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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. And generally speaking, on a $100K 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,…
#1 Ranked: Amarillo — cost index 73, rent $1,245/mo, income $62,469
40 of 40 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K
40 of 40 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. And generally speaking, on a $100K 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 (that's pre-tax, of course).
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 95) 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.
Put it this way: on a $100K salary, the key number is $2,500/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Amarillo ($1,245/mo, 15%), Mcallen ($1,272/mo, 15%), Beaumont ($1,275/mo, 15%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $75,297 to $75,297/year across these top picks.
40 of 40 cities keep rent under 30% of $100K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K salary, 40 cities (100%) meet this threshold. You've got plenty of choices.
The trade-off becomes clearer when you add healthcare into the mix. Here's the state-level backdrop: Texas averages a 90 cost index, $1,536/mo — for better or worse — rent, and $79,780 income across 40 cities. That's $359 less than the national rent average. No income tax, massive metros, and wide-open affordability — and that context shapes every city in this ranking.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Amarillo | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $75,297 |
2Mcallen | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $75,297 |
3Beaumont | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $75,297 |
4Killeen | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $75,297 |
5Tyler | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $75,297 |
6Pasadena | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $75,297 |
7Laredo | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $75,297 |
8San Antonio | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $75,297 |
9Waco | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $75,297 |
10Lubbock | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $75,297 |
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $100K 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 2 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.
Amarillo (index 73) and Sugar Land (index 116) sit 43 points apart on the cost index — proof that Texas is far from monolithic in affordability.
202,408 residents · Texas
A closer look at Amarillo: the cost index of 73 breaks down to a Housing index of 73 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 95 (weakest). And as a general rule, median rent is $1,245/month — 34% below the national median — while household income sits at $62,469, meaning locals spend about 24% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard.
146,593 residents · Texas
So, Mcallen. Cost index of 74, rent at $1,272/month. It's lower than the national average. Median income is $60,165, which is below the national median. Nothing too surprising there.
112,193 residents · Texas
The #3 spot goes to Beaumont, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,275/month — and that's before you even look at taxes — — saving renters $7,440 per year compared to the national average. Take it or leave it — the data is what it is. Meanwhile, Housing is the standout at index 74, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 95. A 27% rent-to-income ratio keeps most households inside the safe zone.
159,643 residents · Texas
Here's Killeen by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 75. Rent: $1,280/month. Income: $58,339/year. Home price: $218,425. Population: 159,643. The strongest category is Housing at 75; the most expensive is Healthcare at 95. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $7,380 per year vs. the national median. This is an advantage that compounds over time.
110,327 residents · Texas
What does daily life actually cost in Tyler? 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 75) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 95) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. You get the picture. Income at $65,527 and homes at $248,536 round out a profile that ranks #5 for clear reasons (that's pre-tax, of course).
We model what a $100K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. 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 73 and median income of $62,469.
Yes. On a $100K salary in Amarillo, rent would consume about 15% 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 73 and rent of $1,245/mo, while Sugar Land (ranked #40) has a cost index of 116 and rent of $1,990/mo — a 43-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 $100K in Amarillo is approximately $75,297/year ($6,275/month). After median rent of $1,245/month, you'd have roughly $60,357/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.