50 Top Cities With Big Pay and Low Costs
Americans searching for a better balance between pay and affordability may want to take a closer look at the Midwest. According to key findings from a new MoneyLion study, 34 Midwestern cities made a list of the nation’s top 50 best cities for high salaries and low cost of living.
MoneyLion determined these locations by using the U.S. Census 2023 5-Year American Community Survey (ACS) to identify cities with a minimum of 20,000 population and a median income above the national average of $81,604.
To ensure a low cost of living, the average home value was sourced for each location and all locations with home values of $1 million or more were removed from this study. Rankings were determined by scoring and weighting each city’s average mortgage, average expenditure and median household income.
Key Findings
Hudson, Ohio, ranked first as the best city with a high salary and low cost of living. The median household income is $180,931 while the cost-of-living amounts to $58,802 annually.
Ohio claimed the top four spots and a total of 14 Ohio cities made up the top 50. These cities are Hudson (#1), Solon (#2), Avon (#3), Perrysburg (#4), Beavercreek (#8), Stow (#10), North Ridgeville (#13), Mentor (#15), Dublin (#18), Avon Lake (#20), Hilliard (#29), Shaker Heights (#36), Strongsville (#39) and Upper Arlington (#43).
Texas had a strong turnout, with seven ranking cities. The annual cost of living is less than $65,000 in Lake Jackson (#11), Allen (#19), League City (#22), Murphy (#25), Cibolo (#31), Celina (#34) and Flower Mound (#49).
Annual salaries amount to more than $160,000 in five cities. From lowest to highest earnings, they are Libertyville, Illinois ($162,270); Erie, Colorado ($163,644); Murphy, Texas ($165,109); Hudson, Ohio ($180,931); and Leawood, Kansas ($184,976).
The cost of living is less than $75,000 in all 50 cities. Eight cities — including Decatur (GA), Beavercreek (OH), Perrysburg (OH), North Ridgeville (OH), Stow (OH), Mentor (OH), North Augusta (SC) and Lake Jackson (TX) — have annual cost of living expenses under $45,000.
See which 50 cities ranked among the best in the nation for high salaries and a low cost of living.
Also See: 50 Cheapest, Safest Places To Live in the US
Find Out: Meet Your Complete Financial Toolkit. Budget, Build Credit and Track Your Money — All In One Place
1. Hudson, Ohio
Median household income: $180,931
Average home value: $543,460
Average monthly mortgage: $2,993
Annual cost of living: $58,802
2. Solon, Ohio
Median household income: $135,180
Average home value: $449,159
Average monthly mortgage: $2,473
Annual cost of living: $52,519
3. Avon, Ohio
Median household income: $126,618
Average home value: $474,278
Average monthly mortgage: $2,612
Annual cost of living: $53,588
4. Perrysburg, Ohio
Median household income: $105,226
Average home value: $330,759
Average monthly mortgage: $1,821
Annual cost of living: $44,207
5. Granger, Indiana
Median household income: $117,348
Average home value: $400,139
Average monthly mortgage: $2,203
Annual cost of living: $48,969
6. Urbandale, Iowa
Median household income: $113,086
Average home value: $362,598
Average monthly mortgage: $1,997
Annual cost of living: $46,607
7. Centerton, Arkansas
Median household income: $112,920
Average home value: $348,057
Average monthly mortgage: $1,917
Annual cost of living: $45,805
8. Beavercreek, Ohio
Median household income: $110,064
Average home value: $334,072
Average monthly mortgage: $1,840
Annual cost of living: $44,943
9. Germantown, Tennessee
Median household income: $144,799
Average home value: $479,960
Average monthly mortgage: $2,643
Annual cost of living: $55,678
10. Stow, Ohio
Median household income: $91,933
Average home value: $297,408
Average monthly mortgage: $1,638
Annual cost of living: $41,813
11. Lake Jackson, Texas
Median household income: $89,623
Average home value: $264,392
Average monthly mortgage: $1,456
Annual cost of living: $39,824
12. Libertyville, Illinois
Median household income: $162,270
Average home value: $626,671
Average monthly mortgage: $3,451
Annual cost of living: $65,346
13. North Ridgeville, Ohio
Median household income: $94,234
Average home value: $325,543
Average monthly mortgage: $1,793
Annual cost of living: $43,702
14. Frankfort, Illinois
Median household income: $153,714
Average home value: $488,907
Average monthly mortgage: $2,692
Annual cost of living: $56,973
15. Mentor, Ohio
Median household income: $89,202
Average home value: $288,748
Average monthly mortgage: $1,590
Annual cost of living: $41,375
16. Madison, Alabama
Median household income: $131,436
Average home value: $376,229
Average monthly mortgage: $2,072
Annual cost of living: $49,210
17. Gurnee, Illinois
Median household income: $121,410
Average home value: $375,993
Average monthly mortgage: $2,070
Annual cost of living: $48,534
18. Dublin, Ohio
Median household income: $155,282
Average home value: $611,955
Average monthly mortgage: $3,370
Annual cost of living: $64,236
19. Allen, Texas
Median household income: $129,130
Average home value: $497,170
Average monthly mortgage: $2,738
Annual cost of living: $55,969
20. Avon Lake, Ohio
Median household income: $110,174
Average home value: $442,174
Average monthly mortgage: $2,435
Annual cost of living: $51,578
21. Plainfield, Illinois
Median household income: $142,265
Average home value: $420,882
Average monthly mortgage: $2,318
Annual cost of living: $52,539
22. League City, Texas
Median household income: $119,870
Average home value: $365,757
Average monthly mortgage: $2,014
Annual cost of living: $47,976
23. Leawood, Kansas
Median household income: $184,976
Average home value: $757,077
Average monthly mortgage: $4,169
Annual cost of living: $74,582
24. South Elgin, Illinois
Median household income: $123,744
Average home value: $378,539
Average monthly mortgage: $2,084
Annual cost of living: $48,973
25. Murphy, Texas
Median household income: $165,109
Average home value: $577,105
Average monthly mortgage: $3,178
Annual cost of living: $63,038
26. Wildwood, Missouri
Median household income: $157,750
Average home value: $568,299
Average monthly mortgage: $3,129
Annual cost of living: $62,051
27. Madison, Mississippi
Median household income: $120,918
Average home value: $408,501
Average monthly mortgage: $2,249
Annual cost of living: $50,516
28. Bettendorf, Iowa
Median household income: $102,917
Average home value: $344,361
Average monthly mortgage: $1,896
Annual cost of living: $45,685
29. Hilliard, Ohio
Median household income: $122,864
Average home value: $415,690
Average monthly mortgage: $2,289
Annual cost of living: $51,091
30. Lakeville, Minnesota
Median household income: $138,119
Average home value: $478,474
Average monthly mortgage: $2,635
Annual cost of living: $55,686
31. Cibolo, Texas
Median household income: $125,230
Average home value: $330,582
Average monthly mortgage: $1,820
Annual cost of living: $46,439
32. Otsego, Minnesota
Median household income: $127,219
Average home value: $419,110
Average monthly mortgage: $2,308
Annual cost of living: $51,669
33. Cottage Grove, Minnesota
Median household income: $121,452
Average home value: $387,471
Average monthly mortgage: $2,134
Annual cost of living: $49,488
34. Celina, Texas
Median household income: $155,875
Average home value: $575,319
Average monthly mortgage: $3,168
Annual cost of living: $62,480
35. Waukee, Iowa
Median household income: $106,728
Average home value: $361,875
Average monthly mortgage: $1,993
Annual cost of living: $47,062
36. Shaker Heights, Ohio
Median household income: $97,721
Average home value: $377,652
Average monthly mortgage: $2,079
Annual cost of living: $47,360
37. West Fargo, North Dakota
Median household income: $96,877
Average home value: $349,751
Average monthly mortgage: $1,926
Annual cost of living: $45,791
38. Decatur, Georgia
Median household income: $140,480
Average home value: $283,930
Average monthly mortgage: $1,563
Annual cost of living: $45,000
39. Strongsville, Ohio
Median household income: $102,574
Average home value: $361,171
Average monthly mortgage: $1,989
Annual cost of living: $46,870
40. Murrysville, Pennsylvania
Median household income: $120,685
Average home value: $352,544
Average monthly mortgage: $1,941
Annual cost of living: $47,591
41. Ankeny, Iowa
Median household income: $106,603
Average home value: $351,425
Average monthly mortgage: $1,935
Annual cost of living: $46,595
42. Rosemount, Minnesota
Median household income: $127,247
Average home value: $428,945
Average monthly mortgage: $2,362
Annual cost of living: $52,394
43. Upper Arlington, Ohio
Median household income: $150,993
Average home value: $664,369
Average monthly mortgage: $3,658
Annual cost of living: $67,380
44. Maple Grove, Minnesota
Median household income: $129,481
Average home value: $423,732
Average monthly mortgage: $2,333
Annual cost of living: $52,265
45. North Augusta, South Carolina
Median household income: $90,132
Average home value: $256,686
Average monthly mortgage: $1,413
Annual cost of living: $40,195
46. Erie, Colorado
Median household income: $163,644
Average home value: $717,757
Average monthly mortgage: $3,952
Annual cost of living: $71,372
47. Fishers, Indiana
Median household income: $128,141
Average home value: $446,764
Average monthly mortgage: $2,460
Annual cost of living: $53,594
48. Savage, Minnesota
Median household income: $122,646
Average home value: $417,625
Average monthly mortgage: $2,300
Annual cost of living: $51,612
49. Flower Mound, Texas
Median household income: $157,737
Average home value: $595,391
Average monthly mortgage: $3,278
Annual cost of living: $64,070
50. Morrisville, North Carolina
Median household income: $125,404
Average home value: $490,329
Average monthly mortgage: $2,700
Annual cost of living: $55,945
Methodology: MoneyLion identified cities with at least 20,000 total population and a median income above the national average of $81,604, using the U.S. Census 2023 5-Year ACS. The average home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index and all locations with a value of $1 million or more were removed from this study. This ensures the locations have high incomes, low cost of living and high-quality data available. The cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperling's BestPlaces. Expenditure costs were sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for all consumer units, and the average expenditure costs were calculated for each city. Assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage was calculated for each location. Using the average mortgage and expenditure costs, the total cost of living was calculated. The average mortgage cost was scored and weighted at 1.00, the average expenditure cost was scored and weighted at 1.00, and the median household income was scored and weighted at 1.30. All the scores were summed and sorted to show the places with high salaries and low cost of living. All data is up to date as of Dec. 19, 2025.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
More From MoneyLion: