Texas Cost of Living & Rents (2026)
Compare HUD Fair Market Rents, living wages, and composite living cost indices across all 47 benchmark metropolitan areas in Texas.
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget · Methodology
Metropolitan Areas in Texas
| Metro Area | COL Index | HUD 1BR Rent | HUD 2BR Rent | Living Wage | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin County, TX | 133.6 | $1,402/mo | $1,781/mo | $29.54/hr | View |
| Midland, TX | 129.3 | $1,408/mo | $1,794/mo | $28.59/hr | View |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 125.6 | $1,530/mo | $1,817/mo | $27.77/hr | View |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 123.0 | $1,536/mo | $1,807/mo | $27.20/hr | View |
| Kendall County, TX | 118.5 | $1,285/mo | $1,650/mo | $26.21/hr | View |
| Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 116.4 | $1,481/mo | $1,745/mo | $25.74/hr | View |
| Odessa, TX | 112.8 | $1,229/mo | $1,522/mo | $24.94/hr | View |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | 107.8 | $1,126/mo | $1,395/mo | $23.85/hr | View |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 107.4 | $1,261/mo | $1,497/mo | $23.75/hr | View |
| Victoria, TX | 105.8 | $1,146/mo | $1,428/mo | $23.39/hr | View |
| Wise County, TX | 105.7 | $892/mo | $1,164/mo | $23.37/hr | View |
| Brazoria County, TX | 102.5 | $1,212/mo | $1,319/mo | $22.67/hr | View |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 102.4 | $1,196/mo | $1,441/mo | $22.65/hr | View |
| Tyler, TX | 102.1 | $1,041/mo | $1,277/mo | $22.59/hr | View |
| Oldham County, TX | 101.6 | $870/mo | $1,065/mo | $22.46/hr | View |
| Abilene, TX | 101.3 | $1,047/mo | $1,310/mo | $22.41/hr | View |
| Laredo, TX | 101.1 | $955/mo | $1,157/mo | $22.36/hr | View |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 100.9 | $1,057/mo | $1,151/mo | $22.31/hr | View |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 100.8 | $1,176/mo | $1,421/mo | $22.30/hr | View |
| Longview, TX | 99.1 | $1,041/mo | $1,232/mo | $21.92/hr | View |
| Aransas County, TX | 98.9 | $1,073/mo | $1,404/mo | $21.87/hr | View |
| Medina County, TX | 98.5 | $941/mo | $1,231/mo | $21.79/hr | View |
| Atascosa County, TX | 98.4 | $982/mo | $1,069/mo | $21.77/hr | View |
| San Angelo, TX | 97.7 | $1,032/mo | $1,350/mo | $21.60/hr | View |
| Wichita Falls, TX | 97.0 | $949/mo | $1,145/mo | $21.46/hr | View |
| Austin County, TX | 96.7 | $817/mo | $1,069/mo | $21.39/hr | View |
| Cochran County, TX | 96.6 | $858/mo | $1,014/mo | $21.37/hr | View |
| Rusk County, TX | 96.3 | $921/mo | $1,205/mo | $21.31/hr | View |
| Hockley County, TX | 96.2 | $868/mo | $1,014/mo | $21.28/hr | View |
| Hudspeth County, TX | 96.2 | $858/mo | $1,014/mo | $21.28/hr | View |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | 96.1 | $927/mo | $1,138/mo | $21.24/hr | View |
| Waco, TX | 95.7 | $1,029/mo | $1,297/mo | $21.15/hr | View |
| Garza County, TX | 95.5 | $917/mo | $1,084/mo | $21.12/hr | View |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 95.1 | $986/mo | $1,218/mo | $21.03/hr | View |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 94.9 | $874/mo | $1,118/mo | $20.99/hr | View |
| Harrison County, TX | 94.5 | $951/mo | $1,244/mo | $20.90/hr | View |
| Lampasas County, TX | 94.1 | $775/mo | $1,014/mo | $20.81/hr | View |
| Amarillo, TX | 94.0 | $904/mo | $1,107/mo | $20.78/hr | View |
| Lubbock, TX | 93.7 | $1,050/mo | $1,241/mo | $20.72/hr | View |
| Lynn County, TX | 92.2 | $784/mo | $1,025/mo | $20.38/hr | View |
| San Jacinto County, TX | 91.9 | $1,068/mo | $1,163/mo | $20.33/hr | View |
| Bosque County, TX | 89.9 | $804/mo | $1,014/mo | $19.88/hr | View |
| El Paso, TX | 89.5 | $969/mo | $1,146/mo | $19.80/hr | View |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 88.8 | $806/mo | $1,017/mo | $19.63/hr | View |
| Eagle Pass, TX | 88.1 | $931/mo | $1,014/mo | $19.49/hr | View |
| Falls County, TX | 87.7 | $775/mo | $1,014/mo | $19.40/hr | View |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 82.5 | $884/mo | $1,042/mo | $18.25/hr | View |
Comprehensive 2026 cost of living analysis for Texas. Compare HUD Fair Market Rents, living wages, state income tax impact, and metropolitan living costs. Official 2026 economic data for Texas compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
Its metros average a cost-of-living index of 100.7 (U.S. = 100), from EPI family budgets. Average one-bedroom HUD Fair Market Rent across its metros is about $1,035 a month.
The average living wage for a single adult in Texas is approximately $22.28/hour, while a family with two adults and one child requires roughly $19.30/hour to cover basic necessities.