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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. And generally speaking, 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — . Leading the pack: Fort Worth at index 91, where median rent of $1,554/month saves rent…
Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. And generally speaking, 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — . Leading the pack: Fort Worth at index 91, where median rent of $1,554/month saves renters $4,092/year versus the national median. No gimmicks — just good numbers.
What does daily life actually cost in Fort Worth? Start with the 24% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 91) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 98) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $76,602 and homes at $295,822 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
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. Quietly competitive.
#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 | PortlandOR | 100 | $1,710 | Details |
978,468 residents · Texas
Real talk: Dive into Fort Worth's numbers: cost index 91 (20 points below national average), rent $1,554/month, income $76,602, and a home price of $295,822. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 91, while Healthcare runs 98. As a major city with 978,468 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
630,498 residents · Oregon
Portland comes in at #2. Rent is $1,710 a month. Household income is $88,792. The cost of living index is 100. That alone makes it worth considering.
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 Portland (ranked #2) has a cost index of 100 and rent of $1,710/mo — a 9-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.