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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. On a $150K 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. Tucs…
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tucson | $1,399 | 11% | 82 | Details |
| 2 | Glendale | $1,544 | 12% | 90 | Details |
| 3 | Mesa | $1,554 | 12% | 91 | Details |
| 4 | Phoenix | $1,556 | 12% | 91 | Details |
| 5 | Tempe | $1,679 | 13% | 98 | Details |
| 6 | Goodyear | $1,767 | 14% | 103 | Details |
| 7 | Peoria | $1,821 | 15% | 106 | Details |
| 8 | Chandler | $1,848 | 15% | 108 | Details |
| 9 | Surprise | $1,926 | 15% | 112 | Details |
| 10 | Buckeye | $2,004 | 16% | 117 | Details |
| 11 | Gilbert | $2,049 | 16% | 120 | Details |
| 12 | Scottsdale | $2,113 | 17% | 123 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Tucson — cost index 82, rent $1,399/mo, income $54,546
12 of 12 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K
12 of 12 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K 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. On a $150K 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.
The #1 spot goes to Tucson, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,399/month — saving renters $5,952 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 82, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 96. The 31% rent-to-income ratio is a pressure point — for median earners, housing takes more than recommended (that's pre-tax, of course). Worth a deeper look.
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.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Tucson | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $105,733 |
2Glendale | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $105,733 |
3Mesa | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $105,733 |
4Phoenix | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $105,733 |
5Tempe | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $105,733 |
6Goodyear | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $105,733 |
7Peoria | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $105,733 |
8Chandler | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $105,733 |
9Surprise | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $105,733 |
10Buckeye | 2.5% | 8.37% | 0.51% | $105,733 |
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $150K 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.
547,239 residents · Arizona
Dive into Tucson's numbers: cost index 82 — and yes, that's adjusted for the region — (29 points below national average), rent $1,399/month, income $54,546, and a home price of $321,688. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 82, while Healthcare runs 96. As a major city with 547,239 residents, amenities and job markets are robust (a figure that keeps climbing, by the way). Not even close to the national average.
187,050 residents · Arizona
Here's Glendale by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And most of the time, cost index: 90. Rent: $1,544/month — for better or worse — . Income: $70,139/year. Home price: $403,915. Population: 187,050. The strongest category is Housing at 90; the most expensive is Healthcare at 98. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $4,212 per year vs. the national median. For freelancers and gig workers with variable income, this cushion is everything.
511,648 residents · Arizona
A closer look at Mesa: the cost index of 91 — we had to double-check this one — breaks down to a Housing index of 91 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 98 (weakest). Median rent is $1,554/month — 18% below the national median — while household income sits at $78,779, meaning locals spend about 24% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard (though the trend is moving in the right direction).
1,650,070 residents · Arizona
Here's Phoenix by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And for the typical household, cost index: 91. Rent: $1,556/month. Income: $77,041/year. Home price: $407,665. Population: 1,650,070. The strongest category is Housing at 91; the most expensive is Healthcare at 98. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $4,068 per year vs. the national median. Even in a down market, this kind of cost structure protects household budgets.
189,834 residents · Arizona
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.
We model what a $150K 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 $150K salary in Tucson, rent would consume about 11% 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 $150K in Tucson is approximately $105,733/year ($8,811/month). After median rent of $1,399/month, you'd have roughly $88,945/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.