Single Houston residents need at least $12K more than last year to live comfortably, report says (2024)

FAQs

What salary do you need to live comfortably in Houston? ›

The necessary salary to live a financially stable life in Houston is nearly $12,000 more than in SmartAsset's 2023 report, which said Houston residents needed to make $62,260 a year to live comfortably in 2023.

Summary of cost of living in Houston, TX, United States: A family of four estimated monthly costs are 3,923.8$ without rent. A single person estimated monthly costs are 1,103.4$ without rent. Houston is 37.7% less expensive than New York (without rent).

You're going to need a higher salary to live comfortably here. In fact, an individual is going to need about $100,000 to live comfortably on their own, while families of four need about $224,000. Unfortunately, Texans' median annual salary doesn't quite reach the $75,000 needed for the single person.

Key Findings. On average, an individual needs $96,500 for sustainable comfort in a major U.S. city. This includes being able to pay off debt and invest for the future.

What's considered a “good” salary in Texas depends on your household size and lifestyle, but most Texans make between $45,000 and $100,000 annually. Texas cities have differing costs of living, of course — Austin is much pricier than Amarillo — so where you live in the Lone Star State also matters.

Considering living in Houston? H-Town is a great city for singles and young professionals thanks to its diverse job market, mix of real estate options, trendy beer gardens, and more.

The minimum wage in Texas is currently $7.25. This is the exact same amount per hour as the federal minimum wage.

Households with incomes that do not exceed 80% of an area's median income are considered low income. For example, the median household income for a family of four in Tarrant County is $97,700, and if a family makes less than $78,160 a year they would be considered low income.

Is $27 an hour good pay in Texas? ›

While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $57.71 and as low as $8.88, the majority of salaries within the Above Average jobs category currently range between $13.53 (25th percentile) to $27.27 (75th percentile) in Texas.

In the Magnolia State, earning between $35,142 and $105,438 would put you in the middle class. In Texas, a person would need to make between $48,185 and $144,568 to be considered among the middle class. The interactive table below shows each state's middle class range based on SmartAsset's report.

The average monthly expenses for one person can vary, but the average single person spends about $3,405 per month. Housing tends to consume the highest portion of monthly income, with the average annual spending on housing at $1,885 per month per person.

An individual needs $96,500, on average, to live comfortably in a major U.S. city. That figure is even higher for families, who need to earn an average combined income of about $235,000 to support two adults and two children.

A $100,000 salary does more for you in Houston, after accounting for taxes and cost of living, than it does in most major cities. After taxes, a Houstonian earning $100,000 takes home about $83,000 according to consumer finance website SmartAsset, placing the city ninth in a list of 72 cities.

Houstonians need to make $75,088 individually to lead a comfortable lifestyle and avoid living paycheck to paycheck, or a $36.10 hourly wage, says the report, which analyzed 99 major U.S. cities.

By comparison, the median household income in Houston is about $60,000 a year, meaning that households earning $40,000-$120,000 a year are middle income.

An individual in Houston would need to bring in $131,000 per year to be considered rich. The pay disparity between the 90th and 10th percentile in the Houston metropolitan area is $125,000 – higher than the national average of $115,000.