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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Midwest dominates with 5 of top 10. 5 of the 10 top-ranked cities are in the Midwest. Rust Belt affordability and steady incomes keep these cities competitive. We analyzed 207 cities across the country to build this ranking using 2026 federal data. Detroit, MI takes the #1 spot with a cost index of …
Using the conservative 3.5× annual salary rule, a $150K salary supports a home up to $525,000. 207 cities in our database meet that bar.
5 of the 10 top-ranked cities are in the Midwest. Rust Belt affordability and steady incomes keep these cities competitive.
The race is tight: Detroit, Jackson, Cleveland, Toledo, Dayton are all within 1 points of each other. At this level, differences in rent, taxes, or a single category can sway the decision.
Midwest dominates with 5 of top 10. 5 of the 10 top-ranked cities are in the Midwest. Rust Belt affordability and steady incomes keep these cities competitive. We analyzed 207 cities across the country to build this ranking using 2026 federal data. Detroit, MI takes the #1 spot with a cost index of 84 and rent of $1,318/month.
Dive into Detroit's numbers: cost index 84 (28 points below national average), rent $1,318/month, income $39,575, and a home price of $74,828. Standard stuff, really. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 61, while Healthcare runs 87. As a major city with 633,218 residents, amenities and job markets are robust. That's not nothing.
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: Detroit, MI — cost index 84, rent $1,318/mo, income $39,575
207 cities have homes under $525,000
207 of 207 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Home Price | Price/Salary | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DetroitMI | $74,828 | 0.5× | 84 | $1,318 | Details |
| 2 | JacksonMS | $86,017 | 0.6× | 84 | $1,283 | Details |
| 3 | ClevelandOH | $113,669 | 0.8× | 87 | $1,344 | Details |
| 4 | ToledoOH | $126,270 | 0.8× | 83 | $1,060 | Details |
| 5 | DaytonOH | $133,852 | 0.9× | 85 | $1,186 | Details |
| 6 | AkronOH | $134,376 | 0.9× | 84 | $1,134 | Details |
| 7 | ShreveportLA | $134,461 | 0.9× | 85 | $1,170 | Details |
| 8 | BirminghamAL | $134,655 | 0.9× | 87 | $1,309 | Details |
| 9 | MemphisTN | $142,870 | 1.0× | 86 | $1,234 | Details |
| 10 | MontgomeryAL | $147,533 | 1.0× | 88 | $1,317 | Details |
| 11 | LansingMI | $158,722 | 1.1× | 88 | $1,283 | Details |
| 12 | BeaumontTX | $165,122 | 1.1× | 88 | $1,275 | Details |
| 13 | MaconGA | $167,317 | 1.1× | 87 | $1,207 | Details |
| 14 | RockfordIL | $172,610 | 1.2× | 86 | $1,151 | Details |
| 15 | AugustaGA | $173,222 | 1.2× | 89 | $1,321 | Details |
| 16 | St LouisMO | $179,917 | 1.2× | 89 | $1,326 | Details |
| 17 | TopekaKS | $186,856 | 1.2× | 87 | $1,169 | Details |
| 18 | BaltimoreMD | $187,545 | 1.3× | 96 | $1,708 | Details |
| 19 | MobileAL | $191,840 | 1.3× | 89 | $1,264 | Details |
| 20 | WacoTX | $191,908 | 1.3× | 91 | $1,368 | Details |
| 21 | BrownsvilleTX | $193,950 | 1.3× | 95 | $1,621 | Details |
| 22 | HartfordCT | $194,741 | 1.3× | 93 | $1,530 | Details |
| 23 | EvansvilleIN | $194,790 | 1.3× | 85 | $1,010 | Details |
| 24 | WarrenMI | $195,562 | 1.3× | 90 | $1,336 | Details |
| 25 | WichitaKS | $198,074 | 1.3× | 87 | $1,125 | Details |
633,218 residents · Michigan
Detroit earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 84 cost index sits 28 points below the national baseline, and the $39,575 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $74,828 — $392,542 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 61, while Healthcare trails at 87.
143,709 residents · Mississippi
No sugarcoating: Why Jackson ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 84 on the cost index, residents save roughly 28% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,283/month while the median household pulls in $43,238/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 61, though Healthcare (87) lags behind. Home prices average $86,017 — $381,353 below the national median. Quietly competitive.
362,656 residents · Ohio
Why Cleveland ranks #3: the numbers tell a clear story. At 87 on the cost index, residents save roughly 25% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,344/month — for better or worse — while the median household pulls in $39,187/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 67, though Healthcare (89) lags behind. Home prices average $113,669 — $353,701 below the national median.
265,304 residents · Ohio
Why Toledo ranks #4: the numbers tell a clear story. At 83 on the cost index, residents save roughly 29% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,060/month while the median household pulls in $47,532/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 57, though Healthcare (85) lags behind. Home prices average $126,270 — $341,100 below the national median. No gimmicks — just good numbers.
135,512 residents · Ohio
Dive into Dayton's numbers: cost index 85 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — (27 points below national average), rent $1,186/month, income $43,454, and a home price of $133,852. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 63, while Healthcare runs 88. With 135,512 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Detroit, MI | 4.25% | 6% | 1.32% | $103,108 |
2Jackson, MS | 5% | 7.07% | 0.63% | $101,983 |
3Cleveland, OH | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $104,233 |
4Toledo, OH | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $104,233 |
5Dayton, OH | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $104,233 |
6Akron, OH | 3.5% | 7.24% | 1.36% | $104,233 |
7Shreveport, LA | 4.25% | 9.55% | 0.51% | $103,108 |
8Birmingham, AL | 5% | 9.28% | 0.37% | $101,983 |
9Memphis, TN | 0% | 9.55% | 0.56% | $109,483 |
10Montgomery, AL | 5% | 9.28% | 0.37% | $101,983 |
Using the standard 3.5× income affordability rule, a $150K salary supports a max home price of $525,000. We filter to cities below that threshold, then rank by home-price-to-income ratio. 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.
Yes. On a $150K salary in Detroit, rent would consume about 11% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
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.
Detroit (ranked #1) has a cost index of 84 and rent of $1,318/mo, while Portland (ranked #207) has a cost index of 111 and rent of $1,710/mo — a 27-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 Detroit is $1,318/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $577 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 4.25% state income tax, estimated take-home on $150K in Detroit is approximately $103,108/year ($8,592/month). After median rent of $1,318/month, you'd have roughly $87,292/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Detroit is $74,828, which is 1.9× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
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.