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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 3 of 3 cities in Pennsylvania beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Pittsburgh stands out at 95 on the index, with rent of $1,516/month and household income of $64,137. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
| Rank | City | Value Ratio | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pittsburgh | 675 | 95 | $1,516 | Details |
| 2 | Philadelphia | 619 | 98 | $1,734 | Details |
| 3 | Allentown | 529 | 101 | $1,699 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Pittsburgh — cost index 95, rent $1,516/mo, income $64,137
Pittsburgh rent up 3% over the past year
3 of 3 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
The numbers are clear: 3 of 3 cities in Pennsylvania beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Pittsburgh stands out at 95 on the index, with rent of $1,516/month and household income of $64,137. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
What does daily life actually cost in Pittsburgh? Start with the 28% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Utilities (index 87) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 98) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $64,137 — for better or worse — and homes at $230,723 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
Value = income ÷ cost index. The national benchmark ratio is 718. Pittsburgh delivers 675 — -6% more purchasing power per dollar earned. This metric catches cities that expensive-but-high-paying rankings miss: a $90K salary in a city with index 80 buys more than $120K in a city with index 150.
Before making assumptions, look at this: Pittsburgh rent up 3% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked Pittsburgh has increased from $1,467 to $1,516/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time. On a teacher's salary, this difference is the line between paycheck-to-paycheck and comfortable.
Now, the part that complicates the narrative: Pennsylvania — Philadelphia's corridor versus Appalachian values. The 3 cities we track here average a cost index of 98 and median income of $59,413. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,650/month, which is $245 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. And in practical terms, 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.
303,255 residents · Pennsylvania
In plain English: Here's Pittsburgh by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 95. Rent: $1,516/month. Income: $64,137/year. Home price: $230,723. Population: 303,255. The strongest category is Utilities at 87; the most expensive is Healthcare at 98. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $4,548 per year vs. the national median. The practical impact: more room for childcare, savings, or just breathing room.
1,550,542 residents · Pennsylvania
Here's Philadelphia by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 98. Rent: $1,734/month. Income: $60,698/year. Home price: $229,411. Population: 1,550,542. The strongest category is Utilities at 90; the most expensive is Healthcare at 101. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $1,932 per year vs. the national median. That's a spread that makes moving costs look trivial.
124,880 residents · Pennsylvania
No sugarcoating: the #3 spot goes to Allentown, and the breakdown explains why. And for many people, renters here pay $1,699/month — saving renters $2,352 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 93, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 104. The 38% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
Value ratio = median household income ÷ cost of living index. A higher ratio means each dollar of income buys more locally. This captures purchasing power better than looking at income or cost alone. 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.
Pittsburgh ranks #1 in Pennsylvania for this analysis with a cost index of 95 and median income of $64,137.
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.
Pittsburgh (ranked #1) has a cost index of 95 and rent of $1,516/mo, while Allentown (ranked #3) has a cost index of 101 and rent of $1,699/mo — a 6-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 Pittsburgh is $1,516/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $379 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Pittsburgh is $230,723, which is 3.6× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Pennsylvania has a 3.07% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 6.34%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.36%.
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.