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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices here — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Fort Worth (index 91, rent $1,554/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices here — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Fort Worth (index 91, rent $1,554/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 2 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
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. And with some exceptions, 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. The math checks out.
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. And roughly speaking, fort Worth (index 91 — whether that matters depends on your situation — , rent $1,554); Sacramento (index 117, rent $2,006). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Pair that with the housing data, and the pattern sharpens. And most of the time, nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 111, rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking significantly outperform those benchmarks. That's a difference you notice every single month.
Real talk: 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.
#1 Ranked: Fort Worth, TX — cost index 91, rent $1,554/mo, income $76,602
1 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 | SacramentoCA | 117 | $2,006 | Details |
978,468 residents · Texas
Fort Worth earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 91 cost index sits 20 points below the national baseline, and the $76,602 — this is the part where it gets real — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $295,822 — $171,548 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 91, while Healthcare trails at 98.
526,384 residents · California
What does daily life actually cost in Sacramento? Start with the 29% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Healthcare (index 103) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 117) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $83,753 and homes at $472,863 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
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 Sacramento (ranked #2) has a cost index of 117 and rent of $2,006/mo — a 26-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.