Houston, Texas
Cost of living, housing, income, commute, climate, and safety — compiled for relocators researching Houston, TX.
MapsToIt planning snapshot
How much does it cost to live in Houston, TX?
Houston planning snapshot: population 2,390,125, housing index 90 (below the U.S. housing-cost baseline), median home $253,400, median rent $1,313, and income near $62,894. Expect 92°F summer highs, 48°F winter lows, and about 28-minute one-way commutes. Violent-offense rates run about 1072.2 per 100k (catalog avg 559.5).
Crime figures may use an older source vintage than housing and income on this page.
- Housing cost index
- 90U.S. avg 100
- Median home value
- $253,400U.S. $303,400
- Median rent
- $1,313U.S. $1,348
- Median income
- $62,894U.S. $78,538
- Unemployment
- 5.2%U.S. 4.2%
- Avg commute
- 28 minCatalog avg 25 min
- Violent crime
- 1072.2per 100k · catalog avg 559.5
- Summer high
- 92°FCatalog avg 87°F
Key figures
Each metric shows how Houston compares with a U.S. baseline (ACS/BLS nationals) or a MapsToIt catalog average (crime, climate, and commute). Income, housing, population, and crime are for the incorporated city (city limits), not the broader metro/MSA — unemployment is county-level (BLS LAUS).
- Population
- 2,390,125City limits · Census PEP 2024 estimate
As of 2026-10-19 · Census PEP 2024 - Median household income
- $62,894Incorporated place (ACS)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year20% below U.S. avgU.S. $78,538 - Housing cost index
- 90ACS home+rent vs U.S. (100 = avg)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year10% below U.S. avgU.S. 100 - Median home value
- $253,400City limits (ACS)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year16% below U.S. avgU.S. $303,400 - Median rent
- $1,313City limits (ACS)
As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-yearNear U.S. avg ($1,348)U.S. $1,348 - Unemployment
- 5.2%County LAUS · not city-only
As of 2026-10-19 · July 20261.0 pt above U.S. rateU.S. 4.2% - Avg commute
- 28 min12% above catalog avgCatalog avg 25 min
- Walk Score
- 47Near catalog avg (45)Catalog avg 45
- Violent crime rate
- 1072.2per 100k · citywide
As of 2026-10-19 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback) · older data (2019)92% above catalog avgCatalog avg 559.5 - Property crime rate
- 4319.5per 100k · citywide
As of 2026-10-19 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback) · older data (2019)44% above catalog avgCatalog avg 3005.3 - Summer high
- 92°FAs of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals5.0 pts above catalog avgCatalog avg 87°F
- Winter low
- 48°FAs of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals13.0 pts above catalog avgCatalog avg 35°F
- Annual rainfall
- 55.6 inAs of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals67% above catalog avgCatalog avg 33.2 in
- Sunny days
- 258As of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normalsNear catalog avg (268)Catalog avg 268
Population trend
Houston grew 13.8% from 2,100,280 in 2010 to 2,390,125 in 2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PEP city/town estimates (2010–2024). Playback steps monthly between annual Census PEP estimates.
Is Houston, TX expensive compared to the U.S. average?
Houston's housing cost index is 90 versus 100 nationally — below the U.S. housing-cost baseline. That gap is driven mainly by ACS median home values ($253,400 vs $303,400) and rents ($1,313 vs $1,348).
- Housing cost index 90 (U.S. 100)
- Median home $253,400 vs U.S. $303,400
- Median rent $1,313 vs U.S. $1,348
How much does housing cost in Houston, TX?
Typical ownership costs center near $253,400, while median gross rent is about $1,313 a month. Against a median household income of $62,894, rent alone is roughly 25% of income on an annualized basis.
- Median home value $253,400
- Median rent $1,313/month
- Median household income $62,894
What is the job market like in Houston, TX?
County unemployment recently ran 5.2% versus a U.S. rate of 4.2%. Median household income in Houston is about $62,894 (U.S. $78,538).
- Unemployment 5.2% (U.S. 4.2%)
- Median income $62,894
How long is the typical commute in Houston, TX?
Average one-way commute time is about 28 minutes, with Walk Score near 47/100. The catalog-city average commute is 25 minutes.
- 28 minutes average one-way
- Walk Score 47/100
Is Houston, TX safer than similar U.S. cities?
Published violent-offense rates are about 1072.2 per 100k and property about 4319.5 per 100k, versus catalog averages of 559.5 and 3005.3. Citywide rates hide large neighborhood differences.
- Violent 1072.2 per 100k
- Property 4319.5 per 100k
What is the climate like year-round in Houston, TX?
Normals show summer highs near 92°F, winter lows near 48°F, about 55.6 inches of rain, and roughly 258 sunny days a year.
- Summer high 92°F
- Winter low 48°F
- 55.6 in rain · 258 sunny days
Which neighborhoods do relocators research in Houston, TX?
Newcomers often start with Downtown, Montrose, The Heights — tour at commute hour before signing. Neighborhood lists are curated research starting points, not rankings.
- Downtown
- Montrose
- The Heights
What nearby city comparisons involve Houston?
These curated pair pages put Houston beside another high-intent destination with the same proprietary metrics table.
Hot summers, sprawling freeways, and no state income tax dominate comparisons. With about 55.6 inches of rain a year, wet-season drainage and mold checks are worth asking about. Average one-way commute time is about 28 minutes, and Walk Score estimates land around 47/100. Labor-market readings near 5.2% unemployment are neither boom nor bust by national standards. FBI CIUS Table 8 violent-offense rates run comparatively high (~1072.2 per 100k), so block-by-block due diligence is especially important.
Houston, Texas counts about 2,390,125 residents inside the city limits. With median income around $62,894 and a cost index of 90, the market reads below the national housing-cost baseline. A typical home near $253,400 and rents around $1,313 frame most shortlists.
Ask locals about Downtown versus Montrose — those two pockets illustrate how different daily life can feel inside the same city limits, with The Heights as a common third option. Figures on this page are merged from Census ACS, BLS LAUS, FBI crime figures, and NOAA Climate Normals — use them to compare Houston with nearby alternatives before you relocate.
Neighborhoods often researched
- Downtown
- Montrose
- The Heights
- Midtown
Nearby & similar cities
Continue researching with these internal links — each page is a full data profile.
Sources
- Census / ACS: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year (Houston city, 1600000US4835000) — As of 2026-10-19 · ACS 2023 5-year
- BLS: BLS LAUS · Harris County, July 2026 — As of 2026-10-19 · July 2026
- Crime: FBI CIUS Table 8 (2019), city offenses per 100k — As of 2026-10-19 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback)
- Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 Monthly Normals (USW00012918 HOUSTON HOBBY AP) — As of 2026-10-19 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals
- Population trend: U.S. Census Bureau PEP city/town estimates (2010–2024) — As of 2026-10-19 · Census PEP 2024
Catalog refreshed 2026-10-19