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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
These cities are a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Fort Worth leads at an index of 91 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — with rent at just $1,554/month — 18% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the nu…
These cities are a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Fort Worth leads at an index of 91 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — with rent at just $1,554/month — 18% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026 (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
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); Tucson (index 82, rent $1,399). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
A closer look at Fort Worth: the cost index of 91 breaks down to a Housing index of 91 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 98 (weakest). And with some exceptions, median rent is $1,554/month — 18% below the national median — while household income sits at $76,602, meaning locals spend about 24% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
This looks affordable — until you factor in healthcare. In Fort Worth, the healthcare index sits at 98 — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing about.
Bottom line: Fort Worth, TX 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: 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 | TucsonAZ | 82 | $1,399 | Details |
978,468 residents · Texas
Here's Fort Worth by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 91. Rent: $1,554/month. Income: $76,602/year. Home price: $295,822. Population: 978,468. The strongest category is Housing at 91; the most expensive is Healthcare at 98. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $4,092 per year vs. the national median. If you're debt-free, those savings go straight to building wealth.
547,239 residents · Arizona
The #2 spot goes to Tucson, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,399/month — and that's before you even look at taxes — — saving renters $5,952 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 82, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 96. The 31% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended (we double-checked this one).
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 Tucson (ranked #2) has a cost index of 82 and rent of $1,399/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.