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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Houston stands out at 97 on the index, with rent of $1,542/month and household income of $62,894. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Houston stands out at 97 on the index, with rent of $1,542/month and household income of $62,894. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The numbers for Houston are straightforward: 97 on the cost index, $1,542/month rent, $62,894 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. Standard stuff, really.
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. Houston (index 97, rent $1,542); Kansas (index 94, rent $1,418). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Perhaps more importantly, For context: the typical American city has a cost index of 112, pays $1,895/month in rent, and earns $80,367 per household. The top-ranked cities here tell a dramatically different story — one that's worth exploring city by city.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours.
#1 Ranked: Houston, TX — cost index 97, rent $1,542/mo, income $62,894
2 of 2 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
2,314,157 residents · Texas
Houston earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And most of the time, the 97 cost index sits 15 points below the national baseline, and the $62,894 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $261,976 — $205,394 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 89, while Healthcare trails at 100.
510,704 residents · Missouri
Why Kansas ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 94 on the cost index, residents save roughly 18% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,418/month while the median household pulls in $67,449/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 85, though Healthcare (97) lags behind. Home prices average $245,199 — $222,171 below the national median.
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.
Houston (ranked #1) has a cost index of 97 and rent of $1,542/mo, while Kansas (ranked #2) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,418/mo — a 3-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 Houston is $1,542/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $353 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Houston is $261,976, which is 4.2× 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.