Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA vs. Austin County, TX Comparison (2026)
Empirical side-by-side analysis of regional cost of living, HUD fair market rents, statutory tax burdens, and occupational compensation spread.
Featured Metro Comparisons
BLS median wage across all occupations, HUD one-bedroom Fair Market Rent, and state and local income tax on a $75,000 salary for a single filer, first metro over second.
| Comparison | Median Wage | 1BR Rent / mo | Tax on $75k | Median Buys More In |
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Featured Occupation Comparisons
National BLS OEWS median wage and employment, first occupation over second.
| Comparison | National Median | BLS Jobs | Higher Median |
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How the comparisons are calculated
Metro comparisons use each area's BLS OEWS May 2025 median wage across all occupations, HUD's FY2027 one-bedroom Fair Market Rent, and the state and local income tax a single filer owes on $75,000 under 2026 rules. "Median buys more in" divides each median by the area's living-cost index from the EPI Family Budget Calculator; it reads "Not published" where BLS or EPI publishes no figure for the area.
Occupation comparisons use national BLS OEWS medians and job counts. Each comparison page goes further: the occupations both metros publish wages for, or each occupation's 10th to 90th percentile pay and the metros where both are published. Pick any two metros or occupations above to build your own comparison.
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
Austin County, TX
Executive Takeaway & Purchasing Power Verdict
The BLS median wage across all occupations is $72,610 in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and $49,410 in Austin County, TX (BLS figure for the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area), 32.0% lower in Austin County. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $2,180 a month in Seattle and $817 in Austin County (62.5% lower in Austin County). On a $75,000 salary, state and local income tax is the same in both metros ($0). EPI family budgets put overall living costs 39.1% lower in Austin County, so $75,000 in Seattle goes about as far as $45,680 in Austin County. Adjusted for living costs, the median wage buys about 11.7% more in Austin County, TX than in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA vs Austin County, TX: Shared Occupation Wages
Comparing empirical BLS median wages across common professions in both labor markets.
| Category / Role | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Median | Austin County, TX Median | Advantage Delta | Action |
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Head-to-Head Comparison Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA or Austin County, TX?
Austin County, TX is cheaper: its cost-of-living index (from EPI family budgets, U.S. = 100) is 96.7 versus 158.8 in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $2,180 a month in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and $817 in Austin County, TX.
How much do I need to earn in Austin County, TX to match $75,000 in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?
About $45,680. That scales $75,000 by the ratio of the two metros' cost-of-living indexes (158.8 in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, 96.7 in Austin County, TX); it does not account for differences in taxes.
Do jobs pay more in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA or Austin County, TX?
The BLS median wage across all occupations is $72,610 in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and $49,410 in Austin County, TX (BLS figure for the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area). Pay for a specific occupation can differ; the table on this page compares BLS medians for occupations published in both metros.
How do income taxes compare between Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and Austin County, TX?
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA has no state income tax; a single filer earning $75,000 pays $0 in state and local income tax there. Austin County, TX has no state income tax; a single filer earning $75,000 pays $0 in state and local income tax there. Federal income tax and FICA are the same in both.
Where does the median wage go further?
Dividing each metro's BLS median wage by its cost-of-living index, the median wage buys about 11.7% more in Austin County, TX than in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA.
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA vs. Austin County, TX: Reverse Comparison & Regional Hubs
Side-by-side wage, living expense, & tax arbitrage comparison for Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA vs. Austin County, TX. Empirical BLS earnings & HUD benchmarks. Official 2026 economic data for Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA vs. Austin County, TX compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
Austin County, TX is cheaper: its cost-of-living index (from EPI family budgets, U.S. = 100) is 96.7 versus 158.8 in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA. HUD's one-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $2,180 a month in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and $817 in Austin County, TX.
About $45,680. That scales $75,000 by the ratio of the two metros' cost-of-living indexes (158.8 in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, 96.7 in Austin County, TX); it does not account for differences in taxes.