Texas is home to over 7 million homeowners making it one of the biggest states for owning a home. Throughout Texas however there are numerous cities and towns where people struggle to afford a home. In this study we discover where in Texas are the most and least affordable places to own a home.
Topics
Key Takeaways
- The average Texan spends 27.9% of their income on housing
- The median cost of a home in Texas is $1,515 per month
- In cities where residents spend more than 30% of their income on housing the median income is $45,498
The Least Affordable Places to Own a Home in Texas
The least affordable places to own a home in Texas require residents to pay between 40% and 50% of their income toward housing. Astute Texans may notice that a few of the cities on the list are considered college towns such as College Station, Nacogdoches and San Marcos. For these cities it may be case where a majority of the population are students and thus have low incomes making these cities to appear to be less affordable than they may be for a working population. On the other hand, Dallas ranks #8 on the list of least affordable making it the least affordable “big” Texas city on the list.
The Most Affordable Places to Own a Home in Texas
The most affordable cities to own a home in Texas are scattered throughout the state, with no one area being particularly more affordable than the other. One important commonality between all the most affordable cities however is the high level of wealth. The median income for the most affordable cities is $106,000 – about 1.6x the median income for all of Texas. In comparison, housing costs in these cities are only 1.2x greater than the Texas average.
How Every City Ranks in Texas
To see how every city with over 25,000 residents in Texas stacks up, explore the table below. In Texas there are over 120 cities with population size over 25,000 encompassing 60% of the total population of the state.
| Rank (Least Affordable to Most) | NAME | Total Population | Median Household Income Last 12 Months | Monthly Home Costs | Home Value | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College Station | 107,445 | $39,430 | $1,655 | $205,600 | 50.4% |
| 2 | Huntsville | 40,727 | $32,715 | $1,360 | $146,800 | 49.9% |
| 3 | San Marcos | 59,935 | $34,748 | $1,414 | $153,000 | 48.8% |
| 4 | Galveston | 49,706 | $42,486 | $1,563 | $163,300 | 44.1% |
| 5 | Nacogdoches | 33,589 | $34,327 | $1,194 | $137,300 | 41.7% |
| 6 | Port Arthur | 55,177 | $32,571 | $1,104 | $64,300 | 40.7% |
| 7 | Waco | 131,996 | $36,004 | $1,218 | $107,700 | 40.6% |
| 8 | Dallas | 1,300,122 | $47,285 | $1,526 | $154,000 | 38.7% |
| 9 | Socorro | 33,587 | $33,464 | $1,058 | $88,700 | 37.9% |
| 10 | Laredo | 255,305 | $41,302 | $1,295 | $118,500 | 37.6% |
| 11 | Brownsville | 182,083 | $35,636 | $1,110 | $85,900 | 37.4% |
| 12 | Houston | 2,267,336 | $49,399 | $1,533 | $149,000 | 37.2% |
| 13 | San Juan | 36,469 | $36,193 | $1,115 | $85,000 | 37.0% |
| 14 | Denton | 131,097 | $52,164 | $1,595 | $179,000 | 36.7% |
| 15 | Texarkana | 37,222 | $40,229 | $1,222 | $122,800 | 36.5% |
| 16 | Weslaco | 39,420 | $37,558 | $1,139 | $78,400 | 36.4% |
| 17 | Kingsville | 25,875 | $38,886 | $1,155 | $85,700 | 35.6% |
| 18 | Harlingen | 65,444 | $38,122 | $1,124 | $85,700 | 35.4% |
| 19 | Eagle Pass | 28,469 | $41,537 | $1,224 | $120,400 | 35.4% |
| 20 | Austin | 916,906 | $63,717 | $1,860 | $285,900 | 35.0% |
| 21 | Mission | 83,042 | $45,792 | $1,328 | $102,600 | 34.8% |
| 22 | Bryan | 81,743 | $43,310 | $1,250 | $129,200 | 34.6% |
| 23 | McAllen | 139,838 | $45,057 | $1,300 | $120,500 | 34.6% |
| 24 | Pharr | 76,727 | $39,445 | $1,132 | $74,800 | 34.4% |
| 25 | Edinburg | 86,123 | $45,038 | $1,283 | $106,500 | 34.2% |
| 26 | Del Rio | 35,951 | $42,500 | $1,207 | $97,000 | 34.1% |
| 27 | Alvin | 25,811 | $49,284 | $1,388 | $123,400 | 33.8% |
| 28 | Conroe | 77,086 | $54,258 | $1,508 | $167,400 | 33.4% |
| 29 | Rosenberg | 35,867 | $50,637 | $1,399 | $132,600 | 33.2% |
| 30 | Lubbock | 247,323 | $47,326 | $1,304 | $123,800 | 33.1% |
| 31 | Beaumont | 118,424 | $45,268 | $1,238 | $99,800 | 32.8% |
| 32 | Tyler | 102,561 | $46,463 | $1,259 | $145,400 | 32.5% |
| 33 | Longview | 82,219 | $45,692 | $1,230 | $134,100 | 32.3% |
| 34 | Texas City | 47,262 | $42,882 | $1,154 | $105,000 | 32.3% |
| 35 | Sherman | 40,543 | $44,884 | $1,205 | $106,100 | 32.2% |
| 36 | Irving | 235,648 | $58,196 | $1,562 | $155,200 | 32.2% |
| 37 | El Paso | 678,266 | $44,431 | $1,192 | $121,300 | 32.2% |
| 38 | Greenville | 26,403 | $41,978 | $1,118 | $90,400 | 32.0% |
| 39 | Lufkin | 35,888 | $42,948 | $1,140 | $103,800 | 31.9% |
| 40 | Balch Springs | 25,236 | $45,308 | $1,198 | $85,900 | 31.7% |
| 41 | Seguin | 27,762 | $41,250 | $1,090 | $110,700 | 31.7% |
| 42 | San Antonio | 1,461,623 | $49,711 | $1,305 | $127,700 | 31.5% |
| 43 | Corpus Christi | 322,726 | $53,626 | $1,404 | $125,000 | 31.4% |
| 44 | Wichita Falls | 104,621 | $44,285 | $1,153 | $96,700 | 31.2% |
| 45 | Lancaster | 38,871 | $51,628 | $1,326 | $109,800 | 30.8% |
| 46 | Lewisville | 103,638 | $59,964 | $1,530 | $172,100 | 30.6% |
| 47 | Fort Worth | 835,129 | $57,309 | $1,462 | $141,400 | 30.6% |
| 48 | Pasadena | 153,909 | $50,207 | $1,278 | $108,700 | 30.5% |
| 49 | Arlington | 388,225 | $55,562 | $1,413 | $147,000 | 30.5% |
| 50 | San Angelo | 99,135 | $47,044 | $1,196 | $118,900 | 30.5% |
| 51 | Mesquite | 144,118 | $52,167 | $1,326 | $119,000 | 30.5% |
| 52 | Duncanville | 39,636 | $53,222 | $1,351 | $128,100 | 30.5% |
| 53 | Abilene | 122,762 | $46,093 | $1,166 | $106,800 | 30.4% |
| 54 | Baytown | 76,205 | $51,874 | $1,307 | $103,300 | 30.2% |
| 55 | Hurst | 38,813 | $58,871 | $1,477 | $157,000 | 30.1% |
| 56 | Haltom City | 44,059 | $46,618 | $1,166 | $95,300 | 30.0% |
| 57 | West Odessa | 25,781 | $52,674 | $1,300 | $86,100 | 29.6% |
| 58 | Victoria | 66,515 | $52,255 | $1,288 | $124,000 | 29.6% |
| 59 | Killeen | 140,513 | $48,898 | $1,205 | $121,900 | 29.6% |
| 60 | Temple | 71,795 | $49,970 | $1,229 | $132,200 | 29.5% |
| 61 | North Richland Hills | 69,039 | $65,340 | $1,605 | $171,200 | 29.5% |
| 62 | Weatherford | 28,817 | $60,739 | $1,481 | $153,400 | 29.3% |
| 63 | Garland | 235,965 | $55,637 | $1,351 | $132,600 | 29.1% |
| 64 | DeSoto | 52,596 | $64,575 | $1,552 | $155,100 | 28.8% |
| 65 | Euless | 54,135 | $60,558 | $1,444 | $163,700 | 28.6% |
| 66 | Big Spring | 28,257 | $47,184 | $1,120 | $73,600 | 28.5% |
| 67 | Amarillo | 197,823 | $51,198 | $1,215 | $123,200 | 28.5% |
| 68 | Grand Prairie | 188,664 | $62,589 | $1,483 | $139,600 | 28.4% |
| 69 | Bedford | 49,082 | $64,933 | $1,537 | $179,600 | 28.4% |
| 70 | Cleburne | 29,595 | $49,046 | $1,158 | $97,600 | 28.3% |
| 71 | Georgetown | 63,062 | $67,753 | $1,587 | $240,800 | 28.1% |
| 72 | Grapevine | 51,733 | $83,675 | $1,938 | $273,600 | 27.8% |
| 73 | Richardson | 111,055 | $76,719 | $1,748 | $226,100 | 27.3% |
| 74 | Waxahachie | 33,240 | $57,887 | $1,311 | $139,600 | 27.2% |
| 75 | Carrollton | 131,240 | $73,218 | $1,649 | $197,500 | 27.0% |
| 76 | Odessa | 115,930 | $61,541 | $1,382 | $136,300 | 26.9% |
| 77 | Copperas Cove | 32,844 | $52,017 | $1,168 | $106,400 | 26.9% |
| 78 | New Braunfels | 70,317 | $64,208 | $1,430 | $186,000 | 26.7% |
| 79 | McKinney | 164,760 | $87,608 | $1,949 | $255,300 | 26.7% |
| 80 | Plano | 281,566 | $88,578 | $1,966 | $271,300 | 26.6% |
| 81 | Farmers Branch | 33,808 | $65,810 | $1,460 | $160,600 | 26.6% |
| 82 | Harker Heights | 29,548 | $71,817 | $1,561 | $171,900 | 26.1% |
| 83 | Mission Bend | 38,570 | $62,580 | $1,355 | $127,300 | 26.0% |
| 84 | Friendswood | 38,811 | $98,609 | $2,119 | $256,300 | 25.8% |
| 85 | Cedar Hill | 48,149 | $69,269 | $1,486 | $146,200 | 25.7% |
| 86 | Round Rock | 116,369 | $76,295 | $1,630 | $210,800 | 25.6% |
| 87 | Midland | 131,286 | $75,646 | $1,604 | $193,200 | 25.4% |
| 88 | Sugar Land | 86,886 | $108,994 | $2,297 | $292,700 | 25.3% |
| 89 | The Woodlands | 109,608 | $115,083 | $2,387 | $351,000 | 24.9% |
| 90 | The Colony | 41,388 | $76,613 | $1,586 | $172,900 | 24.8% |
| 91 | Kyle | 36,929 | $72,822 | $1,488 | $165,800 | 24.5% |
| 92 | Mansfield | 65,033 | $94,035 | $1,909 | $218,200 | 24.4% |
| 93 | Cedar Park | 70,010 | $96,612 | $1,961 | $258,200 | 24.4% |
| 94 | Channelview | 40,983 | $59,489 | $1,204 | $106,600 | 24.3% |
| 95 | Coppell | 41,138 | $119,936 | $2,420 | $344,300 | 24.2% |
| 96 | Spring | 57,932 | $67,800 | $1,354 | $132,200 | 24.0% |
| 97 | Burleson | 43,296 | $74,341 | $1,480 | $150,600 | 23.9% |
| 98 | Schertz | 38,199 | $80,112 | $1,594 | $186,600 | 23.9% |
| 99 | Keller | 45,357 | $126,013 | $2,495 | $334,000 | 23.8% |
| 100 | Pflugerville | 58,013 | $82,145 | $1,616 | $200,600 | 23.6% |
| 101 | Allen | 96,865 | $104,132 | $2,045 | $261,600 | 23.6% |
| 102 | Timberwood Park | 26,236 | $113,331 | $2,221 | $306,900 | 23.5% |
| 103 | Frisco | 155,363 | $120,701 | $2,360 | $335,900 | 23.5% |
| 104 | La Porte | 35,216 | $73,645 | $1,406 | $131,500 | 22.9% |
| 105 | Colleyville | 25,557 | $164,682 | $3,135 | $456,100 | 22.8% |
| 106 | Pearland | 113,693 | $102,124 | $1,943 | $208,900 | 22.8% |
| 107 | Rockwall | 42,316 | $92,665 | $1,756 | $225,500 | 22.7% |
| 108 | Leander | 40,338 | $89,649 | $1,691 | $214,500 | 22.6% |
| 109 | Lake Jackson | 27,317 | $77,739 | $1,466 | $154,800 | 22.6% |
| 110 | League City | 98,215 | $100,996 | $1,896 | $218,900 | 22.5% |
| 111 | Missouri City | 72,688 | $88,896 | $1,661 | $171,000 | 22.4% |
| 112 | Rowlett | 60,357 | $90,391 | $1,679 | $181,500 | 22.3% |
| 113 | Wylie | 47,855 | $88,450 | $1,627 | $173,500 | 22.1% |
| 114 | Deer Park | 33,748 | $78,391 | $1,440 | $147,000 | 22.0% |
| 115 | Southlake | 30,090 | $207,917 | $3,819 | $627,700 | 22.0% |
| 116 | Cibolo | 26,602 | $92,773 | $1,658 | $214,500 | 21.4% |
| 117 | Atascocita | 75,114 | $93,167 | $1,661 | $174,800 | 21.4% |
| 118 | Little Elm | 39,471 | $93,094 | $1,650 | $205,300 | 21.3% |
| 119 | Flower Mound | 71,575 | $128,426 | $2,226 | $312,000 | 20.8% |
Methodology
To find the least and most affordable cities in Texas we turned to the 2017 American Community Survey. We pulled data from the Housing survey as well as the Economic survey to get a fuller picture on home owner affordability in every CDP in Texas. We then filtered for only CDPs with greater than 25,000 people. To get the affordability margin we took the median monthly housing costs which include mortgage, insurance and tax costs and multiplied by 12. We then divided that amount by the median income for each CDP.