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September 2026 report · all 50 states · 435 congressional districts · 35,672 ZIP codes

Relocation Calculator What it costs to live there, after taxes and expenses

Thinking about a move? See how far a paycheck or a Social Security benefit goes in any state, ZIP code, or congressional district. Every figure comes from the TrueCOLA Margin Report, built each month from federal data and market rents.

Five ways to compare

Each one shows the same monthly margin for seven household types, from one adult to a couple living on two Social Security benefits. Pick the view that fits where you are in your decision.

  • National

    Start with the U.S. baseline: take-home pay after taxes, minus the required costs of housing, food, transportation, health care, and other essentials.

    Best for: a first look and a benchmark to measure any place against.

    Select

  • By State

    Choose any of the 50 states and see where a household like yours comes out ahead or falls short each month, with every cost line listed.

    Best for: narrowing a move down to a few states.

    Select

  • By ZIP Code

    Enter one of 35,672 ZIP codes to see the figures for its congressional district. All 435 districts are covered.

    Best for: checking a specific town or neighborhood.

    Select

  • Top 25 Destinations

    Ready-made pages for 25 popular places to move, each with its local costs and the monthly margin for every household type.

    Best for: browsing ideas before you have picked a place.

    Select

  • Crowdsource

    Compare two ZIP codes side by side, then ask people who live there whether the figures match what they pay. Your own apps send the message; nothing is sent from TrueCOLA.

    Best for: a reality check from people on the ground.

    Select

How the calculator works

Select a household type. The calculator shows that household’s published figures from the September 2026 report: gross monthly income, modeled taxes, net monthly income, required costs for housing, healthcare, and other essentials, and the monthly surplus or shortfall that remains. The margin is net income minus required costs. The margin is not an inflation rate and does not replace the CPI.

To evaluate a move, look up where you live now and note its surplus or shortfall, then look up the place you are considering. Because every place is calculated the same way, the two results can be compared directly.

To see an estimate based on your own income, move the slider to your gross monthly pay. That calculation runs only in your browser, is labeled as your estimate, and is never sent or saved. The published figures use the renter track; the calculator also shows three homeowner tracks for every place.

The basket is a market-price standard: current asking rent and unsubsidized average marketplace premiums. It can run above what a settled household pays, and the methodology states this.

For full details, see the methodology page. Rent data: Data Provided by Zillow Group.

Built on the monthly report

The calculator uses the same figures as the TrueCOLA Margin Report, published every month for all 50 states and 435 congressional districts. These are modeled required costs at current market prices, not your actual bills.

Read the September 2026 report See the methodology

Not all relocation calculators are created equal

Choosing where to live is a major financial decision. Before relying on any cost-of-living figure, ask five questions. Here is how TrueCOLA answers each one. Every answer is backed by our published methodology, which documents each data source, every calculation step, and the audit checks run on every report.

Where does the data come from?
From published government sources, including the Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Internal Revenue Service, the Social Security Administration, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The only non-government source is the Zillow Observed Rent Index for market rents, which is credited wherever it appears.
Are taxes included?
Yes. Federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes, and each state’s income tax are subtracted, so places are compared on take-home pay rather than gross pay.
How current is it?
Every figure is updated monthly and published the next business day after the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the Consumer Price Index.
How local is it?
Figures are published for the nation, all 50 states, and 35,672 ZIP codes, using one consistent method everywhere.
Can it be verified?
Yes. The methodology and all corrections are public, and the data files are free to download. Each month’s source files are recorded with a digital fingerprint that changes if a single byte changes, and any downloaded report can be checked on our verification page.
Every month
TrueCOLA publishes this margin every month, covering 35,672 ZIP codes and all 50 states.