LivabilityCalc
Find Your City
Updated with 2026 Census Data

Financial Truth For
Your Next Move.

Compare cost of living, calculate mortgage payments, and find the true cost of relocating across 30,000+ U.S. cities — all powered by official Census Bureau data.

30,000+
Cities Covered
12+
Data Sources
100%
Free Access
Weekly
Rate Updates
Explore Cities Mortgage Calc

What Is LivabilityCalc?

LivabilityCalc is a free, data-driven financial research platform that helps you understand the true cost of living, working, and buying a home in any U.S. city. Unlike generic comparison tools that cover only a few hundred major metros, LivabilityCalc uses the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey to provide granular data for over 30,000 cities, towns, and census-designated places.

Whether you're calculating a mortgage in Austin, comparing New York's cost of living against a smaller city, or figuring out what salary you'd need to maintain your lifestyle after relocating, our calculators give you precise, government-sourced answers — not estimates from user surveys.

Each city page includes housing costs, median rent, property tax rates, income tax brackets, and more. All mortgage rates are sourced from Freddie Mac's PMMS via FRED and updated weekly.

Financial Tools for Every Decision

Everything you need to plan your relocation, home purchase, or career move.

Cost of Living Index

Compare housing, groceries, taxes, and transportation costs across 30,000+ cities with Census data.

Salary Comparison

Calculate the equivalent salary you need in a new city to maintain your current standard of living.

Mortgage Calculator

Estimate monthly mortgage payments with live interest rates, property tax, PMI, and insurance included.

Affordability Checker

Find out exactly how much house you can afford based on your income, debts, and local tax rates.

Property Tax Lookup

See effective property tax rates by county and state — critical for understanding true homeownership costs.

Rent vs. Buy Analysis

Should you rent or buy? Our model compares total cost of ownership against renting over 5, 10, and 30 years.

Who Uses LivabilityCalc?

Trusted by relocators, homebuyers, HR teams, and real estate professionals.

Remote Workers
Find cheaper cities without sacrificing quality of life.
First-Time Buyers
Calculate true monthly cost including taxes, PMI, and HOA.
HR & Relocation Teams
Build data-backed relocation packages for employees.
College Graduates
Compare starting salary purchasing power across cities.
Retirees
Find affordable, tax-friendly cities for retirement.
Real Estate Agents
Share city data with clients to close deals faster.

How It Works

Three steps to financial clarity — no sign-up required.

01

Pick Your Cities

Search for any U.S. city by name or browse our popular destinations. Each city has a dedicated page with all financial data.

02

Run the Numbers

Use our interactive calculators to compare cost of living, estimate mortgage payments, or calculate the salary you'd need in a new city.

03

Make Your Move

Export your results, compare personalized mortgage offers from our lending partners, and make a data-backed relocation decision.

LivabilityCalc vs SmartAsset vs NerdWallet

See how our data depth stacks up against the big names.

FeatureLivabilityCalcSmartAssetNerdWallet
Cities Covered30,000+~500~260
Data SourceCensus BureauMixedBLS + Survey
Property Tax Data
Salary Equivalence
Real-Time Rates
City vs City Compare
School/Crime/AQI DataComing Soon
PriceFreeFree*Free*
Try It Free — No Sign Up

Trusted Data Sources

We don't guess. Every number comes from an official government or institutional source.

U.S. Census Bureau
ACS 5-Year Estimates
Federal Reserve (FRED)
Mortgage Rates
Tax Foundation
State & Local Tax Data
Bureau of Labor Statistics
CPI & Employment

“I used LivabilityCalc to compare Austin vs Denver for my relocation. The salary equivalence tool alone saved me from accepting a lowball offer. Incredibly detailed data.”

— Sarah M., Software Engineer

Research Popular Destinations

Explore cost of living data and mortgage rates for top U.S. cities.

Cost of Living by City

Austin, TX City DashboardNew York, NY City DashboardSan Francisco, CA City DashboardColumbus, OH City DashboardSeattle, WA City Dashboard

Quick Tools

Mortgage CalculatorCost of Living ComparisonSalary Comparison ToolAbout Our Methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about our financial data and tools.

What is the cost of living index and how is it calculated?
The cost of living index compares relative prices across U.S. cities using a baseline of 100 (national average). LivabilityCalc uses official U.S. Census Bureau data covering housing, rent, groceries, transportation, healthcare, and taxes to calculate each city's index. A score of 120 means 20% more expensive than average.
How accurate is the mortgage calculator?
Our mortgage calculator uses real-time Freddie Mac PMMS rates and county-level property tax data from the Tax Foundation. It factors in principal & interest, property tax, homeowner's insurance, PMI (if applicable), and HOA fees to give you a comprehensive monthly payment estimate.
How many cities does LivabilityCalc cover?
LivabilityCalc covers over 30,000 cities, towns, and census-designated places across all 50 U.S. states. Data is sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, ensuring statistical reliability even for smaller communities.
What salary do I need to maintain my lifestyle in a new city?
Our Salary Comparison tool calculates the equivalent salary you'd need in a destination city to match your current purchasing power. Enter your current salary and both cities, and we'll show you the exact adjustment based on housing costs, groceries, taxes, and more.
Is the data on LivabilityCalc free to use?
Yes, all calculators and city data on LivabilityCalc are completely free. We're funded through affiliate partnerships with mortgage lenders and financial service providers. Our data comes from public government sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, FRED, and the Tax Foundation.
How often is the data updated?
Mortgage rates are updated weekly using Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey. Cost of living data is refreshed annually when the Census Bureau releases new American Community Survey estimates. Tax rates are updated yearly from the Tax Foundation.
How does LivabilityCalc compare to NerdWallet or SmartAsset?
LivabilityCalc covers 30,000+ cities (vs 200-500 on competitors), uses 12+ official government data sources (vs 3-5), and provides granular breakdowns including property tax, school ratings, crime data, and air quality — all in one dashboard. We also offer side-by-side city comparisons with salary equivalence calculations.
Can I compare two specific cities side by side?
Yes! Navigate to any city's Cost of Living page and use the comparison dropdown to select a second city. You'll see a detailed breakdown of housing, rent, groceries, and taxes, plus the salary adjustment you'd need. You can also use our Compare Cities tool from the navigation bar.

Ready to Find Your
Perfect City?

Join thousands of smart relocators who use LivabilityCalc to make data-backed decisions. No account needed — just pick a city and start exploring.

Explore Austin, TX SF Mortgage Rates

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