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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. And in most cases, on a $100K salary, 12 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 12 cities in Arizona using 2026 census, rent, an…
#1 Ranked: Tucson — cost index 82, rent $1,399/mo, income $54,546
12 of 12 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K
12 of 12 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. And in most cases, on a $100K salary, 12 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 12 cities in Arizona using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Tucson comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis (that's pre-tax, of course).
On a $100K salary, the key number is $2,500/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Tucson ($1,399/mo, 17%), Glendale ($1,544/mo, 19%), Mesa ($1,554/mo, 19%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $72,797 to $72,797/year across these top picks.
Here's Tucson by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 82. Rent: $1,399/month. Income: $54,546/year. Home price: $321,688. Population: 547,239. The strongest category is Housing at 82; the most expensive is Healthcare at 96. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $5,952 per year vs. the national median. That level of affordability is getting rarer every year.
12 of 12 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 12 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
Bottom line: Tucson 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 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 12 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices.
Tucson (index 82) and Scottsdale (index 123) sit 41 points apart on the cost index — proof that Arizona is far from monolithic in affordability.
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tucson | $1,399 | 17% | 82 | Details |
| 2 | Glendale | $1,544 | 19% | 90 | Details |
| 3 | Mesa | $1,554 | 19% | 91 | Details |
| 4 | Phoenix | $1,556 | 19% | 91 | Details |
| 5 | Tempe | $1,679 | 20% | 98 | Details |
| 6 | Goodyear | $1,767 | 21% | 103 | Details |
| 7 | Peoria | $1,821 | 22% | 106 | Details |
| 8 | Chandler | $1,848 | 22% | 108 | Details |
| 9 | Surprise | $1,926 | 23% | 112 | Details |
| 10 | Buckeye | $2,004 | 24% | 117 | Details |
| 11 | Gilbert | $2,049 | 25% | 120 | Details |
| 12 | Scottsdale | $2,113 | 25% | 123 | Details |
547,239 residents · Arizona
Tucson earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 82 cost index sits 29 points below the national baseline, and the $54,546 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $321,688 — $145,682 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 82, while Healthcare trails at 96 (more on that below).
187,050 residents · Arizona
Glendale earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 90 cost index sits 21 points below the national baseline, and the $70,139 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $403,915 — $63,455 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 90, while Healthcare trails at 98.
511,648 residents · Arizona
Why Mesa ranks #3: the numbers tell a clear story. At 91 on the cost index, residents save roughly 20% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,554/month — we had to double-check this one — while the median household pulls in $78,779/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 91, though Healthcare (98) lags behind. Home prices average $432,764 — $34,606 below the national median.
1,650,070 residents · Arizona
The #4 spot goes to Phoenix, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,556/month — saving renters $4,068 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 91, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Healthcare at 98. At a 24% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
189,834 residents · Arizona
Full transparency here: What does daily life actually cost in Tempe? Start with the 26% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 98) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 100) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $77,643 and homes at $466,198 round out a profile that ranks #5 for clear reasons.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Tucson | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
2Glendale | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
3Mesa | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
4Phoenix | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
5Tempe | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
6Goodyear | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
7Peoria | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
8Chandler | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
9Surprise | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
10Buckeye | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $72,797 |
We model what a $100K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Tucson ranks #1 in Arizona for this analysis with a cost index of 82 and median income of $54,546.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Tucson, rent would consume about 17% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
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.
Tucson (ranked #1) has a cost index of 82 and rent of $1,399/mo, while Scottsdale (ranked #12) has a cost index of 123 and rent of $2,113/mo — a 41-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 Tucson is $1,399/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $496 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 2.5% state income tax, estimated take-home on $100K in Tucson is approximately $72,797/year ($6,066/month). After median rent of $1,399/month, you'd have roughly $56,009/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Tucson is $321,688, 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.
Arizona has a 2.5% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.37%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.51%.
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.