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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Premium market, smart picks: while the market trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Fort Worth at index 91 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving a desirable market.
Premium market, smart picks: while the market trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Fort Worth at index 91 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving a desirable market.
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); Washington (index 140, rent $2,406). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Why Fort Worth ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. That's more or less in line with the region. At 91 on the cost index, residents save roughly 20% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,554/month while the median household pulls in $76,602/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 91, though Healthcare (98) lags behind. Home prices average $295,822 — $171,548 below the national median.
It checks most boxes — but the healthcare costs are the asterisk. 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. If you've been scrolling through listings in high-cost metros and feeling defeated, look at these numbers again. Seriously. The difference between renting here and renting in a major coastal city could literally fund a retirement account. That's not hyperbole — run the math yourself. A thousand dollars a month saved, compounded over a decade, is a down payment on a house. In this city, that math actually works.
#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 | WashingtonDC | 140 | $2,406 | Details |
978,468 residents · Texas
The #1 spot goes to Fort Worth, and the breakdown explains why. About what you'd guess. Renters here pay $1,554/month — saving renters $4,092 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 91, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 98. At a 24% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
678,972 residents · District of Columbia
Washington earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And in most cases, the 140 cost index sits 29 points above the national baseline, and the $106,287 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $574,016 — $106,646 above the national median, reflecting the metro premium. On the cost side, Healthcare leads the way at 108, while Housing trails at 140.
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 Washington (ranked #2) has a cost index of 140 and rent of $2,406/mo — a 49-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.