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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The income-cost paradox: Denver pays $91,681 — we had to double-check this one — — 14% above the national median — while costing just 106 on the index. Only 40 of 288 tracked cities share this unusual profile. Here's the full 2-city ranking for 2026.
The income-cost paradox: Denver pays $91,681 — we had to double-check this one — — 14% above the national median — while costing just 106 on the index. Only 40 of 288 tracked cities share this unusual profile. Here's the full 2-city ranking for 2026.
Here's Denver by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 106. Rent: $1,818/month. That's a reasonable number. Income: $91,681/year. Home price: $530,920. Population: 716,577. The strongest category is Healthcare at 101; the most expensive is Housing at 106. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $924 per year vs. the national median. This is the type of edge you don't see advertised.
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 (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
#1 Ranked: Denver, CO — cost index 106, rent $1,818/mo, income $91,681
Denver: high income, low cost — a rare combo
2 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 | DenverCO | 106 | $1,818 | Details |
| 2 | BaltimoreMD | 100 | $1,708 | Details |
716,577 residents · Colorado
Here's Denver by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 106. Rent: $1,818/month. Income: $91,681/year. Home price: $530,920. Population: 716,577. The strongest category is Healthcare at 101; the most expensive is Housing at 106. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $924 per year vs. the national median. In a market where everything is going up, this stands still — in a good way (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
565,239 residents · Maryland
The #2 spot goes to Baltimore, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,708/month — saving renters $2,244 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 100, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 100. The 34% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended.
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.
Denver (ranked #1) has a cost index of 106 and rent of $1,818/mo, while Baltimore (ranked #2) has a cost index of 100 and rent of $1,708/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 Denver is $1,818/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $77 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Denver is $530,920, which is 5.8× 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.