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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 111. Indianapolis stands out at 79 on the index, with rent of $1,356/month and household income of $62,995. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Indianapolis stands out at 79 on the index, with rent of $1,356/month and household income of $62,995. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Why Indianapolis ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 79 on the cost index, residents save roughly 32% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,356/month while the median household pulls in $62,995/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 79, though Healthcare (96) lags behind. Home prices average $226,528 — $240,842 below the national median.
This looks affordable — until you factor in healthcare. In Indianapolis, the healthcare index sits at 96 — not a dealbreaker, but worth knowing about.
The data is clear, but your decision shouldn't rest on a single metric. The ranking above captures the quantitative picture; the city detail pages below add trend data, job-specific salary ranges, and cost breakdowns that may shift your calculus. Indianapolis tops the list today — but markets move. Bookmark this page to track the next refresh.
#1 Ranked: Indianapolis, IN — cost index 79, rent $1,356/mo, income $62,995
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 | IndianapolisIN | 79 | $1,356 | Details |
| 2 | BaltimoreMD | 100 | $1,708 | Details |
879,293 residents · Indiana
Why Indianapolis ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. And for the typical household, at 79 on the cost index, residents save roughly 32% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,356/month while the median household pulls in $62,995/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 79, though Healthcare (96) lags behind. Home prices average $226,528 — $240,842 below the national median.
565,239 residents · Maryland
Baltimore comes in at #2. Rent is $1,708 a month. Household income is $59,623. The cost of living index is 100. It's fine. Not great, not bad.
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.
Indianapolis (ranked #1) has a cost index of 79 and rent of $1,356/mo, while Baltimore (ranked #2) has a cost index of 100 and rent of $1,708/mo — a 21-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 Indianapolis is $1,356/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $539 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Indianapolis is $226,528, which is 3.6× 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.