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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
High income and low costs rarely coexist — but Austin pulls it off. At $91,461 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — median household income and a 89 cost index, residents enjoy purchasing power that 42% exceeds the national average. We found this pattern across 2 cities using 2026 d…
Austin earns above the national median ($91,461 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 89 vs 111). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 40 of 288 cities share it.
Rent in #1-ranked Austin has decreased from $1,578 to $1,531/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% decrease. The downward trend makes it an even stronger pick.
High income and low costs rarely coexist — but Austin pulls it off. At $91,461 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — median household income and a 89 cost index, residents enjoy purchasing power that 42% exceeds the national average. We found this pattern across 2 cities using 2026 data.
What does daily life actually cost in Austin? Start with the 20% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 89) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 98) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $91,461 and homes at $500,627 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
Look, 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. Austin (index 89, rent $1,531); San Francisco (index 224, rent $3,830). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Look, Austin: high income, low cost — a rare combo. Austin earns above the national median ($91,461 — not a number you see very often, by the way — vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 89 vs 111). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 40 of 288 cities share it.
Contrast this with: For context: the typical American city has a cost index of 111 — worth pausing on — , pays $1,895/month in rent, and earns $80,367 per household. The top-ranked cities here tell a dramatically different story — one that's worth exploring city by city.
Look, 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 most of the time, 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: Austin, TX — cost index 89, rent $1,531/mo, income $91,461
Austin: high income, low cost — a rare combo
1 of 2 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
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AustinTX | 89 | $1,531 | Details |
| 2 | San FranciscoCA | 224 | $3,830 | Details |
979,882 residents · Texas
Here's Austin by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And broadly, cost index: 89. Rent: $1,531/month. Income: $91,461/year. Home price: $500,627. Population: 979,882. The strongest category is Housing at 89; the most expensive is Healthcare at 98. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $4,368 per year vs. the national median. Over a five-year window, that difference is life-changing (that's pre-tax, of course).
808,988 residents · California
Real talk: What does daily life actually cost in San Francisco? Start with the 32% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Healthcare (index 125) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 224) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $141,446 and homes at $1,299,230 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
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.
Austin (ranked #1) has a cost index of 89 and rent of $1,531/mo, while San Francisco (ranked #2) has a cost index of 224 and rent of $3,830/mo — a 135-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 Austin is $1,531/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $364 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Austin is $500,627, which is 5.5× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. 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.