Is Your Salary Enough in Houston, TX?
Population 2,300,419 · Median income $62,894
Houston's median household income of $62,894 runs about 16% below the US figure, putting most relocation math close to national norms. Rent at $1,313/month works out to about 25% of local median income — within the standard affordability band. A working comfort threshold for the city — 1.2× the local median — lands near $75,000.
Median Household Income
$62,894
Median Rent
$1,313/mo
Need $53,000/yr (30% rule)
Median Home Value
$253,400
Need $63,350/yr (4x rule)
Salary Breakdown for Houston
| Annual Salary | vs Local Median | Max Rent | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | 64% | $1,000/mo | Difficult |
| $55,000 | 87% | $1,375/mo | Tight |
| $70,000 | 111% | $1,750/mo | Average |
| $85,000 | 135% | $2,125/mo | Comfortable |
| $100,000 | 159% | $2,500/mo | Very Comfortable |
| $125,000 | 199% | $3,125/mo | Very Comfortable |
| $150,000 | 238% | $3,750/mo | Very Comfortable |
| $200,000 | 318% | $5,000/mo | Very Comfortable |
Home Buying in Houston
Conservative (3x income)
$84,467/yr
Standard (4x income)
$63,350/yr
Aggressive (5x income)
$50,680/yr
Key Facts for Houston
- Comfortable salary:
- $75,000+/yr
- Median rent:
- $1,313/mo
- Median home value:
- $253,400
- Median income:
- $62,894/yr