These cities have the highest pay, lowest cost of living for 2026: study |
These cities have the highest pay, lowest cost of living for 2026: study
(NEXSTAR) – With the majority of Americans unhappy with how much everyday goods cost in 2026, according to a recent poll, a Niche.com study identified the affordability capitals of the U.S. – cities with the highest pay and lowest cost of living.
“Our list of best cities for low cost of living and high income ranks larger cities with at least 250,000 residents using affordability and median household income with equal weight (50/50), so you see places that are both affordable and high-earning,” according to the education research platform.
The top city in the U.S. was Laredo, Texas, according to the Niche research team, which relied on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for its ranking.
Laredo, which is located along the southern border with Mexico, is home to roughly 257,600 people, is dotted with parks and has a reputation for good public schools, according to Niche, which adds that the city “offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their own homes.”
The Texas city was also found to be the most affordable place in the US in 2025, according to a GoBankingRates analysis of the most livable cities in the country.
Rounding out the Top Five were Fort Wayne, Indiana; Toledo, Ohio; El Paso, Texas; and Wichita, Kansas.
“People are increasingly looking for neighborhoods that offer both access to diverse career opportunities and a strong sense of community,” said Allison Shrivastava, economist at Niche, in a statement. “These smaller, walkable communities provide the mix of amenities and livability that families and young professionals both value.”
See the top 25 cities below:
Corpus Christi, Texas
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Indianapolis, Indiana
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Greensboro, North Carolina
While employment, relationships, mortgages and other factors may stop many from moving to a more affordable city, it begs the question: where are Americans moving to – and away from?
As for the states that are seeing largest percent change in population, the latest U.S. Census Bureau statistics show California, New Mexico, Hawaii, West Virginia and Vermont experiencing the greatest population decreases.
Idaho, Utah, Texas, South Carolina and North Carolina saw the greatest increases during the period spanning July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025.
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