Cost of living in The Woodlands 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 The Woodlands 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 The Woodlands is 122, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in The Woodlands is 1.2x higher than the national average.
The Woodlands ranks as the #360 cheapest in Texas out of 414.
The Woodlands ranks as the #4,541 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in The Woodlands is $550,289.
The median income in The Woodlands is $141,353.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, The Woodlands has an overall cost of living index of 122, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Texas, The Woodlands has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Texas's index of 92.
The standard of living in The Woodlands ranks as #360 most affordable out of the 414 places we measured in Texas. By definition, that implies The Woodlands ranks as the #54 most expensive place in the Lone Star State.
For more reading on life in The Woodlands, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in The Woodlands. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in The Woodlands is 91.
The Groceries index in The Woodlands is 99.
The Health index in The Woodlands is 98.
The Housing index in The Woodlands is 192.
The Transportation index in The Woodlands is 85.
The Utilities index in The Woodlands is 104.
| Living Expense | The Woodlands | Texas | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 122 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 91 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 98 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 192 | 82 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 85 | 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 The Woodlands is $550,289.
The Median Rent in The Woodlands is $1,792.
The Median Income in The Woodlands is $141,353.
The Home Value To Income in The Woodlands is 3.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in The Woodlands is 0.15x.
| Statistic | The Woodlands | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $550,289 | $298,905 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,792 | $1,339 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $141,353 | $76,292 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.9x | 3.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.15x | 0.21x | 0.21x |
| Item | The Woodlands | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.29 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.1 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $23.53 | $18 |
| Haircut | $25.52 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $67.87 | $45.56 |
| Item | The Woodlands | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.65 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.61 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.7 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.99 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.67 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.52 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.53 | $3.7 |
| Item | The Woodlands | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $120.7 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $93.85 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $120.24 | $113.29 |
| Item | The Woodlands | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.02 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $58.88 | $59.92 |
| Item | The Woodlands | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $190.29 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $211.13 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around The Woodlands. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Conroe, TX has a cost of living index of 98, 0.8x The Woodlands.
Spring, TX has a cost of living index of 100, 0.8x The Woodlands.
Humble, TX has a cost of living index of 93, 0.8x The Woodlands.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. The Woodlands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conroe, TX | 96,976 | 98 | 0.8x |
| Spring, TX | 67,103 | 100 | 0.8x |
| Humble, TX | 16,489 | 93 | 0.8x |
| Aldine, TX | 15,434 | 89 | 0.7x |
| Tomball, TX | 13,032 | 101 | 0.8x |