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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Full transparency here: Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. You get the picture. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111 — for better or worse — . Leading the pack: Fort Worth at index 91, where median rent of $1,554/month saves renters $4,0…
Full transparency here: Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. You get the picture. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111 — for better or worse — . Leading the pack: Fort Worth at index 91, where median rent of $1,554/month saves renters $4,092/year versus the national median. An outlier in the best sense.
Fort Worth is one of the cheaper options here. That alone makes it worth considering. Rent is $1,554/month — for better or worse — , which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 91. Income sits at $76,602. It lines up with what you'd expect (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
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. Fort Worth (index 91, rent $1,554); Louisville (index 79, rent $1,352). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Now zoom in on the cost categories. And with some exceptions, it's fine. Not great, not bad. Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 111 — for better or worse — , rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. That ratio is hard to beat anywhere else.
Here's the thing: Bottom line: Fort Worth, TX leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And roughly speaking, 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. One to watch.
#1 Ranked: Fort Worth, TX — cost index 91, rent $1,554/mo, income $76,602
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 | Fort WorthTX | 91 | $1,554 | Details |
| 2 | LouisvilleKY | 79 | $1,352 | Details |
978,468 residents · Texas
The numbers for Fort Worth are straightforward: 91 on the cost index, $1,554/month rent, $76,602 income. And in practical terms, take it or leave it — the data is what it is. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is.
622,981 residents · Kentucky
A closer look at Louisville: the cost index of 79 — worth pausing on — breaks down to a Housing index of 79 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 96 (weakest). That alone makes it worth considering. Median rent is $1,352/month — 29% below the national median — while household income sits at $64,731, meaning locals spend about 25% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
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.
Fort Worth (ranked #1) has a cost index of 91 and rent of $1,554/mo, while Louisville (ranked #2) has a cost index of 79 and rent of $1,352/mo — a 12-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 Fort Worth is $1,554/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $341 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Fort Worth is $295,822, 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.