The Lone Star State is a massive place that can accommodate all walks of life. But we’ve done the research to discover which cities are the most expensive to live in Texas for 2024.
Just where are these deep pockets of extreme wealth in Texas? By and large, the places you’ll see on this list are in the southern region of the state, with many cities no farther than an hour outside of Houston or San Antonio. If you put a premium on live music, then you won’t mind paying extra to live in Austin, the city with the most live music venues per capita in the country. If you’re looking for the priciest suburb of Dallas, Addison is the spot for you. Need a beach nearby to fully enjoy your ritzy lifestyle? We recommend Galveston.
So how’d we come up with this list of pricey places? Generally speaking, places with the highest priced homes also have a higher cost of living. But the story doesn’t end there. We also looked at how much money residents of each place earn to determine how their salaries stack up against the price of a home and rent. We found that you need to earn at least $104,949/year if you want to live in the upper eschelon of Texan society.
So grab a gold-plated dish of Texas BBQ and get ready to swap investment tips with Walmart’s Alice Walton, because we’re heading to the most expensive places in Texas.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Texas For 2024
What’s the most expensive place to live in Texas? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Highland Park is the most expensive place to live in Texas.
Raymondville (the cheapest place to live in Texas) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Texas and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Texas For 2024
/10
Population: 8,840
Cost Of Living Index: 237
Median Income: $249,923
Average Home Price: $2,475,526
Home Price To Income Ratio: 9.9x
More on Highland Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Highland Park is 237. The median income in Highland Park comes in at $249,923 and the average home value is $2,475,526 for 2024.
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Population: 25,179
Cost Of Living Index: 215
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $2,037,260
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.1x
More on University Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in University Park is 215. The median income in University Park comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $2,037,260 for 2024.
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Population: 14,963
Cost Of Living Index: 193
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $1,706,657
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.8x
More on West University Place: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in West University Place is 193. The median income in West University Place comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $1,706,657 for 2024.
/10
Population: 17,163
Cost Of Living Index: 171
Median Income: $215,636
Average Home Price: $986,454
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.6x
More on Bellaire: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Bellaire is 171. The median income in Bellaire comes in at $215,636 and the average home value is $986,454 for 2024.
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The overall cost of living in Parker is 161. The median income in Parker comes in at $202,727 and the average home value is $1,011,628 for 2024.
/10
Population: 5,045
Cost Of Living Index: 153
Median Income: $199,643
Average Home Price: $840,452
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.2x
More on Terrell Hills: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Terrell Hills is 153. The median income in Terrell Hills comes in at $199,643 and the average home value is $840,452 for 2024.
/10
Population: 7,746
Cost Of Living Index: 152
Median Income: $205,288
Average Home Price: $1,003,546
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.9x
More on Lucas: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Lucas is 152. The median income in Lucas comes in at $205,288 and the average home value is $1,003,546 for 2024.
/10
Population: 30,779
Cost Of Living Index: 148
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $1,122,373
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.5x
More on Southlake: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Southlake is 148. The median income in Southlake comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $1,122,373 for 2024.
/10
Population: 9,771
Cost Of Living Index: 148
Median Income: $211,522
Average Home Price: $701,027
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.3x
More on Heath: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Heath is 148. The median income in Heath comes in at $211,522 and the average home value is $701,027 for 2024.
/10
Population: 8,771
Cost Of Living Index: 139
Median Income: $104,949
Average Home Price: $910,939
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.7x
More on Bee Cave: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Bee Cave is 139. The median income in Bee Cave comes in at $104,949 and the average home value is $910,939 for 2024.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Lone Star State For 2024
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Texas are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Texas to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 352 places in Texas that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Texas according to the data is Highland Park. We updated this article for 2024. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in Texas.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Texas For 2024
Well, there you have it, the places in Texas that have the highest cost of living, with Highland Park ranking as the most expensive city in the Lone Star State.
The most expensive cities in Texas are Highland Park, University Park, West University Place, Bellaire, Parker, Terrell Hills, Lucas, Southlake, Heath, and Bee Cave.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Texas according to the data:
- Raymondville
- San Benito
- Mercedes
For more Texas reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Texas
- Cheapest Places To Live In Texas
- Most Dangerous Places In Texas
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Texas
- Safest Places In Texas
- Worst Places To Live In Texas
Most Expensive Cities In Texas
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highland Park | 237 | 8,840 | $249,923 | $2,475,526 | 9.9x |
| 2 | University Park | 215 | 25,179 | $250,001 | $2,037,260 | 8.1x |
| 3 | West University Place | 193 | 14,963 | $250,001 | $1,706,657 | 6.8x |
| 4 | Bellaire | 171 | 17,163 | $215,636 | $986,454 | 4.6x |
| 5 | Parker | 161 | 5,573 | $202,727 | $1,011,628 | 5.0x |
| 6 | Terrell Hills | 153 | 5,045 | $199,643 | $840,452 | 4.2x |
| 7 | Lucas | 152 | 7,746 | $205,288 | $1,003,546 | 4.9x |
| 8 | Southlake | 148 | 30,779 | $250,001 | $1,122,373 | 4.5x |
| 9 | Heath | 148 | 9,771 | $211,522 | $701,027 | 3.3x |
| 10 | Bee Cave | 139 | 8,771 | $104,949 | $910,939 | 8.7x |
| 11 | Alamo Heights | 137 | 7,417 | $149,332 | $699,020 | 4.7x |
| 12 | Prosper | 135 | 31,507 | $178,224 | $764,610 | 4.3x |
| 13 | Murphy | 134 | 20,880 | $152,847 | $583,866 | 3.8x |
| 14 | Highland Village | 133 | 15,883 | $162,879 | $568,524 | 3.5x |
| 15 | Colleyville | 132 | 25,876 | $196,298 | $825,914 | 4.2x |
| 16 | Sunnyvale | 131 | 7,873 | $152,632 | $638,548 | 4.2x |
| 17 | Frisco | 128 | 202,075 | $144,567 | $650,075 | 4.5x |
| 18 | Addison | 127 | 17,026 | $78,153 | $462,821 | 5.9x |
| 19 | Fairview | 127 | 10,354 | $103,219 | $640,850 | 6.2x |
| 20 | Fair Oaks Ranch | 125 | 9,917 | $150,237 | $670,180 | 4.5x |
| 21 | Lakeway | 123 | 18,835 | $154,118 | $782,679 | 5.1x |
| 22 | Melissa | 123 | 15,244 | $138,465 | $450,384 | 3.3x |
| 23 | Allen | 121 | 105,444 | $121,259 | $506,564 | 4.2x |
| 24 | Fulshear | 121 | 21,552 | $170,602 | $601,277 | 3.5x |
| 25 | Fate | 121 | 19,010 | $121,935 | $369,189 | 3.0x |
| 26 | Flower Mound | 120 | 76,630 | $154,471 | $582,405 | 3.8x |
| 27 | Plano | 119 | 284,948 | $105,679 | $503,025 | 4.8x |
| 28 | Coppell | 119 | 42,513 | $143,817 | $591,824 | 4.1x |
| 29 | Rockwall | 117 | 47,859 | $114,799 | $440,779 | 3.8x |
| 30 | Trophy Club | 117 | 13,251 | $183,125 | $662,834 | 3.6x |
| 31 | McKinney | 116 | 196,160 | $113,286 | $506,871 | 4.5x |
| 32 | Little Elm | 116 | 48,241 | $110,218 | $426,402 | 3.9x |
| 33 | Corinth | 116 | 22,502 | $116,083 | $411,905 | 3.5x |
| 34 | Celina | 116 | 21,501 | $142,643 | $551,707 | 3.9x |
| 35 | Providence Village | 116 | 7,710 | $101,654 | $350,083 | 3.4x |
| 36 | Northlake | 116 | 6,202 | $105,962 | $511,249 | 4.8x |
| 37 | Carrollton | 114 | 132,284 | $95,380 | $410,598 | 4.3x |
| 38 | Richardson | 114 | 118,063 | $94,362 | $436,131 | 4.6x |
| 39 | Sugar Land | 114 | 110,077 | $132,247 | $431,661 | 3.3x |
| 40 | Keller | 114 | 45,320 | $162,094 | $603,388 | 3.7x |
| 41 | Sachse | 113 | 27,829 | $127,888 | $443,583 | 3.5x |
| 42 | Wylie | 112 | 57,063 | $109,465 | $411,646 | 3.8x |
| 43 | Anna | 112 | 18,585 | $93,785 | $352,841 | 3.8x |
| 44 | Bulverde | 112 | 5,827 | $107,315 | $484,817 | 4.5x |
| 45 | Lewisville | 110 | 125,028 | $82,006 | $395,721 | 4.8x |
| 46 | Krum | 110 | 5,627 | $105,366 | $352,240 | 3.3x |
| 47 | The Colony | 109 | 44,323 | $106,518 | $403,361 | 3.8x |
| 48 | Lake Dallas | 109 | 7,682 | $72,386 | $339,586 | 4.7x |
| 49 | Aubrey | 108 | 5,932 | $93,071 | $378,839 | 4.1x |
| 50 | Austin | 107 | 958,202 | $86,556 | $533,213 | 6.2x |
| 51 | Denton | 107 | 142,262 | $71,921 | $355,295 | 4.9x |
| 52 | Grapevine | 107 | 50,763 | $107,165 | $517,910 | 4.8x |
| 53 | Cibolo | 107 | 32,640 | $116,510 | $341,576 | 2.9x |
| 54 | Royse City | 107 | 15,051 | $114,917 | $338,372 | 2.9x |
| 55 | Helotes | 107 | 9,140 | $124,367 | $472,660 | 3.8x |
| 56 | Roanoke | 106 | 9,565 | $113,171 | $429,441 | 3.8x |
| 57 | Sanger | 106 | 9,041 | $86,083 | $359,629 | 4.2x |
| 58 | Garland | 105 | 244,026 | $71,044 | $297,145 | 4.2x |
| 59 | Friendswood | 105 | 40,888 | $121,301 | $435,930 | 3.6x |
| 60 | Fredericksburg | 105 | 11,020 | $56,858 | $540,684 | 9.5x |
| 61 | Mansfield | 104 | 73,680 | $112,465 | $423,311 | 3.8x |
| 62 | Princeton | 104 | 18,441 | $93,586 | $332,177 | 3.5x |
| 63 | Pearland | 103 | 124,478 | $111,123 | $367,684 | 3.3x |
| 64 | Farmers Branch | 103 | 35,985 | $88,282 | $372,175 | 4.2x |
| 65 | College Station | 102 | 120,451 | $52,397 | $333,157 | 6.4x |
| 66 | Cedar Hill | 102 | 48,733 | $84,132 | $315,422 | 3.7x |
| 67 | Boerne | 102 | 18,475 | $82,982 | $556,332 | 6.7x |
| 68 | Mont Belvieu | 102 | 7,868 | $132,010 | $413,425 | 3.1x |
| 69 | Sherman | 101 | 44,052 | $58,020 | $251,433 | 4.3x |
| 70 | Schertz | 101 | 42,545 | $94,173 | $333,518 | 3.5x |
| 71 | Forney | 101 | 25,269 | $102,107 | $338,581 | 3.3x |
| 72 | Red Oak | 101 | 14,853 | $105,309 | $339,153 | 3.2x |
| 73 | Seabrook | 101 | 13,558 | $96,223 | $346,205 | 3.6x |
| 74 | Tomball | 101 | 12,630 | $70,829 | $352,199 | 5.0x |
| 75 | Jersey Village | 101 | 7,763 | $88,101 | $379,447 | 4.3x |
| 76 | Irving | 100 | 254,962 | $76,686 | $337,139 | 4.4x |
| 77 | Midland | 100 | 132,490 | $90,448 | $290,629 | 3.2x |
| 78 | League City | 100 | 113,469 | $117,316 | $363,433 | 3.1x |
| 79 | Cedar Park | 100 | 76,344 | $118,903 | $489,193 | 4.1x |
| 80 | Leander | 100 | 62,491 | $129,684 | $445,365 | 3.4x |
| 81 | Midlothian | 100 | 35,460 | $119,323 | $443,526 | 3.7x |
| 82 | Buda | 100 | 14,997 | $105,378 | $411,841 | 3.9x |
| 83 | Selma | 100 | 11,067 | $95,692 | $305,330 | 3.2x |
| 84 | Windcrest | 100 | 5,825 | $85,984 | $319,618 | 3.7x |
| 85 | Grand Prairie | 99 | 197,279 | $76,626 | $317,988 | 4.1x |
| 86 | Missouri City | 99 | 74,517 | $97,211 | $348,797 | 3.6x |
| 87 | Waxahachie | 99 | 41,801 | $80,044 | $351,165 | 4.4x |
| 88 | Glenn Heights | 99 | 16,445 | $87,686 | $330,758 | 3.8x |
| 89 | Manvel | 99 | 11,265 | $105,188 | $413,399 | 3.9x |
| 90 | Nassau Bay | 99 | 5,215 | $74,542 | $411,649 | 5.5x |
| 91 | New Braunfels | 98 | 92,993 | $85,827 | $374,671 | 4.4x |
| 92 | North Richland Hills | 98 | 70,114 | $88,656 | $360,470 | 4.1x |
| 93 | DeSoto | 98 | 55,882 | $81,736 | $323,250 | 4.0x |
| 94 | Kyle | 98 | 48,484 | $85,199 | $331,816 | 3.9x |
| 95 | Granbury | 98 | 11,218 | $65,015 | $367,026 | 5.6x |
| 96 | Woodway | 98 | 9,399 | $111,014 | $368,615 | 3.3x |
| 97 | Kennedale | 98 | 8,590 | $112,646 | $385,086 | 3.4x |
| 98 | Whitehouse | 98 | 8,512 | $72,900 | $282,692 | 3.9x |
| 99 | Dallas | 97 | 1,300,642 | $63,985 | $306,310 | 4.8x |
| 100 | Pflugerville | 97 | 64,528 | $111,151 | $402,967 | 3.6x |