Best Month to Sell a House in Texas
nine Min Read | January 17, 2022
So you lot're dreaming of moving to Texas—and what'southward not to love? Y'all can rock out at costless live music venues in Austin, cheer on the Dallas Cowboys, call up the Alamo at the Alamo, and consume all the brisket and Tex-Mex your middle desires.
If you want to know if you can afford to live in the Lone Star Country, yous'd accept to compare the toll of living in your current city with the Texas urban center of your dreams. To help you make a confident conclusion on whether Texas is the correct motion for you toll-wise, we'll show you lot how much Texas charges for "super fun" grown-upward stuff like housing, food, taxes and bills.
Permit'southward giddyup!
What'south the Average Cost of Living in Texas?
Everyone knows everything is bigger in Texas. But does "bigger" mean more expensive? Well, as it turns out, the cost of living in Texas is surprisingly affordable!
In fact, the average cost of living in Texas is vii% lower than the national average.1
Discover expert agents to assist you buy your home.
Proceed in mind, Texas is the second largest land in the U.South.—simply backside Alaska (but don't tell Texans that)—so there'due south a wide range. Some Texas cities rank 23% lower to 12% higher in price when compared to the average U.South. city.2
To get these numbers, we use a cost of living index that compares dozens of cities in Texas with the average U.Southward. city for several expense categories. An amount below 100 means Texas has a lower cost of living than the U.S. average for that category—have a look!
| Cost of Living | Texas | U.S. |
| Full | 92.6 | 100 |
| Housing | 84.4 | 100 |
| Utilities | 103.3 | 100 |
| Groceries | xc.8 | 100 |
| Transportation | 92 | 100 |
| Health Intendance | 94.viii | 100 |
| Miscellaneous | 96.7 | 100iii |
To better understand this alphabetize, let's accept a closer look at each category.
Housing Costs in Texas
Okay, allow'southward start with housing costs. In the fall of 2021, median home prices in Texas were $350,000—about 8% lower than the national median of nearly $380,000!iv Meanwhile, the median monthly rent for a 2-sleeping room apartment was nearly 4% lower than the national median of almost $1,300.5
With prices like those, you might be wondering why yous haven't ridden off into the Texan sunset sooner! Well, don't forget, not all of Texas costs the same. When you consider full housing cost factors, Texas ranges all the way from 43% lower than the national average in the southern metropolis of Harlingen, to 27% higher in the city of Plano, north of Dallas!6
To find the Texas urban center that fits your budget, check out the toll differences between these cities:
| City in Texas | Average Home Toll | Average Apartment Rent |
| Austin | $409,079 | $ane,583 |
| Dallas | $387,379 | $1,598 |
| Houston | $316,904 | $1,095 |
| San Antonio | $285,073 | $1,382 |
| Amarillo | $213,905 | $912seven |
Utilities
Utility costs like energy and phone use in Texas range from 12% lower than the national boilerplate in the eastern city of Texarkana, to thirty% higher in Corpus Christi on the Gulf of United mexican states! The Sherman-Denison surface area, located in Due north Texas, is somewhere in the middle range amongst Texas cities for utility costs at five% college than the national boilerplate.eight
Trust united states, y'all're going to want to crank up the Ac.
Groceries
Groceries in Texas range from 21% lower than the national average in Waco, the homeland of Dr. Pepper but southward of Dallas, to three% college in El Paso.9
Speaking of groceries, you might find yourself shopping at H-Due east-B. The supermarket concatenation is headquartered in San Antonio, which just and so happens to sit somewhere in the middle price range amongst Texas cities for groceries. In San Antonio, yous can purchase a one-half gallon of milk and some cereal for a little more than than $5, which is 16% less than the national average—cha-ching! 10
Transportation
Rev upwardly your engines! Texas transportation costs range from 22% lower than the national boilerplate in the northern city of Amarillo, to 1% college in San Marcos, a city south of Austin. Over again, San Antonio slides into the middle range for transportation costs among nearly Texas cities, which is 7% lower than the national average.xi
Since Texas is more often than not a driving state, you'll want to go on transportation costs low by getting the right coverage. Try bundling your automobile insurance for a discount past talking to one of the independent insurance agents we recommend.
Health Care
Texas health care costs range from 29% lower than the national average in the southern city of McAllen, to 13% college in Dallas. Meanwhile, Longview, a couple hours east of Dallas, sits in the middle range amidst Texas cities, with wellness care costs almost 4% lower than the national boilerplate—non too shabby.12
Here'south a breakdown of how Longview health care costs compare to the boilerplate city in the country:
| Health Care Type | Longview, TX Cost | Average U.Southward. City Cost | Toll Difference |
| General doctor | $89 | $117 | 24% |
| Dentist | $100 | $101 | ane% |
| Eye dr. | $121 | $109 | 10% |
| Advil | $10.24 | $ix.ninety | 3% |
| Prescription drug | $505 | $470 | 8%13 |
Taxes
Guess what? Texas has no state income tax!fourteen That's right, if you don't mess with Texas, Texas won't mess with your taxes. Well, at least it won't touch your paycheck. Texas still has a state sales tax rate of 6.25%—or 8.19% if y'all include its average local rate. That percentage ranks Texas as the 14th highest in the state for total sales tax—cue the eye roll.15
If all this taxation talk makes you quake in your boots, don't worry. You can discover out exactly how moving to Texas volition impact your taxes by connecting with one of our trusted tax advisors.
Miscellaneous Goods and Services
Miscellaneous costs refer to a wide range of appurtenances and services including things like common restaurant foods, clothing, entertainment, activities and personal care. In Texas, these costs range from 21% lower than the national boilerplate in Harlingen, to 14% higher in Plano.16
Corpus Christi represents near Texas cities for miscellaneous costs, which is 3% lower than the national average. In Corpus Christi, you tin order a pizza for $13, get a haircut for $17, and buy a shirt for $38. For reference, those prices are $11, $20 and $31 for the average U.S. city.17 But if yous want accurate kolaches for dessert, y'all'll have to move to Texas.
How Much Coin Practise You Demand to Live Comfortably in Texas?
In Texas, the median household income is $61,874.18 But if you brand that much, it doesn't automatically mean you lot can beget to live anywhere in Texas—at least not comfortably.
If you want to alive comfortably in the Solitary Star Land, first brand certain you lot tin can afford your biggest expenses—namely, your housing costs.
Whether you decide to rent or purchase in your new city, stick to the 25% rule—never move into a home that comes with a monthly payment that's more than than 25% of your monthly have-domicile pay.
For home buyers who are getting a mortgage, that 25% limit includes main, interest, holding taxes, abode insurance and private mortgage insurance (PMI)—and don't forget to consider homeowners association (HOA) fees. Use our mortgage estimator to enter your downwards payment corporeality and try out different home prices within your budget.
For a mortgage you can pay off fast, talk to our friends at Churchill Mortgage nigh getting a 15-year fixed-rate conventional loan. Any other blazon of mortgage will cost y'all extra in interest and fees and keep you in debt for decades. Trust united states of america, following the 25% rule will give y'all enough room in your budget to balance housing costs and your other living expenses with ease.
What's the Toll of Living in Texas vs. California?
In case you're curious, the top country people are moving to Texas from is California. In fact, 82,235 Californians moved to Texas in 2019—meanwhile, only 37,063 Texans moved to California, according to the latest data by the U.Due south. Demography Bureau.19
One reason so many Californians might exist moving to Texas is considering the average cost of living in Texas is significantly lower compared to the toll of living in California (shocker!). To run across for yourself, allow'due south use our cost of living alphabetize to find out what it'd be similar, cost-wise, moving from a popular metropolis in California to a popular city in Texas:
| Cost of Living | San Francisco, CA | Austin, TX | Cost Difference |
| Full | 188.7 | 101.8 | 46% less |
| Housing | 344.2 | 113.4 | 67% less |
| Utilities | 133.9 | 95 | 29% less |
| Groceries | 130.3 | 92.iii | 29% less |
| Transportation | 146.4 | 87 | 41% less |
| Health care | 123.half dozen | 105.8 | 14% less |
| Miscellaneous | 122.7 | 101.3 | 17% less20 |
Wow! As you lot tin run into, moving to a new metropolis with a lower toll of living tin can be an incredible way to transform your financial life! Merely a large move similar that isn't always the right pick for everyone—there are e'er more than pros and cons to consider.
Compare the Cost of Living in Texas With Your Current City
Now you know the cost of living in Texas—just can you afford it? If you desire to be sure, try our complimentary Cost of Living Estimator to determine how much more than or less expensive it would exist for yous to live in the Texas city that's calling your name.
If Texas has a higher cost of living than you tin currently beget, not all hope is lost. Try one of these ideas:
- Adjust your standard of living
- Try to bump up your salary when you discover a new job
- Motion to an affordable zip code that's inside range of your desired city
Fix to Move to Texas?
If y'all can afford to live in Texas, congrats! The side by side stride on your relocation journey is to handle your housing. For a quick and easy way to find real estate agents in Texas and your current city, try our Endorsed Local Providers (ELP) programme. The agents nosotros recommend have earned the right to be called RamseyTrusted by always serving with excellence.
Discover a Texas real estate agent we trust!
Where Did We Go Our Information?
The data that drives most of these numbers and our Toll of Living Computer comes from the Cost of Living Alphabetize published by the Quango for Community and Economic Inquiry (C2ER). Since the cost of living in any area is constantly changing, you can always check our calculator to find the most recent information. If you want to learn more about C2ER, get the scoop here.
About the author
Ramsey Solutions
Source: https://www.ramseysolutions.com/real-estate/cost-of-living-in-texas
0 Response to "Best Month to Sell a House in Texas"
Post a Comment