#1
Erie, PA
Pop. 92,953
$50K Purchasing Power
$54,645
COL Index
92
1BR Rent
$757
Home Price
$162,000
Unemployment
3.7%
Top-Paying Jobs Here
Marketing Manager · $153,600 Pharmacist · $132,561 Software Developer · $124,014
Cost of Living · 6 min read ·
Healthcare Affordability Planning: 10 City Cost Contexts
The original cohort retained as economic context without fabricated medical-cost rankings.
O
Ocity Data Team
Analysis of 714 US cities · BLS & Census data
Evidence Boundary
The prior article claimed annual medical spending, healthcare indexes, doctor-visit discounts and hospital outcomes that were not present in the cited evidence. Those figures are removed. Healthcare affordability is household- and plan-specific.
📊 Quick Comparison: All 10 Cities
| # | City | COL Index | $50K → Buys |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erie, PA | 92 | $54,645 |
| 2 | Owensboro, KY | 90 | $55,556 |
| 3 | Bowling Green, KY | 91 | $55,249 |
| 4 | Scranton, PA | 93 | $53,763 |
| 5 | Pittsburgh, PA | 94 | $52,966 |
| 6 | Flagstaff, AZ | 91 | $54,765 |
| 7 | Carmel, IN | 95 | $52,854 |
| 8 | Overland Park, KS | 93 | $53,591 |
| 9 | Fishers, IN | 95 | $52,854 |
| 10 | Missoula, MT | 93 | $53,706 |
Source: C2ER/ACCRA Cost of Living Index, US Census ACS. US Average COL = 100. Higher "Buys" = more purchasing power.
#2
Owensboro, KY
Pop. 60,112
$50K Purchasing Power
$55,556
COL Index
90
1BR Rent
$830
Home Price
$196,500
Unemployment
4.0%
Top-Paying Jobs Here
Marketing Manager · $152,891 Pharmacist · $131,949 Software Developer · $123,442
#3
Bowling Green, KY
Pop. 76,215
$50K Purchasing Power
$55,249
COL Index
91
1BR Rent
$944
Home Price
$289,900
Unemployment
4.0%
Top-Paying Jobs Here
Marketing Manager · $153,127 Pharmacist · $132,153 Software Developer · $123,633
#4
Scranton, PA
Pop. 75,803
$50K Purchasing Power
$53,763
COL Index
93
1BR Rent
$854
Home Price
$185,000
Unemployment
3.7%
Top-Paying Jobs Here
Marketing Manager · $154,309 Pharmacist · $133,173 Software Developer · $124,587
#5
Pittsburgh, PA
Pop. 303,254
$50K Purchasing Power
$52,966
COL Index
94
1BR Rent
$965
Home Price
$235,000
Unemployment
3.7%
Top-Paying Jobs Here
Marketing Manager · $154,971 Pharmacist · $133,744 Software Developer · $125,122
Verified City Context
| City | COL | 1BR rent | Income | Home price | Walkability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PA | 91.5 | $757 | $41,377 | $162,000 | 35 |
| Owensboro, KY | 90.0 | $830 | $53,295 | $196,500 | 35 |
| Bowling Green, KY | 90.5 | $944 | $47,813 | $289,900 | 35 |
| Scranton, PA | 93.0 | $854 | $41,601 | $185,000 | 35 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 94.4 | $965 | $66,219 | $275,000 | 55 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | 91.3 | $1,537 | $71,402 | $710,000 | 35 |
| Carmel, IN | 94.6 | $1,145 | $143,676 | $630,000 | 45 |
| Overland Park, KS | 93.3 | $839 | $97,176 | $523,000 | 45 |
| Fishers, IN | 94.6 | $898 | $121,382 | $430,000 | 45 |
| Missoula, MT | 93.1 | $988 | $70,277 | $529,950 | 35 |
General living costs can affect the room left in a household budget, but they do not reveal premiums, deductibles, network coverage, prescriptions or treatment prices. A city cannot be called cheapest for healthcare from these fields.
#6
Flagstaff, AZ
Pop. 76,595
$50K Purchasing Power
$54,765
COL Index
91
1BR Rent
$1,537
Home Price
$710,000
Unemployment
3.8%
Top-Paying Jobs Here
Marketing Manager · $153,506 Pharmacist · $132,479 Software Developer · $123,938
#7
Carmel, IN
Pop. 102,091
$50K Purchasing Power
$52,854
COL Index
95
1BR Rent
$1,145
Home Price
$502,450
Unemployment
3.4%
Top-Paying Jobs Here
Marketing Manager · $155,066 Pharmacist · $133,826 Software Developer · $125,198
#8
Overland Park, KS
Pop. 197,062
$50K Purchasing Power
$53,591
COL Index
93
1BR Rent
$839
Home Price
$523,000
Unemployment
2.9%
Top-Paying Jobs Here
Software Developer · $124,702 Accountant · $84,349 Elementary School Teacher · $62,390
#9
Fishers, IN
Pop. 101,789
$50K Purchasing Power
$52,854
COL Index
95
1BR Rent
$898
Home Price
$430,000
Unemployment
3.4%
Top-Paying Jobs Here
Software Developer · $125,198 Accountant · $84,685 Registered Nurse · $84,675
#10
Missoula, MT
Pop. 77,763
$50K Purchasing Power
$53,706
COL Index
93
1BR Rent
$988
Home Price
$529,950
Unemployment
2.6%
Top-Paying Jobs Here
Marketing Manager · $154,357 Pharmacist · $133,214 Software Developer · $124,625
Household Healthcare Cost Worksheet
Collect the actual annual premium contribution, deductible, out-of-pocket maximum, copays, coinsurance, prescriptions and expected services for every available plan. Verify whether current clinicians, hospitals and medications are in network.
Model low-use, expected-use and high-use years. Add travel, lodging, unpaid time and caregiving for specialist treatment. Confirm state marketplace or employer eligibility before moving.
This page owns the household affordability checklist for the original ten-city shortlist. It does not rank hospital quality or outcomes.
🧮 How Far Does YOUR Salary Go?
This article uses $50K as a benchmark, but your situation is unique. Use our free tools to calculate your exact purchasing power in any of these cities.
📊 Methodology
Methodology and Limits
Displayed city values come from Ocity’s production cities snapshot exported July 12, 2026. Ocity does not currently store verified city-level broadband speed, coworking inventory, remote-work adoption, employer location policy, insurance premiums, procedure prices, provider networks, hospital quality or patient outcomes.
This refresh therefore does not rank cities using those unavailable fields. Current local service, employer and healthcare data must be verified from dated primary sources before a decision.
Data Sources
✓ Ocity production cities database snapshot — exported July 12, 2026
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Does this rank internet quality?
▼
No. Address-level service and plan terms must be verified with current providers.
Does this compare medical prices?
▼
No. Ocity does not currently store verified procedure, premium or provider-price fields.
Can I keep my salary after moving?
▼
Only if the employer confirms location, payroll, compensation and benefits in writing.
Does a low cost index guarantee affordable care?
▼
No. Coverage, network, condition and utilization determine household medical cost.
Why preserve this URL?
▼
It retains continuity while the article is corrected and assigned a distinct intent.
📝 Editor's Verdict
Bottom Line
Use the table for general cost context and the checklist for source verification. Do not treat citywide economic fields as evidence of remote-work suitability or healthcare affordability.
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