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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 $60K salary, 15 cities (38%) meet this threshold. There are options, but they require targeting. We ran the numbers on 40 cities in Texas using 2026 census, rent, and sala…
#1 Ranked: Amarillo — cost index 73, rent $1,245/mo, income $62,469
15 of 40 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K
15 of 40 cities keep rent under 30% of $60K 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. On a $60K salary, 15 cities (38%) meet this threshold. There are options, but they require targeting. 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.
At $1,245/month for rent and a cost index of 73, Amarillo is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. Income is $62,469. Pretty standard for this type of city.
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.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $60K salary, 15 cities (38%) meet this threshold. There are options, but they require targeting.
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
At $1,245/month — for better or worse — for rent and a cost index of 73, Amarillo is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. It lines up with what you'd expect. Income is $62,469. That's about what we'd expect given the state context (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
146,593 residents · Texas
What does daily life actually cost in Mcallen? Start with the 25% 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. No major red flags in that number. Income at $60,165 and homes at $225,568 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
112,193 residents · Texas
The #3 spot goes to Beaumont, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,275/month — saving renters $7,440 per year compared to the national average. 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
A closer look at Killeen: the cost index of 75 breaks down to a Housing index of 75 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 95 (weakest). And in practical terms, median rent is $1,280/month — 32% below the national median — while household income sits at $58,339, meaning locals spend about 26% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room.
110,327 residents · Texas
At $1,290/month — we had to double-check this one — for rent and a cost index of 75, Tyler is pretty much what you'd expect from a mid-size city in this part of the country. Income is $65,527. It lines up with what you'd expect.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Amarillo | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $47,157 |
2Mcallen | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $47,157 |
3Beaumont | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $47,157 |
4Killeen | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $47,157 |
5Tyler | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $47,157 |
6Pasadena | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $47,157 |
7Laredo | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $47,157 |
8San Antonio | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $47,157 |
9Waco | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $47,157 |
10Lubbock | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $47,157 |
We model what a $60K 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 $60K salary in Amarillo, rent would consume about 25% 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 $60K in Amarillo is approximately $47,157/year ($3,930/month). After median rent of $1,245/month, you'd have roughly $32,217/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.