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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match Texas's value. 39 out of 40 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Beaumont at index 74, where median rent of $1,275/month saves renters $7,440/year versus the national median.
#1 Ranked: Beaumont — cost index 74, rent $1,275/mo, income $57,530
Beaumont is a clear outlier at index 74
39 of 40 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Dollar for dollar, few states match Texas's value. 39 out of 40 cities undercut the national cost index of 111. Leading the pack: Beaumont at index 74, where median rent of $1,275/month saves renters $7,440/year versus the national median.
The 3.5× rule is a conservative benchmark: lenders often approve up to 4-5× income, but 3.5× keeps monthly payments safely under 28% of gross income at typical rates. On $60K, that means targeting homes under $210,000. Beaumont offers a median home at $165,122 — a 2.8× ratio with room to spare.
A closer look at Beaumont: the cost index of 74 — for better or worse — breaks down to a Housing index of 74 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 95 (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.
Beaumont is a clear outlier at index 74. #1-ranked Beaumont has a cost index 20 points lower than the top-5 average of 94. That's not a marginal lead — it's a category of its own.
Bottom line: Beaumont 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.
112,193 residents · Texas
What does daily life actually cost in Beaumont? Start with the 27% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 74) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 95) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $57,530 and homes at $165,122 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
116,320 residents · Texas
League comes in at #2. Rent is $1,764 a month. Household income is $119,870. The cost of living index is 103. It lines up with what you'd expect.
108,515 residents · Texas
What does daily life actually cost in Sugar Land? Start with the 17% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. And in most cases, on the category level, Healthcare (index 103) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 116) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $137,511 and homes at $440,419 round out a profile that ranks #3 for clear reasons.
202,408 residents · Texas
Dive into Amarillo's numbers: cost index 73 (38 points below national average), rent $1,245/month, income $62,469, and a home price of $202,835. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 73, while Healthcare runs 95. With 202,408 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
129,043 residents · Texas
The numbers for Abilene are straightforward: 103 on the cost index, $1,758/month rent, $62,720 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. Fairly typical for a city this size. That's not nothing.
We rank cities by their home-price-to-income ratio (median home price ÷ median household income). A lower ratio means homes are more attainable relative to local earnings. The standard benchmark is 3-5×; above 5× is considered stretched. 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.
Beaumont ranks #1 in Texas for this analysis with a cost index of 74 and median income of $57,530.
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.
Beaumont (ranked #1) has a cost index of 74 and rent of $1,275/mo, while Mesquite (ranked #40) has a cost index of 82 and rent of $1,397/mo — a 8-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 Beaumont is $1,275/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $620 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Beaumont is $165,122, which is 2.9× 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.