Best Cities for Cost of Living in USA 2026
Affordability measures how far your paycheck goes in a city. We compare cities by median home price, household income, and homeownership rate. A lower home-price-to-income ratio means your dollar goes further.
Ranked by income-to-housing-cost ratio. Higher score = more affordable.
| # | City | Median HH Income | Median Home Price | Income/Price Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Killeen, TX | $172,654 | $220,846 | 78.18% |
| 2 | Peoria, IL | $83,102 | $132,671 | 62.64% |
| 3 | Flint, MI | $36,194 | $65,949 | 54.88% |
| 4 | Detroit, MI | $39,575 | $76,488 | 51.74% |
| 5 | Pasadena, TX | $112,470 | $218,978 | 51.36% |
| 6 | Jackson, MS | $43,238 | $88,100 | 49.08% |
| 7 | Macon, GA | $70,086 | $171,916 | 40.77% |
| 8 | Waukegan, IL | $97,263 | $239,865 | 40.55% |
| 9 | Charleston, WV | $64,512 | $164,532 | 39.21% |
| 10 | Springfield, IL | $65,537 | $168,312 | 38.94% |
| 11 | St. Charles, MO | $55,578 | $144,200 | 38.54% |
| 12 | Rochester, MN | $127,247 | $344,633 | 36.92% |
| 13 | Montgomery, AL | $55,687 | $151,721 | 36.70% |
| 14 | Toledo, OH | $47,532 | $130,101 | 36.53% |
| 15 | Memphis, TN | $51,211 | $147,306 | 34.77% |
| 16 | Akron, OH | $48,544 | $140,512 | 34.55% |
| 17 | Albany, GA | $45,201 | $131,279 | 34.43% |
| 18 | Beaumont, TX | $57,530 | $170,393 | 33.76% |
| 19 | Davenport, IA | $64,497 | $191,117 | 33.75% |
| 20 | Lee's Summit, MO | $104,989 | $313,200 | 33.52% |
| 21 | Wichita Falls, TX | $58,568 | $174,763 | 33.51% |
| 22 | Cleveland, OH | $39,187 | $117,703 | 33.29% |
| 23 | Joliet, IL | $88,026 | $264,637 | 33.26% |
| 24 | Shreveport, LA | $48,465 | $146,463 | 33.09% |
| 25 | Birmingham, AL | $44,376 | $137,201 | 32.34% |
| 26 | Columbus, GA | $56,622 | $175,194 | 32.32% |
| 27 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $67,859 | $210,271 | 32.27% |
| 28 | League City, TX | $119,870 | $373,295 | 32.11% |
| 29 | Oklahoma City, OK | $66,702 | $207,961 | 32.07% |
| 30 | Kennewick, WA | $137,926 | $433,399 | 31.82% |
| 31 | Warren, MI | $63,741 | $200,632 | 31.77% |
| 32 | Lansing, MI | $52,170 | $166,132 | 31.40% |
| 33 | Dayton, OH | $43,454 | $138,867 | 31.29% |
| 34 | Schenectady, NY | $100,485 | $321,835 | 31.22% |
| 35 | Huntington, WV | $43,146 | $138,553 | 31.14% |
| 36 | Baltimore, MD | $59,623 | $191,668 | 31.11% |
| 37 | Wichita, KS | $63,072 | $204,104 | 30.90% |
| 38 | Sugar Land, TX | $137,511 | $449,058 | 30.62% |
| 39 | Livonia, MI | $96,317 | $314,705 | 30.61% |
| 40 | Des Moines, IA | $63,966 | $210,703 | 30.36% |
| 41 | Augusta, GA | $53,134 | $177,114 | 30.00% |
| 42 | Amarillo, TX | $62,469 | $208,517 | 29.96% |
| 43 | St. Louis, MO | $55,279 | $185,100 | 29.86% |
| 44 | Glendale, AZ | $121,351 | $408,630 | 29.70% |
| 45 | Rockford, IL | $53,328 | $180,220 | 29.59% |
| 46 | Broken Arrow, OK | $85,220 | $289,352 | 29.45% |
| 47 | Corpus Christi, TX | $66,325 | $226,494 | 29.28% |
| 48 | Kansas City, KS | $59,183 | $202,558 | 29.22% |
| 49 | Abilene, TX | $62,720 | $214,916 | 29.18% |
| 50 | Miami Gardens, FL | $137,873 | $472,888 | 29.16% |
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