Cost of Living Articles
Data-driven guides and rankings to help you find the most affordable places to live in America.
February 19, 2026
Counties with the Lowest Median Rents
A reproducible ACS snapshot of the 25 counties with the lowest median gross rent estimates.
February 19, 2026
Counties with the Highest Median Rents
A reproducible ACS snapshot of the 25 counties with the highest median gross rent estimates.
April 15, 2026
County Median Rent by State: Unweighted Comparison
An unweighted state comparison built from county median gross rent estimates in ACS 2020–2024.
May 2, 2026
Counties with the Lowest Median Home Values
The 25 lowest county median home value estimates in the ACS 2020–2024 snapshot.
May 2, 2026
Counties with the Highest Median Gross-Rent-to-Income Percentages
County rankings using ACS B25071 median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income.
May 2, 2026
30% Rent-Budget Illustrations by State
A transparent rule-of-thumb calculation using unweighted county mean rents and a 30% gross-income budget.
May 2, 2026
Rent and Owner-Cost Medians by State
A descriptive comparison of separate renter and owner ACS cost estimates by state.
May 2, 2026
Midwest and Coastal County Housing-Cost Snapshot
A transparent regional comparison of county rent and home-value estimates.