Living in
Is Houston a Good Place to Live? Pros and Cons (2026)
By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Published November 10, 2026.
Is Houston a good place to live? The short answer
Houston is one of the two biggest job markets in Texas and one of the few large US metros where the typical listed home still sits below the national median. Texas has no state income tax. The trade-offs are heat, sprawl and water: hurricane rain and flooding are part of living here, and the city plans around them. These are the sourced pros and cons.
At a glance
- $353,995Median listed homeRealtor.com, Sep 2026
- $1,945Monthly payment$4,078 in New York
- $1,5622-bedroom rentCensus ACS 2025
- -1.4%Everyday pricesvs US average, BEA 2024
- 31.3 minAverage commuteCensus ACS 2025
- +7,308Net move-ins2024-25, Census
Pros and cons
Pros
- Prices 1% below the US averageEveryday prices, rent included, index at 98.6 against a US average of 100.BEA regional price parities, 2024
- Homes list 16% below the US median$353,995 median listing against $419,250 nationally.Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
- Mild wintersJanuary lows average 43.7°F with 0.1 inches of snow a year.NOAA 1991-2020 normals
- Nonstop flights to New YorkFrom IAH to JFK, LGA, EWR.Airport route page, accessed November 3, 2026
- People are moving in7,308 more people moved here from other US metros than left, July 2024 to July 2025.US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025
- A real job marketTexas Medical Center and NASA Johnson Space CenterSlower Sundays city profile
Cons
- Hot summersJuly highs average 94.5°F.NOAA 1991-2020 normals
What it costs to live in Houston
The median listed home in the Houston metro was $353,995 in September 2026, 16% below the US median. BEA's housing index for the metro is 104.5 and everyday prices land at 98.6, where the US average is 100.
Coming from New York, principal and interest on the median Houston home come to about $1,945 a month, against $4,078 on the median New York metro home. The Census 2-bedroom rent is $1,562 here and $1,997 in the New York metro.
- Houston$1,945
- Dallas-Fort Worth$2,322
- Austin$2,453
- San Antonio$1,761
- Atlanta$2,281
- New York metro$4,078
Principal and interest, 20% down at 7.32%, before taxes and insurance.
See the full cost table
| Metro | Median listed home | Monthly payment | 2-bedroom rent | Price level | Housing index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston, TX | $353,995 | $1,945 | $1,562 | 98.6 | 104.5 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | $422,495 | $2,322 | $1,794 | 103.1 | 117.9 |
| Austin, TX | $446,450 | $2,453 | $1,836 | 98.1 | 120.4 |
| San Antonio, TX | $320,374 | $1,761 | $1,460 | 94.7 | 94.6 |
| Atlanta, GA | $415,000 | $2,281 | $1,781 | 100.1 | 111.0 |
| New York metro | $742,000 | $4,078 | $1,997 | 112.6 | 148.6 |
Median listed home: Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. Monthly payment: principal and interest with 20% down at 7.32% (Freddie Mac, week of October 22, 2026), before taxes and insurance. Rent: median gross rent for a 2-bedroom, utilities includedsource. Price level and housing index: BEA regional price parities, 2024, US = 100.
Jobs in Houston
The Houston metro had 3,489,400 nonfarm jobs in September 2026, up 1% from a year earlier, and an unemployment rate of 4.6% (preliminary). The largest sectors by jobs are trade, transportation, and utilities (693,300); professional and business services (578,000); and education and health services (474,900). source
Flooding is the risk to plan for
Hurricane Harvey stalled over the region in August 2017. A gauge at Mary's Creek at Winding Road, southeast of Houston, recorded 49.32 inches of rain, breaking the previous US record for a tropical system of 48 inches set in 1978source.
- Check the flood zone of any address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center before you make an offer or sign a lease.
- Price flood insurance separately. Standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage, so get a quote before you budget for the house.
Weather
January lows average 43.7°F and July highs 94.5°F, with 0.1 inches of snow and 51.84 inches of total precipitation in a typical yearsource.
Flights and getting back to New York
IAH has nonstop flights to JFK, LGA, EWRsource.
Taxes in Texas
- Income tax: Texas does not tax wages. source
- Sales tax: 6.25% state rate. Cities, counties, special purpose districts and transit authorities may impose sales and use tax up to 2 percent, for a total maximum combined rate of 8.25 percent.source
- Property tax: an average effective rate of 1.49%, about $5,275 a year on a $353,995 home (our arithmetic; your county and city rates decide the real bill).source
- Social Security: not taxed by the state.
Moving to Houston: the growth
Between July 2024 and July 2025, 7,308 more people moved to the Houston metro from elsewhere in the US than moved awaysource.
The verdict
Yes, for families who want a big-city job market, no state income tax and homes priced below the national median. It is a hard fit if you dislike long, hot summers, driving everywhere or planning around flood risk.
Read next: moving to Texas, is San Antonio a good place to live, is Austin a good place to live, states with no income tax, or see the monthly breakdown on our Houston cost of living page.
Data notes: monthly payment assumes 20% down on the median listed home at the Freddie Mac 30-year average of 7.32% and excludes property tax, insurance and HOA dues.