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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111 — we had to double-check this one — . Leading the pack: El Paso at index 84, where median rent of $1,441/month saves renters $5,448/year versus the national median.
Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111 — we had to double-check this one — . Leading the pack: El Paso at index 84, where median rent of $1,441/month saves renters $5,448/year versus the national median.
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. El Paso (index 84, rent $1,441); Milwaukee (index 82, rent $1,398). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Here's El Paso by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 84. Rent: $1,441/month. Income: $58,734/year. Home price: $231,886. Population: 678,958. The strongest category is Housing at 84; the most expensive is Healthcare at 97. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $5,448 per year vs. the national median. That's the kind of affordability that turns 'maybe someday' into 'next month.' Can we talk about how broken the conversation around affordability is? A city gets labeled 'cheap' and suddenly everyone assumes there's a catch — bad schools, no jobs, nothing to do. But look at the income numbers here. Look at the cost categories. This isn't a budget consolation prize. It's a genuine alternative to the coastal rat race, and the data makes that case more convincingly than any think piece.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
#1 Ranked: El Paso, TX — cost index 84, rent $1,441/mo, income $58,734
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 | El PasoTX | 84 | $1,441 | Details |
| 2 | MilwaukeeWI | 82 | $1,398 | Details |
678,958 residents · Texas
El Paso earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 84 cost index sits 27 points below the national baseline, and the $58,734 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $231,886 — $235,484 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 84, while Healthcare trails at 97 (that's pre-tax, of course). No gimmicks — just good numbers.
561,385 residents · Wisconsin
A closer look at Milwaukee: the cost index of 82 breaks down to a Housing index of 82 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 96 (weakest). Median rent is $1,398/month — 26% below the national median — while household income sits at $51,888, meaning locals spend about 32% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
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.
El Paso (ranked #1) has a cost index of 84 and rent of $1,441/mo, while Milwaukee (ranked #2) has a cost index of 82 and rent of $1,398/mo — a 2-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 El Paso is $1,441/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $454 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in El Paso is $231,886, which is 3.9× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. 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.