Cost of living in the Houston Metro Area
10 counties across TX. Population: 7,274,714.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the Houston Metro Area
Average rent across the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the Houston Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 10 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the Houston Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the Houston Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 10 counties in the Houston Metro Area
The Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro area includes 10 counties. Sorted by population.
- Houston TX$3,185/moPop4,758,579 Rent$1,279/mo Income$73,104/yrHouston TX 4,758,579 $1,279/mo $73,104/yr $3,185/mo
- Sugar Land TX$3,377/moPop859,721 Rent$1,279/mo Income$113,409/yrSugar Land TX 859,721 $1,279/mo $113,409/yr $3,377/mo
- Montgomery County TX$3,362/moPop654,722 Rent$1,279/mo Income$97,266/yrMontgomery County TX 654,722 $1,279/mo $97,266/yr $3,362/mo
- Pearland TX$3,256/moPop381,650 Rent$1,138/mo Income$95,155/yrPearland TX 381,650 $1,138/mo $95,155/yr $3,256/mo
- Galveston County TX$3,328/moPop354,721 Rent$1,279/mo Income$85,348/yrGalveston County TX 354,721 $1,279/mo $85,348/yr $3,328/mo
- Liberty County TX$3,141/moPop97,993 Rent$1,279/mo Income$64,773/yrLiberty County TX 97,993 $1,279/mo $64,773/yr $3,141/mo
- Waller County TX$3,089/moPop59,455 Rent$1,279/mo Income$76,135/yrWaller County TX 59,455 $1,279/mo $76,135/yr $3,089/mo
- Chambers County TX$3,379/moPop49,178 Rent$1,279/mo Income$108,114/yrChambers County TX 49,178 $1,279/mo $108,114/yr $3,379/mo
- Austin County TX$2,839/moPop30,712 Rent$891/mo Income$75,994/yrAustin County TX 30,712 $891/mo $75,994/yr $2,839/mo
- San Jacinto County TX$2,648/moPop27,983 Rent$843/mo Income$59,526/yrSan Jacinto County TX 27,983 $843/mo $59,526/yr $2,648/mo
Compare counties in the Houston Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the Houston Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the Houston Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro area is approximately $3,231 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 10 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the Houston Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro area is $1,268 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the Houston Metro Area?
San Jacinto County, TX is the most affordable county in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro area at approximately $2,648 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the Houston Metro Area?
Chambers County, TX is the most expensive county in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro area at approximately $3,379 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the Houston Metro Area?
The Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro area covers 10 counties. The five largest by population are Houston, Sugar Land, Montgomery County, Pearland, Galveston County.
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About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.