Cost of living for every county in America.

The cost of living in the United States varies dramatically from county to county. A dollar stretches much further in rural Appalachia than it does in the San Francisco Bay Area — and the difference is not marginal. Median rent in the cheapest US counties is under $500/month, while the most expensive counties exceed $2,500/month. Home values show an even wider gap, ranging from under $50,000 to well over $1,000,000.

CostByCounty tracks housing costs for all 3,144 US counties using data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS). We cover four key metrics: median gross rent (what renters actually pay), median home value (what homes are worth), monthly owner costs (mortgage, insurance, taxes), and the rent-to-income ratio (affordability relative to local earnings).

The 30% rule is a widely used benchmark: if a household spends more than 30% of gross income on housing, it is considered “cost-burdened.” Our affordability ratings on each county page reflect this standard. Nationally, the median household income is $74,755 and the median rent is $1,163/month — a ratio of about 19%.

Whether you are researching a potential move, evaluating remote work locations, comparing counties for retirement, or simply curious about housing costs across America, CostByCounty provides the data you need — free, transparent, and sourced directly from the Census Bureau.