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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Top 5 separated by only 1 points. The race is tight: Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth are all within 1 points of each other. At this level, differences in rent, taxes, or a single category can sway the decision.
| Rank | City | Combined Rate | Income Tax | Sales Tax | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 97 | Details |
| 2 | San Antonio | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 93 | Details |
| 3 | Dallas | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 99 | Details |
| 4 | Austin | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 107 | Details |
| 5 | Fort Worth | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 98 | Details |
| 6 | El Paso | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 94 | Details |
| 7 | Arlington | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 98 | Details |
| 8 | Corpus Christi | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 93 | Details |
| 9 | Plano | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 110 | Details |
| 10 | Lubbock | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 92 | Details |
| 11 | Laredo | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 91 | Details |
| 12 | Irving | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 101 | Details |
| 13 | Garland | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 98 | Details |
| 14 | Frisco | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 118 | Details |
| 15 | Mckinney | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 109 | Details |
| 16 | Amarillo | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 89 | Details |
| 17 | Grand Prairie | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 100 | Details |
| 18 | Brownsville | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 95 | Details |
| 19 | Killeen | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 90 | Details |
| 20 | Denton | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 100 | Details |
| 21 | Mesquite | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 94 | Details |
| 22 | Mcallen | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 91 | Details |
| 23 | Waco | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 91 | Details |
| 24 | Midland | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 100 | Details |
| 25 | Pasadena | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 91 | Details |
| 26 | Lewisville | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 103 | Details |
| 27 | Carrollton | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 103 | Details |
| 28 | Round Rock | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 104 | Details |
| 29 | Abilene | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 98 | Details |
| 30 | Pearland | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 106 | Details |
| 31 | College Station | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 104 | Details |
| 32 | Richardson | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 107 | Details |
| 33 | League | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 105 | Details |
| 34 | Odessa | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 97 | Details |
| 35 | Beaumont | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 88 | Details |
| 36 | Allen | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 109 | Details |
| 37 | New Braunfels | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 101 | Details |
| 38 | Tyler | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 92 | Details |
| 39 | Sugar Land | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 112 | Details |
| 40 | Conroe | 9.8% | 0% | 8.19% | 99 | Details |
#1 Ranked: Houston — cost index 97, rent $1,542/mo, income $62,894
Top 5 separated by only 1 points
38 of 40 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Top 5 separated by only 1 points. The race is tight: Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth are all within 1 points of each other. At this level, differences in rent, taxes, or a single category can sway the decision.
This is one of the closest races in our database: the top 5 cities are separated by just 1 points on the cost index. Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth are all within striking distance. At this margin, secondary factors — taxes, rent trends, category-specific costs — become the tiebreakers. Here's the full breakdown.
Dive into Houston's numbers: cost index 97 (15 points below national average), rent $1,542/month, income $62,894, and a home price of $261,976. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 89, while Healthcare runs 100. As a major city with 2,314,157 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Houston | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $49,193 |
2San Antonio | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $49,193 |
3Dallas | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $49,193 |
4Austin | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $49,193 |
5Fort Worth | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $49,193 |
6El Paso | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $49,193 |
7Arlington | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $49,193 |
8Corpus Christi | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $49,193 |
9Plano | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $49,193 |
10Lubbock | 0% | 8.19% | 1.6% | $49,193 |
2,314,157 residents · Texas
Houston earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 97 cost index sits 15 points below the national baseline, and the $62,894 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $261,976 — $205,394 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 89, while Healthcare trails at 100.
1,495,295 residents · Texas
Dive into San Antonio's numbers: cost index 93 (19 points below national average), rent $1,361/month, income $62,917, and a home price of $247,132. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 83, while Healthcare runs 96. As a major city with 1,495,295 residents, amenities and job markets are robust.
1,302,868 residents · Texas
Why Dallas ranks #3: the numbers tell a clear story. At 99 on the cost index, residents save roughly 13% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,591/month while the median household pulls in $67,760/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 91, though Healthcare (102) lags behind. Home prices average $305,523 — $161,847 below the national median.
979,882 residents · Texas
The #4 spot goes to Austin, and the breakdown explains why. And on balance, renters here pay $1,531/month — saving renters $4,368 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 99, keeping costs manageable. The weak spot? Housing at 118. At a 20% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
978,468 residents · Texas
Why Fort Worth ranks #5: the numbers tell a clear story. At 98 on the cost index, residents save roughly 14% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,554/month while the median household pulls in $76,602/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 90, though Healthcare (101) lags behind. Home prices average $295,822 — $171,548 below the national median.
We combine state income tax rate, combined sales tax (state + local), and effective property tax rate into a total tax burden score. Cities are ranked by this combined metric — lower is better for your wallet. 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.
Houston ranks #1 in Texas for this analysis with a cost index of 97 and median income of $62,894.
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.
Houston (ranked #1) has a cost index of 97 and rent of $1,542/mo, while Conroe (ranked #40) has a cost index of 99 and rent of $1,524/mo — a 2-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 Houston is $1,542/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $353 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Houston is $261,976, which is 4.2× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. 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.