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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real talk: Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. No major red flags in that number. Leading the pack: Jacksonville at index 92, where median rent of $1,576/month saves renters $3,828/year versus the nat…
Real talk: Dollar for dollar, these cities represent some of the best deals in America. 2 out of 2 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. No major red flags in that number. Leading the pack: Jacksonville at index 92, where median rent of $1,576/month saves renters $3,828/year versus the national median.
The numbers for Jacksonville are straightforward: 92 on the cost index, $1,576/month rent, $66,981 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. That tracks.
In plain English: (Tangentially — this is the kind of city where you can actually build equity on a median salary, which is increasingly rare.) (more on that below).
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. One to watch.
#1 Ranked: Jacksonville, FL — cost index 92, rent $1,576/mo, income $66,981
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 | JacksonvilleFL | 92 | $1,576 | Details |
| 2 | MemphisTN | 72 | $1,234 | Details |
985,843 residents · Florida
Look, What does daily life actually cost in Jacksonville? Start with the 28% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 92) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 98) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $66,981 and homes at $282,367 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons. A real contender.
618,639 residents · Tennessee
Memphis earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. That's more or less in line with the region. The 72 cost index sits 39 points below the national baseline, and the $51,211 — for better or worse — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $142,870 — $324,500 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 72, while Healthcare trails at 94. Hard to argue with that.
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.
Jacksonville (ranked #1) has a cost index of 92 and rent of $1,576/mo, while Memphis (ranked #2) has a cost index of 72 and rent of $1,234/mo — a 20-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 Jacksonville is $1,576/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $319 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Jacksonville is $282,367, 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.