A new national ranking has just crowned McKinney the most affordable city in America, but plenty of locals are not exactly popping champagne over it. The study leans hard on how local paychecks compare with everyday expenses, and by that math, McKinney comes out looking great. On the ground, though, many longtime residents say starter homes have all but vanished, and that gap between what the spreadsheets show and what people feel in their wallets is stirring up debate among buyers, renters, and city leaders.
How the ranking was calculated
The list is built around an estimated income-to-expense ratio, essentially a measure of how far a typical household’s earnings stretch against local costs. According to Motley Fool, the analysis blends each city’s…..