Key Findings
- The most affordable US city we track is Flint, MI at a cost index of 76 (24% below the national baseline of 100).
- The most expensive is San Francisco, CA at 244 — 221% higher than the cheapest city.
- The average cost index across all 301 cities is 108.
- The best-value market (highest median income relative to cost) is Frisco, TX — $117K median income at a cost index of just 104.
- By region, the Midwest is the most affordable (avg index 89) and the West the most expensive (avg index 127).
Methodology: Cost index where 100 = US national average, derived from BLS, Census ACS, HUD, and EIA data. See our full methodology. Free to cite with attribution to CostOfCity.
15 Most Affordable Cities
| # | City | Index | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flint, MI | 76 | $29K |
| 2 | St. Joseph, MO | 78 | $40K |
| 3 | Terre Haute, IN | 78 | $32K |
| 4 | McAllen, TX | 78 | $44K |
| 5 | Decatur, IL | 78 | $37K |
| 6 | Hattiesburg, MS | 78 | $34K |
| 7 | Brownsville, TX | 80 | $34K |
| 8 | Jackson, MS | 80 | $36K |
| 9 | Macon, GA | 80 | $35K |
| 10 | South Bend, IN | 80 | $38K |
| 11 | Memphis, TN | 82 | $41K |
| 12 | Laredo, TX | 82 | $42K |
| 13 | Dayton, OH | 82 | $33K |
| 14 | Shreveport, LA | 82 | $34K |
| 15 | Springfield, MO | 82 | $37K |
15 Most Expensive Cities
| # | City | Index | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | 244 | $119K |
| 2 | Aspen, CO | 230 | $65K |
| 3 | Sunnyvale, CA | 218 | $140K |
| 4 | Vail, CO | 215 | $61K |
| 5 | San Jose, CA | 214 | $117K |
| 6 | Telluride, CO | 210 | $58K |
| 7 | Martha's Vineyard, MA | 195 | $63K |
| 8 | Honolulu, HI | 192 | $72K |
| 9 | Oakland, CA | 190 | $76K |
| 10 | New York, NY | 187 | $67K |
| 11 | Santa Barbara, CA | 180 | $69K |
| 12 | Park City, UT | 175 | $76K |
| 13 | Santa Cruz, CA | 175 | $67K |
| 14 | Irvine, CA | 175 | $108K |
| 15 | Seattle, WA | 172 | $97K |
Best-Value Cities (Income vs Cost)
These cities offer the highest median household income relative to their cost-of-living index — your salary stretches furthest here.
#1 Frisco, TX
$117K income · index 104
#2 Naperville, IL
$126K income · index 118
#3 Sugar Land, TX
$110K income · index 104
#4 Cary, NC
$101K income · index 104
#5 McKinney, TX
$94K income · index 98
#6 Gilbert, AZ
$95K income · index 108
#7 Plano, TX
$96K income · index 110
#8 Chandler, AZ
$89K income · index 105
#9 Columbia, MD
$109K income · index 130
#10 Scottsdale, AZ
$95K income · index 118
#11 Round Rock, TX
$82K income · index 102
#12 Chesapeake, VA
$78K income · index 100
Cost of Living by US Region
| Region | Avg Cost Index | Cities Tracked | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midwest | 89 | 57 | -11% |
| South | 94 | 93 | -6% |
| Northeast | 113 | 49 | +13% |
| West | 127 | 102 | +27% |
Full Ranking — All 301 Cities
Every tracked city ranked from most affordable to most expensive. Click any city for its full cost breakdown.
| Rank | City | State | Cost Index | vs National | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flint | MI | 76 | -24% | $29K |
| 2 | St. Joseph | MO | 78 | -22% | $40K |
| 3 | Terre Haute | IN | 78 | -22% | $32K |
| 4 | McAllen | TX | 78 | -22% | $44K |
| 5 | Decatur | IL | 78 | -22% | $37K |
| 6 | Hattiesburg | MS | 78 | -22% | $34K |
| 7 | Brownsville | TX | 80 | -20% | $34K |
| 8 | Jackson | MS | 80 | -20% | $36K |
| 9 | Macon | GA | 80 | -20% | $35K |
| 10 | South Bend | IN | 80 | -20% | $38K |
| 11 | Memphis | TN | 82 | -18% | $41K |
| 12 | Laredo | TX | 82 | -18% | $42K |
| 13 | Dayton | OH | 82 | -18% | $33K |
| 14 | Shreveport | LA | 82 | -18% | $34K |
| 15 | Springfield | MO | 82 | -18% | $37K |
| 16 | Erie | PA | 82 | -18% | $36K |
| 17 | Beaumont | TX | 82 | -18% | $43K |
| 18 | Waco | TX | 82 | -18% | $39K |
| 19 | Evansville | IN | 82 | -18% | $40K |
| 20 | Abilene | TX | 82 | -18% | $44K |
| 21 | Conway | AR | 82 | -18% | $48K |
| 22 | San Juan | PR | 83 | -17% | $21K |
| 23 | Mobile | AL | 83 | -17% | $39K |
| 24 | Tulsa | OK | 84 | -16% | $47K |
| 25 | Montgomery | AL | 84 | -16% | $43K |
| 26 | Amarillo | TX | 84 | -16% | $51K |
| 27 | Akron | OH | 84 | -16% | $37K |
| 28 | Topeka | KS | 84 | -16% | $47K |
| 29 | Lubbock | TX | 84 | -16% | $47K |
| 30 | Jefferson City | MO | 84 | -16% | $49K |
| 31 | Lansing | MI | 84 | -16% | $39K |
| 32 | Rockford | IL | 84 | -16% | $40K |
| 33 | Davenport | IA | 84 | -16% | $46K |
| 34 | Kalamazoo | MI | 84 | -16% | $37K |
| 35 | Independence | MO | 84 | -16% | $46K |
| 36 | Bowling Green | KY | 84 | -16% | $40K |
| 37 | Tyler | TX | 84 | -16% | $47K |
| 38 | Warner Robins | GA | 84 | -16% | $50K |
| 39 | La Crosse | WI | 84 | -16% | $42K |
| 40 | Oshkosh | WI | 84 | -16% | $47K |
| 41 | Biloxi | MS | 84 | -16% | $45K |
| 42 | Winston-Salem | NC | 85 | -15% | $44K |
| 43 | Birmingham | AL | 85 | -15% | $36K |
| 44 | Wichita | KS | 85 | -15% | $51K |
| 45 | El Paso | TX | 86 | -14% | $47K |
| 46 | Cleveland | OH | 86 | -14% | $31K |
| 47 | Little Rock | AR | 86 | -14% | $50K |
| 48 | Chattanooga | TN | 86 | -14% | $44K |
| 49 | Charleston | WV | 86 | -14% | $42K |
| 50 | Frankfort | KY | 86 | -14% | $49K |
| 51 | Lafayette | LA | 86 | -14% | $47K |
| 52 | Racine | WI | 86 | -14% | $42K |
| 53 | Scranton | PA | 86 | -14% | $38K |
| 54 | Reading | PA | 86 | -14% | $30K |
| 55 | Pueblo | CO | 86 | -14% | $39K |
| 56 | Pocatello | ID | 86 | -14% | $45K |
| 57 | Champaign | IL | 86 | -14% | $40K |
| 58 | Eau Claire | WI | 86 | -14% | $46K |
| 59 | Janesville | WI | 86 | -14% | $53K |
| 60 | Oklahoma City | OK | 87 | -13% | $54K |
| 61 | St. Louis | MO | 87 | -13% | $44K |
| 62 | Knoxville | TN | 87 | -13% | $41K |
| 63 | Springfield | IL | 87 | -13% | $53K |
| 64 | Detroit | MI | 88 | -12% | $40K |
| 65 | Corpus Christi | TX | 88 | -12% | $53K |
| 66 | Greensboro | NC | 88 | -12% | $45K |
| 67 | Columbia | MO | 88 | -12% | $47K |
| 68 | Cedar Rapids | IA | 88 | -12% | $57K |
| 69 | Green Bay | WI | 88 | -12% | $47K |
| 70 | Clarksville | TN | 88 | -12% | $53K |
| 71 | Bloomington | IN | 88 | -12% | $33K |
| 72 | Yakima | WA | 88 | -12% | $42K |
| 73 | Great Falls | MT | 88 | -12% | $48K |
| 74 | College Station | TX | 88 | -12% | $38K |
| 75 | Odessa | TX | 88 | -12% | $58K |
| 76 | Rogers | AR | 88 | -12% | $56K |
| 77 | Louisville | KY | 89 | -11% | $52K |
| 78 | Kansas City | MO | 89 | -11% | $55K |
| 79 | Cincinnati | OH | 89 | -11% | $41K |
| 80 | Buffalo | NY | 89 | -11% | $37K |
| 81 | Des Moines | IA | 89 | -11% | $52K |
| 82 | Fayetteville | AR | 89 | -11% | $49K |
| 83 | San Antonio | TX | 90 | -10% | $52K |
| 84 | Indianapolis | IN | 90 | -10% | $49K |
| 85 | Omaha | NE | 90 | -10% | $60K |
| 86 | Baton Rouge | LA | 90 | -10% | $42K |
| 87 | Rochester | NY | 90 | -10% | $37K |
| 88 | Grand Rapids | MI | 90 | -10% | $48K |
| 89 | Columbia | SC | 90 | -10% | $44K |
| 90 | Pierre | SD | 90 | -10% | $55K |
| 91 | Harrisburg | PA | 90 | -10% | $35K |
| 92 | Appleton | WI | 90 | -10% | $56K |
| 93 | Schenectady | NY | 90 | -10% | $43K |
| 94 | Twin Falls | ID | 90 | -10% | $47K |
| 95 | Idaho Falls | ID | 90 | -10% | $53K |
| 96 | Bloomington | IL | 90 | -10% | $62K |
| 97 | Milwaukee | WI | 91 | -9% | $43K |
| 98 | Lincoln | NE | 91 | -9% | $58K |
| 99 | Huntsville | AL | 91 | -9% | $55K |
| 100 | Columbus | OH | 92 | -8% | $54K |
| 101 | Sioux Falls | SD | 92 | -8% | $59K |
| 102 | Savannah | GA | 92 | -8% | $44K |
| 103 | Pensacola | FL | 92 | -8% | $47K |
| 104 | Rapid City | SD | 92 | -8% | $52K |
| 105 | Murfreesboro | TN | 92 | -8% | $56K |
| 106 | Lakeland | FL | 92 | -8% | $43K |
| 107 | Kenosha | WI | 92 | -8% | $52K |
| 108 | Syracuse | NY | 92 | -8% | $35K |
| 109 | Casper | WY | 92 | -8% | $58K |
| 110 | Denton | TX | 92 | -8% | $52K |
| 111 | Pittsburgh | PA | 93 | -7% | $49K |
| 112 | Albuquerque | NM | 93 | -7% | $53K |
| 113 | Tucson | AZ | 93 | -7% | $45K |
| 114 | Lexington | KY | 93 | -7% | $55K |
| 115 | Fort Worth | TX | 94 | -6% | $62K |
| 116 | Newport News | VA | 94 | -6% | $52K |
| 117 | Fargo | ND | 94 | -6% | $48K |
| 118 | Bismarck | ND | 94 | -6% | $59K |
| 119 | Daytona Beach | FL | 94 | -6% | $35K |
| 120 | Kennewick | WA | 94 | -6% | $59K |
| 121 | Laramie | WY | 94 | -6% | $40K |
| 122 | Midland | TX | 94 | -6% | $72K |
| 123 | Cheyenne | WY | 95 | -5% | $59K |
| 124 | Houston | TX | 96 | -4% | $54K |
| 125 | Jacksonville | FL | 96 | -4% | $56K |
| 126 | Arlington | TX | 96 | -4% | $61K |
| 127 | Norfolk | VA | 96 | -4% | $50K |
| 128 | Tallahassee | FL | 96 | -4% | $46K |
| 129 | Billings | MT | 96 | -4% | $55K |
| 130 | Gainesville | FL | 96 | -4% | $36K |
| 131 | Duluth | MN | 96 | -4% | $47K |
| 132 | Augusta | ME | 96 | -4% | $42K |
| 133 | Dover | DE | 96 | -4% | $48K |
| 134 | Joliet | IL | 96 | -4% | $66K |
| 135 | Palm Bay | FL | 96 | -4% | $52K |
| 136 | Allentown | PA | 96 | -4% | $40K |
| 137 | Nampa | ID | 96 | -4% | $51K |
| 138 | Charlotte | NC | 97 | -3% | $63K |
| 139 | New Orleans | LA | 97 | -3% | $46K |
| 140 | Glendale | AZ | 97 | -3% | $53K |
| 141 | Durham | NC | 98 | -2% | $59K |
| 142 | Spokane | WA | 98 | -2% | $48K |
| 143 | Helena | MT | 98 | -2% | $54K |
| 144 | Albany | NY | 98 | -2% | $45K |
| 145 | McKinney | TX | 98 | -2% | $94K |
| 146 | Bethlehem | PA | 98 | -2% | $50K |
| 147 | Greeley | CO | 98 | -2% | $56K |
| 148 | Victorville | CA | 98 | -2% | $48K |
| 149 | New Bedford | MA | 98 | -2% | $40K |
| 150 | Raleigh | NC | 100 | 0% | $67K |
| 151 | Bakersfield | CA | 100 | 0% | $58K |
| 152 | St. Paul | MN | 100 | 0% | $56K |
| 153 | Chesapeake | VA | 100 | 0% | $78K |
| 154 | North Las Vegas | NV | 100 | 0% | $57K |
| 155 | Richmond | VA | 100 | 0% | $49K |
| 156 | Cape Coral | FL | 100 | 0% | $58K |
| 157 | North Charleston | SC | 100 | 0% | $46K |
| 158 | Dallas | TX | 101 | +1% | $55K |
| 159 | Orlando | FL | 101 | +1% | $50K |
| 160 | Mesa | AZ | 101 | +1% | $60K |
| 161 | Philadelphia | PA | 102 | +2% | $49K |
| 162 | Tampa | FL | 102 | +2% | $56K |
| 163 | Peoria | AZ | 102 | +2% | $74K |
| 164 | Wilmington | DE | 102 | +2% | $44K |
| 165 | Clearwater | FL | 102 | +2% | $49K |
| 166 | Traverse City | MI | 102 | +2% | $51K |
| 167 | Visalia | CA | 102 | +2% | $55K |
| 168 | Medford | OR | 102 | +2% | $47K |
| 169 | Round Rock | TX | 102 | +2% | $82K |
| 170 | Springfield | MA | 102 | +2% | $38K |
| 171 | Meridian | ID | 102 | +2% | $72K |
| 172 | Phoenix | AZ | 103 | +3% | $57K |
| 173 | Nashville | TN | 104 | +4% | $60K |
| 174 | Las Vegas | NV | 104 | +4% | $54K |
| 175 | Fresno | CA | 104 | +4% | $50K |
| 176 | Madison | WI | 104 | +4% | $68K |
| 177 | Boise | ID | 104 | +4% | $62K |
| 178 | Tempe | AZ | 104 | +4% | $58K |
| 179 | Carson City | NV | 104 | +4% | $54K |
| 180 | Cary | NC | 104 | +4% | $101K |
| 181 | Frisco | TX | 104 | +4% | $117K |
| 182 | Redding | CA | 104 | +4% | $48K |
| 183 | Coeur d'Alene | ID | 104 | +4% | $50K |
| 184 | Sugar Land | TX | 104 | +4% | $110K |
| 185 | Colorado Springs | CO | 105 | +5% | $66K |
| 186 | Virginia Beach | VA | 105 | +5% | $77K |
| 187 | Chandler | AZ | 105 | +5% | $89K |
| 188 | Ithaca | NY | 105 | +5% | $35K |
| 189 | Trenton | NJ | 105 | +5% | $36K |
| 190 | Minneapolis | MN | 106 | +6% | $63K |
| 191 | Modesto | CA | 106 | +6% | $53K |
| 192 | Provo | UT | 106 | +6% | $47K |
| 193 | Concord | NH | 106 | +6% | $60K |
| 194 | Cranston | RI | 106 | +6% | $62K |
| 195 | Chicago | IL | 107 | +7% | $62K |
| 196 | Atlanta | GA | 107 | +7% | $64K |
| 197 | Henderson | NV | 107 | +7% | $68K |
| 198 | Baltimore | MD | 108 | +8% | $52K |
| 199 | Stockton | CA | 108 | +8% | $53K |
| 200 | Gilbert | AZ | 108 | +8% | $95K |
| 201 | Reno | NV | 108 | +8% | $59K |
| 202 | Providence | RI | 108 | +8% | $43K |
| 203 | Charleston | SC | 108 | +8% | $67K |
| 204 | Hartford | CT | 108 | +8% | $37K |
| 205 | Missoula | MT | 108 | +8% | $48K |
| 206 | Asheville | NC | 108 | +8% | $48K |
| 207 | Pompano Beach | FL | 108 | +8% | $44K |
| 208 | Warwick | RI | 108 | +8% | $69K |
| 209 | Chico | CA | 108 | +8% | $43K |
| 210 | Corvallis | OR | 108 | +8% | $46K |
| 211 | Sandy Springs | GA | 108 | +8% | $76K |
| 212 | Roswell | GA | 108 | +8% | $83K |
| 213 | Salt Lake City | UT | 110 | +10% | $61K |
| 214 | Plano | TX | 110 | +10% | $96K |
| 215 | Manchester | NH | 110 | +10% | $61K |
| 216 | Lowell | MA | 110 | +10% | $50K |
| 217 | Austin | TX | 112 | +12% | $75K |
| 218 | Aurora | CO | 112 | +12% | $61K |
| 219 | Worcester | MA | 112 | +12% | $49K |
| 220 | New Haven | CT | 112 | +12% | $42K |
| 221 | Eugene | OR | 112 | +12% | $45K |
| 222 | Santa Fe | NM | 112 | +12% | $57K |
| 223 | Ann Arbor | MI | 112 | +12% | $65K |
| 224 | Montpelier | VT | 112 | +12% | $53K |
| 225 | Sarasota | FL | 112 | +12% | $53K |
| 226 | Saratoga Springs | NY | 112 | +12% | $74K |
| 227 | Lakewood | NJ | 112 | +12% | $44K |
| 228 | Bellingham | WA | 114 | +14% | $50K |
| 229 | Elizabeth | NJ | 114 | +14% | $42K |
| 230 | Bridgeport | CT | 115 | +15% | $45K |
| 231 | Portland | ME | 115 | +15% | $59K |
| 232 | Flagstaff | AZ | 115 | +15% | $53K |
| 233 | Olympia | WA | 115 | +15% | $59K |
| 234 | Scottsdale | AZ | 118 | +18% | $95K |
| 235 | Burlington | VT | 118 | +18% | $48K |
| 236 | Naperville | IL | 118 | +18% | $126K |
| 237 | Fort Collins | CO | 118 | +18% | $66K |
| 238 | Moreno Valley | CA | 118 | +18% | $63K |
| 239 | Durango | CO | 118 | +18% | $54K |
| 240 | Ontario | CA | 118 | +18% | $63K |
| 241 | Paterson | NJ | 118 | +18% | $35K |
| 242 | Riverside | CA | 120 | +20% | $65K |
| 243 | Newark | NJ | 120 | +20% | $37K |
| 244 | Tacoma | WA | 120 | +20% | $60K |
| 245 | Sacramento | CA | 122 | +22% | $62K |
| 246 | Fort Lauderdale | FL | 122 | +22% | $56K |
| 247 | Fontana | CA | 122 | +22% | $72K |
| 248 | Elk Grove | CA | 122 | +22% | $90K |
| 249 | Roseville | CA | 126 | +26% | $86K |
| 250 | Anchorage | AK | 127 | +27% | $78K |
| 251 | Miami | FL | 128 | +28% | $44K |
| 252 | Denver | CO | 128 | +28% | $73K |
| 253 | Portsmouth | NH | 128 | +28% | $76K |
| 254 | Rancho Cucamonga | CA | 128 | +28% | $84K |
| 255 | Vallejo | CA | 128 | +28% | $64K |
| 256 | Portland | OR | 130 | +30% | $71K |
| 257 | Columbia | MD | 130 | +30% | $109K |
| 258 | Naples | FL | 130 | +30% | $73K |
| 259 | Jersey City | NJ | 135 | +35% | $73K |
| 260 | Bend | OR | 135 | +35% | $69K |
| 261 | Juneau | AK | 135 | +35% | $88K |
| 262 | Palm Springs | CA | 135 | +35% | $49K |
| 263 | Concord | CA | 138 | +38% | $75K |
| 264 | Oxnard | CA | 140 | +40% | $68K |
| 265 | Sedona | AZ | 140 | +40% | $62K |
| 266 | Yonkers | NY | 142 | +42% | $66K |
| 267 | Oceanside | CA | 142 | +42% | $69K |
| 268 | Boulder | CO | 145 | +45% | $74K |
| 269 | San Luis Obispo | CA | 148 | +48% | $55K |
| 270 | Simi Valley | CA | 148 | +48% | $100K |
| 271 | Washington | DC | 152 | +52% | $91K |
| 272 | Boston | MA | 152 | +52% | $76K |
| 273 | Stamford | CT | 152 | +52% | $90K |
| 274 | Hayward | CA | 152 | +52% | $78K |
| 275 | Long Beach | CA | 155 | +55% | $62K |
| 276 | Jackson | WY | 155 | +55% | $66K |
| 277 | Santa Rosa | CA | 155 | +55% | $72K |
| 278 | Key West | FL | 155 | +55% | $58K |
| 279 | Bellevue | WA | 156 | +56% | $118K |
| 280 | Santa Ana | CA | 158 | +58% | $61K |
| 281 | Huntington Beach | CA | 158 | +58% | $97K |
| 282 | San Diego | CA | 160 | +60% | $80K |
| 283 | Anaheim | CA | 162 | +62% | $72K |
| 284 | Los Angeles | CA | 166 | +66% | $65K |
| 285 | Napa | CA | 168 | +68% | $78K |
| 286 | Cambridge | MA | 168 | +68% | $103K |
| 287 | Seattle | WA | 172 | +72% | $97K |
| 288 | Irvine | CA | 175 | +75% | $108K |
| 289 | Santa Cruz | CA | 175 | +75% | $67K |
| 290 | Park City | UT | 175 | +75% | $76K |
| 291 | Santa Barbara | CA | 180 | +80% | $69K |
| 292 | New York | NY | 187 | +87% | $67K |
| 293 | Oakland | CA | 190 | +90% | $76K |
| 294 | Honolulu | HI | 192 | +92% | $72K |
| 295 | Martha's Vineyard | MA | 195 | +95% | $63K |
| 296 | Telluride | CO | 210 | +110% | $58K |
| 297 | San Jose | CA | 214 | +114% | $117K |
| 298 | Vail | CO | 215 | +115% | $61K |
| 299 | Sunnyvale | CA | 218 | +118% | $140K |
| 300 | Aspen | CO | 230 | +130% | $65K |
| 301 | San Francisco | CA | 244 | +144% | $119K |
Cite This Study
This data is free to republish with attribution. Suggested citation:
CostOfCity (2026). “US Cities Cost of Living Ranked 2026.” Retrieved from https://costofcity.com/studies/us-cities-cost-of-living-ranked-2026/See also: Cost of Living by State 2026 (mapped). Journalists: see our press kit for more citable statistics and spokesperson contacts.