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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Premium market, smart picks: while the market trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Seattle at index 128 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving a desirable market.
Premium market, smart picks: while the market trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Seattle at index 128 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving a desirable market.
A closer look at Seattle: the cost index of 128 breaks down to a Healthcare index of 106 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 128 (weakest). Median rent is $2,187/month — 15% above the national median — while household income sits at $121,984, meaning locals spend about 22% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
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. Seattle (index 128, rent $2,187); Milwaukee (index 82, rent $1,398). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons (that's pre-tax, of course).
It's a strong position — but not without footnotes. Nationally, the 288 cities in our database average a cost index of 111 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — , rent of $1,895/month, and household income of $80,367. The cities in this ranking challenge those benchmarks. This alone could tip the scales.
Frankly, Bottom line: Seattle, WA leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. That alone makes it worth considering. 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: Seattle, WA — cost index 128, rent $2,187/mo, income $121,984
1 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 | SeattleWA | 128 | $2,187 | Details |
| 2 | MilwaukeeWI | 82 | $1,398 | Details |
755,078 residents · Washington
Here's Seattle by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 128. Rent: $2,187/month. Income: $121,984/year. Home price: $848,869. Population: 755,078. The strongest category is Healthcare at 106; the most expensive is Housing at 128. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $3,504 more per year vs. the national median. This is one of those rare cities where the math works from every angle.
561,385 residents · Wisconsin
A closer look at Milwaukee: the cost index of 82 breaks down to a Housing index of 82 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 96 (weakest). Median rent is $1,398/month — 26% below the national median — while household income sits at $51,888, meaning locals spend about 32% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
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.
Seattle (ranked #1) has a cost index of 128 and rent of $2,187/mo, while Milwaukee (ranked #2) has a cost index of 82 and rent of $1,398/mo — a 46-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 Seattle is $2,187/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $292 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Seattle is $848,869, which is 7.0× 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.