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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Real talk: Dollar for dollar, few states match Texas's value. 38 out of 40 cities undercut the national cost index of 112 — we had to double-check this one — . Leading the pack: Frisco at index 118, where median rent of $1,751/month saves renters $1,728/year versus the national median.
#1 Ranked: Frisco — cost index 118, rent $1,751/mo, income $146,158
38 of 40 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Real talk: Dollar for dollar, few states match Texas's value. 38 out of 40 cities undercut the national cost index of 112 — we had to double-check this one — . Leading the pack: Frisco at index 118, where median rent of $1,751/month saves renters $1,728/year versus the national median.
A closer look at Frisco: the cost index of 118 breaks down to a Utilities index of 108 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 145 (weakest). Median rent is $1,751/month — 8% below the national median — while household income sits at $146,158, meaning locals spend about 14% 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. And in most cases, frisco (index 118, rent $1,751); Sugar Land (index 112, rent $1,990); Allen (index 109, rent $1,634). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons. Honestly, this is the kind of city that makes you wonder why more people aren't paying attention. The numbers are right there — rent that doesn't eat your paycheck, costs that actually leave room for a life. And yet it barely shows up in the national conversation about affordable places to live. Maybe that's a good thing. Maybe that's what keeps it affordable. Worth a deeper look.
But the numbers also reveal: Texas — no income tax, massive metros, and wide-open affordability. The 40 cities we track here average a cost index of 99 — though some people might weigh that differently — and median income of $79,780. It's a clear buyer's market compared to national norms. The typical rent runs $1,536/month, which is $359 less than the national median.
Bottom line: Frisco leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. That tracks. 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. One to watch.
225,007 residents · Texas
Why Frisco ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. And on balance, at 118 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 6% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,751/month while the median household pulls in $146,158/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 108, though Housing (145) lags behind. Home prices average $653,858 — $186,488 above the national median.
108,515 residents · Texas
At $1,990/month for rent and a cost index of 112, Sugar Land is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. And for the typical household, income is $137,511. That's more or less in line with the region.
111,620 residents · Texas
The numbers for Allen are straightforward: 109 on the cost index, $1,634/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — rent, $129,130 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. That's about what we'd expect given the state context (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
213,509 residents · Texas
Look, Dive into Mckinney's numbers: cost index 109 (3 points below national average), rent $1,675/month, income $120,273, and a home price of $483,340. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 100, while Housing runs 122. With 213,509 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
116,320 residents · Texas
In plain English: Dive into League's numbers: cost index 105 (7 points below national average), rent $1,764/month, income $119,870, and a home price of $368,400. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 97, while Housing runs 113. You get the picture. With 116,320 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs (that's pre-tax, of course).
Cities are ranked by median household income using Census ACS data. Income alone doesn't tell the full story — we also show cost of living index so you can gauge real purchasing power in each city across Texas. 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.
Frisco ranks #1 in Texas for this analysis with a cost index of 118 and median income of $146,158.
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.
Frisco (ranked #1) has a cost index of 118 and rent of $1,751/mo, while Mesquite (ranked #40) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,397/mo — a 24-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 Frisco is $1,751/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $144 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Frisco is $653,858, which is 4.5× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Texas has a 0% state income tax rate — one of the states with no income tax. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.19%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.6%.
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.