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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $150K salary, 40 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 40 cities in Texas using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Amaril…
#1 Ranked: Amarillo — cost index 89, rent $1,245/mo, income $62,469
40 of 40 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K
40 of 40 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Amarillo | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $109,483 |
2Mcallen | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $109,483 |
3Beaumont | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $109,483 |
4Killeen | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $109,483 |
5Tyler | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $109,483 |
6Pasadena | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $109,483 |
7Laredo | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $109,483 |
8San Antonio | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $109,483 |
9Waco | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $109,483 |
10Lubbock | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $109,483 |
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $150K salary, 40 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices. We ran the numbers on 40 cities in Texas using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Amarillo comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
40 of 40 cities keep rent under 30% of $150K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $150K salary, 40 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices.
What does daily life actually cost in Amarillo? Start with the 24% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 73) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 92) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $62,469 and homes at $202,835 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
On a $150K salary, the key number is $3,750/month — this is the part where it gets real — — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Amarillo ($1,245/mo, 10%), Mcallen ($1,272/mo, 10%), Beaumont ($1,275/mo, 10%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $109,483 to $109,483/year across these top picks.
Still, the overall picture holds: State context matters: Texas's 40 cities average a 99 cost index with $1,536/month — for better or worse — median rent and $79,780 household income. No income tax, massive metros, and wide-open affordability. The full picture emerges in the city spotlights below.
Bottom line: Amarillo leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Amarillo | $1,245 | 10% | 89 | Details |
| 2 | Mcallen | $1,272 | 10% | 91 | Details |
| 3 | Beaumont | $1,275 | 10% | 88 | Details |
| 4 | Killeen | $1,280 | 10% | 90 | Details |
| 5 | Tyler | $1,290 | 10% | 92 | Details |
| 6 | Pasadena | $1,318 | 11% | 91 | Details |
| 7 | Laredo | $1,327 | 11% | 91 | Details |
| 8 | San Antonio | $1,361 | 11% | 93 | Details |
| 9 | Waco | $1,368 | 11% | 91 | Details |
| 10 | Lubbock | $1,388 | 11% | 92 | Details |
| 11 | Mesquite | $1,397 | 11% | 94 | Details |
| 12 | Corpus Christi | $1,433 | 11% | 93 | Details |
| 13 | El Paso | $1,441 | 12% | 94 | Details |
| 14 | Arlington | $1,462 | 12% | 98 | Details |
| 15 | Denton | $1,491 | 12% | 100 | Details |
| 16 | Carrollton | $1,517 | 12% | 103 | Details |
| 17 | Conroe | $1,524 | 12% | 99 | Details |
| 18 | Austin | $1,531 | 12% | 107 | Details |
| 19 | Houston | $1,542 | 12% | 97 | Details |
| 20 | Fort Worth | $1,554 | 12% | 98 | Details |
| 21 | Garland | $1,563 | 13% | 98 | Details |
| 22 | New Braunfels | $1,567 | 13% | 101 | Details |
| 23 | Lewisville | $1,573 | 13% | 103 | Details |
| 24 | Midland | $1,585 | 13% | 100 | Details |
| 25 | Irving | $1,587 | 13% | 101 | Details |
| 26 | Dallas | $1,591 | 13% | 99 | Details |
| 27 | Round Rock | $1,593 | 13% | 104 | Details |
| 28 | Grand Prairie | $1,602 | 13% | 100 | Details |
| 29 | Odessa | $1,612 | 13% | 97 | Details |
| 30 | Brownsville | $1,621 | 13% | 95 | Details |
| 31 | Allen | $1,634 | 13% | 109 | Details |
| 32 | Mckinney | $1,675 | 13% | 109 | Details |
| 33 | Richardson | $1,676 | 13% | 107 | Details |
| 34 | Plano | $1,717 | 14% | 110 | Details |
| 35 | Frisco | $1,751 | 14% | 118 | Details |
| 36 | College Station | $1,755 | 14% | 104 | Details |
| 37 | Abilene | $1,758 | 14% | 98 | Details |
| 38 | League | $1,764 | 14% | 105 | Details |
| 39 | Pearland | $1,797 | 14% | 106 | Details |
| 40 | Sugar Land | $1,990 | 16% | 112 | Details |
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $150K salary, 40 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices.
The race is tight: Amarillo, Mcallen, Beaumont, Killeen, Tyler are all within 3 points of each other. At this level, differences in rent, taxes, or a single category can sway the decision.
Rent in #1-ranked Amarillo has increased from $1,204 to $1,245/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
202,408 residents · Texas
The #1 spot goes to Amarillo, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,245/month — saving renters $7,800 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 73, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 92. At a 24% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
146,593 residents · Texas
Why Mcallen ranks #2: the numbers tell a clear story. At 91 on the cost index, residents save roughly 21% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,272/month while the median household pulls in $60,165/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 77, though Healthcare (93) lags behind. Home prices average $225,568 — $241,802 below the national median.
112,193 residents · Texas
A closer look at Beaumont: the cost index of 88 breaks down to a Housing index of 70 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 90 (weakest). Median rent is $1,275/month — 33% below the national median — while household income sits at $57,530, meaning locals spend about 27% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
159,643 residents · Texas
The #4 spot goes to Killeen, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,280/month — saving renters $7,380 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 76, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 93. A 26% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
110,327 residents · Texas
Tyler is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $1,290/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 92. Income sits at $65,527. That's about what we'd expect given the state context (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
We calculate what percentage of a $150K gross salary goes to median rent. Cities where rent consumes less of your paycheck rank higher. We also factor in estimated take-home pay after federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Amarillo ranks #1 in Texas for this analysis with a cost index of 89 and median income of $62,469.
Yes. On a $150K salary in Amarillo, rent would consume about 10% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. You're well within that guideline.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Amarillo (ranked #1) has a cost index of 89 and rent of $1,245/mo, while Sugar Land (ranked #40) has a cost index of 112 and rent of $1,990/mo — a 23-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Amarillo is $1,245/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $650 below the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 0% state income tax, estimated take-home on $150K in Amarillo is approximately $109,483/year ($9,124/month). After median rent of $1,245/month, you'd have roughly $94,543/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Amarillo is $202,835, which is 3.2× the local median income. That's within the standard 3.5× affordability rule for most local earners. The national median home price is $467,370.
Texas has a 0% state income tax rate — one of the states with no income tax. Combined state and local sales tax averages 8.19%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.6%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.