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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. And with some exceptions, indianapolis leads at an index of 79 with rent at just $1,356/month — 28% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federa…
These cities are a genuine bargain: 2 of the 2 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. And with some exceptions, indianapolis leads at an index of 79 with rent at just $1,356/month — 28% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Here's Indianapolis by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 79. Rent: $1,356/month. Income: $62,995/year. Home price: $226,528. Population: 879,293. The strongest category is Housing at 79; the most expensive is Healthcare at 96. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $6,468 per year vs. the national median. On a teacher's salary, this difference is the line between paycheck-to-paycheck and comfortable.
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. Indianapolis (index 79, rent $1,356); Omaha (index 82, rent $1,403). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Stepping back, 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. The data here speaks for itself.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#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 | OmahaNE | 82 | $1,403 | Details |
879,293 residents · Indiana
A closer look at Indianapolis: the cost index of 79 breaks down to a Housing index of 79 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 96 (weakest). Median rent is $1,356/month — 28% below the national median — while household income sits at $62,995, meaning locals spend about 26% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
483,335 residents · Nebraska
What does daily life actually cost in Omaha? Start with the 23% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 82) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 96) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $72,708 and homes at $288,850 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons. One to watch.
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 Omaha (ranked #2) has a cost index of 82 and rent of $1,403/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 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.