Houston, Texas has an overall cost of living index of 99.7, which is 0.3 points below the US average of 100 — making it about average versus most American cities. Renters pay a median of $1,361 per month, while the typical home is valued around $277,800. Households earn a median of $64,813 per year, leaving rent at a manageable share of income for many residents. Air quality is moderate, with an average AQI of 59. Below: housing costs, local wages by occupation, neighborhoods, climate, jobs and major industries, and healthcare access — all drawn from US Census, BEA, BLS, HUD, EPA, and NOAA data.
$64,813
Median Income / yr
Census ACS
$1,361
Median Rent / mo
Census ACS
$277,800
Median Home Value
Census ACS
99.7
Cost of Living Index
Studio FMR
$1,280
HUD · FY2024
1BR Fair Market Rent
$1,323
HUD · FY2024
2BR Fair Market Rent
$1,573
HUD · FY2024
3BR Fair Market Rent
$2,116
HUD · FY2024
Fair Market Rent is the 40th percentile of gross rents in the metro area · HUD FY2024
Each category indexed to the US average of 100. Below 100 = cheaper than average.
Overall
99.7
Goods
101.7
Rents / Housing
106.3
Services
94.9
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities (metro-level)
| Occupation | Median Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Software Developer | $128,060 |
| Registered Nurse | $96,730 |
| Elementary Teacher | $62,490 |
| Electrician | $59,060 |
| Accountant | $94,290 |
| Plumber | $60,950 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $256,900 |
| Civil Engineer | $110,460 |
| Operations Manager | $138,980 |
| Market Research Analyst | $67,100 |
| Health Services Manager | $131,510 |
| Truck Driver | $57,170 |
| Physician Assistant | N/A |
| Surgeon | N/A |
| Data Scientist | N/A |
| Computer Engineer | $122,570 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2023 (metro-level data)
Population
2,328,253
Latest estimate
Median Age
34.4 yrs
Census ACS
59.0
Moderate0 = clean · 50 = moderate boundary · lower is better
Source: EPA AirNow
Total Neighborhoods
140
Tracked in our database
Avg Walk Score
N/A
0–100 scale
Avg Median Rent
$1,365
Per month
Avg Home Value
$281,636
Census ACS
| Neighborhood | Walk Score | Median Rent | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP 77002 | — | $1,714 | $293,000 |
| ZIP 77003 | — | $1,510 | $345,400 |
| ZIP 77004 | — | $1,269 | $375,500 |
| ZIP 77005 | — | $1,984 | $1,296,300 |
| ZIP 77006 | — | $1,713 | $560,600 |
| ZIP 77007 | — | $1,933 | $483,700 |
| ZIP 77008 | — | $1,473 | $553,800 |
| ZIP 77009 | — | $1,101 | $383,000 |
| ZIP 77010 | — | $3,400 | — |
| ZIP 77011 | — | $888 | $163,000 |
Showing top 10 of 140 tracked neighborhoods.
January Avg
53°F
July Avg
85°F
Sunny Days / Year
—
Annual Snowfall
—
Climate category: Subtropical · Source: NOAA/NCEI 30-year normals.
Healthcare Score
28.2
poor
Hospitals
28
Doctors per 1,000
1.00
Insurance Coverage
76.3%
Houston has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 99.7. The US national average is 100, so Houston is 0.3 points below the national average.
The median gross rent in Houston is $1,361 per month according to US Census ACS data.
The median household income in Houston is $64,813 per year.
The median home value in Houston is $277,800 based on the latest Census ACS survey.
Houston has an average Air Quality Index (AQI) of 59.0, which is rated "Moderate" by the EPA. Lower AQI values indicate cleaner air.
Tax data for Texas is not yet available.
Data last updated: June 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
