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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: Amarillo at index 73, where median rent of $1,245/month saves renters $7,800/year versus the national median (we double-checked this one).
#1 Ranked: Amarillo — cost index 73, rent $1,245/mo, income $62,469
39 of 40 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K gross income
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: Amarillo at index 73, where median rent of $1,245/month saves renters $7,800/year versus the national median (we double-checked this one).
In plain English: 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 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — and homes at $202,835 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
On a $75K salary, the key number is $1,875/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Amarillo ($1,245/mo, 20%), Mcallen ($1,272/mo, 20%), Beaumont ($1,275/mo, 20%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $57,710 to $57,710/year across these top picks (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes). Not flashy. Just effective.
The counter-argument is worth hearing: Here's the state-level backdrop: Texas averages a 90 cost index, $1,536/mo — we had to double-check this one — 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.
In plain English: Bottom line: Amarillo leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And roughly speaking, 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.
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). 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 (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
146,593 residents · Texas
Dive into Mcallen's numbers: cost index 74 — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — (37 points below national average), rent $1,272/month, income $60,165, and a home price of $225,568. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 74, while Healthcare runs 95. With 146,593 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
112,193 residents · Texas
Here's Beaumont by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 74. Rent: $1,275/month. Income: $57,530/year. Home price: $165,122. Population: 112,193. The strongest category is Housing at 74; the most expensive is Healthcare at 95. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $7,440 per year vs. the national median. This alone could tip the scales.
159,643 residents · Texas
In plain English: Here's Killeen by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And generally speaking, 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. That alone makes it worth considering. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $7,380 per year vs. the national median. On a teacher's salary, this difference is the line between paycheck-to-paycheck and comfortable.
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. Income at $65,527 and homes at $248,536 round out a profile that ranks #5 for clear reasons (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Amarillo | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $57,710 |
2Mcallen | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $57,710 |
3Beaumont | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $57,710 |
4Killeen | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $57,710 |
5Tyler | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $57,710 |
6Pasadena | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $57,710 |
7Laredo | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $57,710 |
8San Antonio | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $57,710 |
9Waco | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $57,710 |
10Lubbock | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $57,710 |
We model what a $75K 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 $75K salary in Amarillo, rent would consume about 20% 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 $75K in Amarillo is approximately $57,710/year ($4,809/month). After median rent of $1,245/month, you'd have roughly $42,770/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.