Houston, TX Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Houston, TX Summary
Cost of living in Houston 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 Houston 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 Houston is 102, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Houston is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Houston ranks as the #256 cheapest in Texas out of 414.
Houston ranks as the #2,846 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Houston is $262,302.
The median income in Houston is $62,894.
Table Of Contents
Houston's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Houston, TX?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Houston has an overall cost of living index of 102, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Texas, Houston has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Texas's index of 92.
The standard of living in Houston ranks as #256 most affordable out of the 414 places we measured in Texas. By definition, that implies Houston ranks as the #158 most expensive place in the Lone Star State.
For more reading on life in Houston, check out:
In Texas
In America
Houston Cost Of Living Vs. Texas
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Houston. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Houston is 102.
The Groceries index in Houston is 101.
The Health index in Houston is 92.
The Housing index in Houston is 106.
The Transportation index in Houston is 89.
The Utilities index in Houston is 103.
| Living Expense | Houston | Texas | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 102 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 102 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 101 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 92 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 106 | 82 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 89 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 103 | 104 | 100 | |
Houston, TX Housing Cost Breakdown
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 Houston is $262,302.
The Median Rent in Houston is $1,313.
The Median Income in Houston is $62,894.
The Home Value To Income in Houston is 4.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Houston is 0.25x.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Houston, TX Costs By Category
Detailed Houston Services Costs Vs. Texas
Detailed Houston Groceries Costs Vs. Texas
Detailed Houston Health Costs Vs. Texas
Detailed Houston Transportation Costs Vs. Texas
Detailed Houston Utilities Costs Vs. Texas
Houston SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around Houston
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Houston. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Pearland, TX has a cost of living index of 113, 1.1x Houston.
Sugar Land, TX has a cost of living index of 122, 1.2x Houston.
Atascocita, TX has a cost of living index of 108, 1.1x Houston.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Houston |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pearland, TX | 125,983 | 113 | 1.1x |
| Sugar Land, TX | 109,735 | 122 | 1.2x |
| Atascocita, TX | 93,926 | 108 | 1.1x |
| Mission Bend, TX | 37,280 | 103 | 1.0x |
| Deer Park, TX | 33,823 | 101 | 1.0x |
| Fresno, TX | 24,087 | 107 | 1.0x |
| Bellaire, TX | 17,116 | 185 | 1.8x |
| West University Place, TX | 14,907 | 225 | 2.2x |
| Four Corners, TX | 11,490 | 106 | 1.0x |
| Galena Park, TX | 10,527 | 89 | 0.9x |
