Cost of living in Abilene research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Abilene is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Texas, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Abilene is 90, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Abilene is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Abilene ranks as the #127 cheapest in Texas out of 414.
Abilene ranks as the #1,206 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Abilene is $198,465.
The median income in Abilene is $62,720.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Abilene has an overall cost of living index of 90, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Texas, Abilene has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Texas's index of 92.
The standard of living in Abilene ranks as #127 most affordable out of the 414 places we measured in Texas. By definition, that implies Abilene ranks as the #287 most expensive place in the Lone Star State.
For more reading on life in Abilene, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Abilene. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Abilene is 95.
The Groceries index in Abilene is 96.
The Health index in Abilene is 93.
The Housing index in Abilene is 78.
The Transportation index in Abilene is 94.
The Utilities index in Abilene is 104.
| Living Expense | Abilene | Texas | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 90 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 95 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 96 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 93 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 78 | 82 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 94 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 104 | 104 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Texas, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Abilene is $198,465.
The Median Rent in Abilene is $1,106.
The Median Income in Abilene is $62,720.
The Home Value To Income in Abilene is 3.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Abilene is 0.21x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Abilene. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Sweetwater, TX has a cost of living index of 82, 0.9x Abilene.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Abilene |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweetwater, TX | 10,484 | 82 | 0.9x |