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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
This changes the calculus for anyone considering a move: Portland: high income, low cost — a rare combo. Portland earns above the national median ($88,792 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 100 vs 111). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 40 of 288 cities share it. That's…
This changes the calculus for anyone considering a move: Portland: high income, low cost — a rare combo. Portland earns above the national median ($88,792 vs $80,367) while keeping costs below average (index 100 vs 111). That combination is exceptionally rare — only 40 of 288 cities share it. That's a red flag worth investigating further.
High income and low costs rarely coexist — but Portland pulls it off. At $88,792 median household income and a 100 cost index, residents enjoy purchasing power that 23% exceeds the national average. We found this pattern across 2 cities using 2026 data.
The #1 spot goes to Portland, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,710/month — saving renters $2,220 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Healthcare is the standout at index 100, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 100. At a 23% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget. Solidly above average.
Now, the part that complicates the narrative: For context: the typical American city has a cost index of 111 — though some people might weigh that differently — , 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.
Bottom line: Portland, OR 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 (we double-checked this one).
#1 Ranked: Portland, OR — cost index 100, rent $1,710/mo, income $88,792
Portland: high income, low cost — a rare combo
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 | PortlandOR | 100 | $1,710 | Details |
| 2 | FresnoCA | 99 | $1,693 | Details |
630,498 residents · Oregon
Here's Portland by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 100. Rent: $1,710/month. Income: $88,792/year. Home price: $524,251. Population: 630,498. The strongest category is Healthcare at 100; the most expensive is Healthcare at 100. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,220 per year vs. the national median. That's a meaningful edge in practice.
545,716 residents · California
The #2 spot goes to Fresno, and the breakdown explains why. And broadly, renters here pay $1,693/month — saving renters $2,424 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 99, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 100. The 30% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended (that's pre-tax, of course).
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.
Portland (ranked #1) has a cost index of 100 and rent of $1,710/mo, while Fresno (ranked #2) has a cost index of 99 and rent of $1,693/mo — a 1-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 Portland is $1,710/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $185 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Portland is $524,251, which is 5.9× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. 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.