (145) lags behind. Home prices average $653,858 — $186,488 above the national median (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
What you won't find on most comparison sites: Tennessee — no income tax, Nashville boom, and Memphis blues. The 6 cities we track here average a cost index of 100 and median income of $63,576. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,545/month, which is $350 less than the national median.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Frisco — cost index 118, rent $1,751/mo, income $146,158
170 of 280 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
Real talk: Dive into Frisco's numbers: cost index 118 (6 points above national average), rent $1,751/month, income $146,158, and a home price of $653,858. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 108, while Housing runs 145. With 225,007 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
150,245 residents · Illinois
A closer look at Naperville: the cost index of 122 breaks down to a Utilities index of 112 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 154 (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.
108,515 residents · Texas
Sugar Land earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And broadly, the 112 cost index sits 0 points above the national baseline, and the $137,511 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. 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
Allen earns its position at #4 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And most of the time, the 109 cost index sits 3 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, Utilities leads the way at 100, while Housing trails at 122.
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. For dual-income households, this multiplies into serious savings.
Frisco ranks #1 in Tennessee 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 #280) 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.
Tennessee 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.