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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The income-cost paradox: Portland pays $88,792 — 10% above the national median — while costing just 100 on the index. Only 40 of 288 tracked cities share this unusual profile. Here's the full 2-city ranking for 2026.
The income-cost paradox: Portland pays $88,792 — 10% above the national median — while costing just 100 on the index. Only 40 of 288 tracked cities share this unusual profile. Here's the full 2-city ranking for 2026.
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.
A closer look at Portland: the cost index of 100 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — breaks down to a Healthcare index of 100 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 100 (weakest). Median rent is $1,710/month — 10% below the national median — while household income sits at $88,792, meaning locals spend about 23% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard (that's pre-tax, of course).
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. Portland (index 100, rent $1,710); Louisville (index 79, rent $1,352). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
One more layer before the full breakdown: 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. In the context of rising national rents, this stability is worth noting (that's pre-tax, of course).
Bottom line: Portland, OR leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And broadly, 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.
#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 | LouisvilleKY | 79 | $1,352 | Details |
630,498 residents · Oregon
Dive into Portland's numbers: cost index 100 (11 points below national average), rent $1,710/month, income $88,792, and a home price of $524,251. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Healthcare is the cheapest category at 100, while Healthcare runs 100. As a major city with 630,498 residents, amenities and job markets are robust (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
622,981 residents · Kentucky
Louisville earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 79 cost index sits 32 points below the national baseline, and the $64,731 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $259,139 — $208,231 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 79, while Healthcare trails at 96.
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 Louisville (ranked #2) has a cost index of 79 and rent of $1,352/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 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.