Affordability weighted – US News & World Report ranked 15 US cities to live in 2026, using a model that weights affordability more heavily than in past years. The result is a list where many top spots—despite a broader affordability shift toward the Midwest—cluster heavily in Southern
For people trying to make a life fit around a rising housing bill, the message behind US News & World Report’s “best cities to live in 2026” list is blunt: value and affordability aren’t just part of the scoring anymore—they’re driving the outcome.
Every year, US News & World Report asks consumers what they want from a place to live. This time. consumers “overwhelmingly cited that they were looking for value and affordability. ” according to US News & World Report consumer lending analyst Erika Giovanetti. She added that many consumers said they were willing to trade other preferences. even “looking for affordability over quality of life and desirability.”.
The methodology reflects that shift. US News & World Report analyzed more than 850 US cities and ranked them using four indexes: value. quality of life. desirability. and job market. Giovanetti said this year’s rankings differ from previous years by “weighting value higher than the other categories.”.
“Education, college readiness, access to healthcare — all of these things fall under quality of life, but consumers this year are really feeling it in their wallets, and they are willing to make sacrifices if it’s about finding a more affordable place to live,” Giovanetti said.
Even with affordability taking center stage, geography didn’t follow the simplest storyline. While Giovanetti said the Midwest has become the most affordable region of the country, “a majority of the entries” on the best-cities list are in Southern states.
The trade-off is visible in the top ranks. Giovanetti pointed to Johns Creek. Georgia. which finished first in last year’s rankings but dropped to fifth this year “mainly because it’s pricier than other cities.” She said: “Johns Creek ranks 232 for value. which is not so bad in the grand scheme of things. but it is one of the more higher priced cities that made the top of our list.”.
That balancing act—affordability without giving up everything else—is part of the explanation for why the top of the list stays crowded with places that score across categories, not just on housing costs.
Below are the best places to live in the US, according to US News & World Report.
15. Buffalo Grove, IL — Population: 41,765; Median home value: $380,110; Median household income: $135,543.
14. Parkland, FL — Population: 36,938; Median home value: $896,250; Median household income: $223,200.
13. League City, TX — Population: 109,083; Median home value: $344,265; Median household income: $123,032.
12. Troy, MI — Population: 90,584; Median home value: $396,774; Median household income: $120,757.
11. Cary, NC — Population: 182,416; Median home value: $570,890; Median household income: $136,700.
10. Sugar Land, TX — Population: 114,818; Median home value: $431,815; Median household income: $140,511.
9. Frisco, TX — Population: 229,028; Median home value: $627,426; Median household income: $152,749.
8. Leander, TX — Population: 81,757; Median home value: $495,712; Median household income: $143,568.
7. Rochester Hills, MI — Population: 77,520; Median home value: $388,231; Median household income: $119,938.
6. Hoover, AL — Population: 91,649; Median home value: $382,915; Median household income: $104,005.
5. Johns Creek, GA — Population: 78,408; Median home value: $588,835; Median household income: $167,051.
4. Ankeny, IA — Population: 78,414; Median home value: $331,417; Median household income: $107,871.
3. Flower Mound, TX — Population: 77,576; Median home value: $553,334; Median household income: $167,151.
2. Fishers, IN — Population: 102,895; Median home value: $405,882; Median household income: $136,502.
1. Carmel, IN — Population: 103,768; Median home value: $477,625; Median household income: $144,615.
best cities to live 2026 US News and World Report affordability housing costs value index city rankings job market quality of life desirability median home value