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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Denver breaks the usual trade-off between income and cost of living. And on balance, that alone makes it worth considering. Most affordable cities pay less — but Denver delivers a median household income of $91,681 — we had to double-check this one — (14% above the national median) while keeping co…
Denver breaks the usual trade-off between income and cost of living. And on balance, that alone makes it worth considering. Most affordable cities pay less — but Denver delivers a median household income of $91,681 — we had to double-check this one — (14% above the national median) while keeping costs 5 points below national average. That's a rare combination shared by only 40 of the 288 cities we track.
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. That's more or less in line with the region. Denver (index 106, rent $1,818); Detroit (index 77, rent $1,318). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons (that's pre-tax, of course). Quietly competitive.
Denver earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 106 cost index sits 5 points below the national baseline, and the $91,681 median income means purchasing power here is genuinely above average. Homes list at $530,920 — $63,550 above the national median, reflecting the metro premium. On the cost side, Healthcare leads the way at 101, while Housing trails at 106.
Bottom line: Denver, CO leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
#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
716,577 residents · Colorado
Denver comes in at #1. Rent is $1,818 a month. Household income is $91,681. The cost of living index is 106. That's about what we'd expect given the state context.
633,218 residents · Michigan
At $1,318/month for rent and a cost index of 77, Detroit is pretty much what you'd expect from a larger city in this part of the country. No major red flags in that number. Income is $39,575. That's about what we'd expect given the state context.
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 Detroit (ranked #2) has a cost index of 77 and rent of $1,318/mo — a 29-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.