Texas › Cost index
Texas cost index: the key numbers on one page.
Every number sourced. Checked this month.
This is the cheat sheet. One table holds the figures people ask us about most, statewide and for Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio and El Paso, each linked to the place we found it. Nothing here is new: every number comes from one of our topic or city pages, which have the detail and the caveats. Below the table is a calendar of the changes already scheduled between now and spring 2027, starting with the Nov 3 election.
Numbers last checked October 31, 2026The index
Read across a row to compare cities, or down a column for one city. A dash means the figure doesn’t apply there or we haven’t sourced it yet. “Same statewide” means the rule is set by the state. Dallas and Fort Worth share one metro, so metro-level rows repeat. The As of column gives the period for the row; where a city’s figure is from a different period, the cell says so. Property tax rates are per $100 of taxable value.
| What | Texas | Houston | Dallas | Fort Worth | Austin | San Antonio | El Paso | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxes | ||||||||
| State personal income tax | 0% | Same statewide (barred by the Texas Constitution) | Checked Oct 2026 | |||||
| Combined sales tax | 8.25% max | 8.25% | 8.25% | 8.25% | 8.25% | 8.25% | 8.25% | Checked Oct 31, 2026 |
| School-tax homestead exemption | $140,000 | Same statewide; age 65+ or disabled adds $60,000 | Approved Nov 4, 2025 | |||||
| Average effective property tax rate (WalletHub estimate) | 1.49% | Statewide figure only; median bill $4,232 | Feb 17, 2026 | |||||
| Combined property tax rate, core city and main school district, before exemptions | — | $2.1316 (2026, before HCDE) | $2.2267 (2025) | $2.1997 (2026) | $2.0465 (2025) | $2.5120 (2026, SAISD) | $2.6437 (2025) | Tax year in cell |
| City rate | — | $0.51919 (proposed, flat) | $0.6978 | $0.705650 | $0.579948 | $0.56288 | $0.809487 (proposed) | 2026 tax year (FY2027 budgets) |
| County rate | — | $0.41750 + flood control $0.05266 | $0.248650 (on Nov 3 ballot) | $0.186 | $0.375845 (2025) | $0.299999 (incl. road and flood) | $0.458889 (2025) | 2026 tax year unless noted |
| Hospital district rate | — | $0.19528 Harris Health | $0.212 Parkland (2025) | $0.159 JPS | $0.135195 Central Health (proposed) | $0.276235 University Health | $0.236904 UMC | 2026 tax year unless noted |
| Main school district rate | — | $0.8421 HISD | $0.993835 Dallas ISD (2025) | $1.029099 FWISD | $0.9184 AISD | $1.1869 SAISD (on Nov 3 ballot) | $1.0807 EPISD (2025) | 2026 tax year unless noted |
| Housing | ||||||||
| 1-bedroom rent, median | — | $1,116 | $1,207 | $1,141 | $1,172 | $953 | $942 | Oct 2026 data (Apartment List) |
| 2-bedroom rent, median | — | $1,323 | $1,428 | $1,317 | $1,426 | $1,173 | $1,127 | Oct 2026 data (Apartment List) |
| Rent change, year over year | −1.5% | −2.2% | −0.6% | −0.8% | −1.3% | −3.5% | +2.3% | Oct 2026 data (Apartment List) |
| Median home sale price (area differs by market) | $328,000 (Q1 2026) | $325,000 metro single-family (Sep 2026) | $399,900 DFW (Apr 2026) | $399,900 DFW (Apr 2026) | $560,000 city (Aug 2026) | $302,999 SABOR area (Sep 2026) | $272,950 metro (Q1 2026) | Period in cell |
| 30-year fixed mortgage rate (U.S. average) | 7.24% | National survey; no city figures | Week of Oct 29, 2026 | |||||
| Price level, all items (U.S. = 100) | 97.1 | 98.6 | 103.1 | 103.1 | 98.1 | 94.7 | 89.9 | 2024 data (BEA) |
| Utilities | ||||||||
| Average residential electricity price | ~15.4¢/kWh | Statewide figure only (a retailer’s summary of EIA data) | Apr 2026 data | |||||
| Electric delivery charge in choice areas, or the utility’s own figure | — | $4.90/mo + 6.53¢/kWh CenterPoint | $4.06/mo + 6.87¢/kWh Oncor | $4.06/mo + 6.87¢/kWh Oncor | $121.94 typical bill at 860 kWh (no choice) | $191.77 average CPS bill (no choice) | ~$72 / ~$140 winter / hot months, before 2026 increase (no choice) | Sep–Oct 2026; El Paso pre-2026 |
| Water base or minimum charge, standard home meter | — | $7.10/mo | $5.93/mo | $13.75/mo ($14.45 from Jan 1, 2027) | $50.49 example bill, 5,800 gal | $9.00/mo | $11.82/mo | 2026 rates in effect now |
| Trash, monthly (64-gallon cart where priced by size) | — | $5.00 new fee | $40.09 plus tax | $23.40 | $38.00 | $21.01 | — | Houston since Jul 1, 2026; others Oct 1, 2026 |
| Getting around | ||||||||
| Regular gas, average per gallon | $3.82 | Statewide figure only | Oct 12, 2026 (AAA Texas) | |||||
| Local bus or rail ride | — | $1.25 | $3 3-hour pass | $2 | $1.25 ($1.50 from Jan 10, 2027) | $1.30 | $1.50 | Checked Oct 2026 |
| Local day pass | — | $3 | $6 | $4 | $2.50 ($3.00 from Jan 10, 2027) | $2.75 | $3.50 | Checked Oct 2026 |
| Base registration plus TexasSure fee, before county fees | $51.75 | Same statewide; counties add $0 to $31.50 | Checked Oct 2026 | |||||
| Emissions test at the station | — | $18.50 | $18.50 | $18.50 | $11.50 | $18.50 from Nov 1, 2026 | $11.50 | Checked Oct 2026 |
| Toll rate with a tag | — | — | 22¢/mile NTTA | 22¢/mile NTTA | $1.46 full MoPac Express northbound | — | — | NTTA Jul 1, 2025; CTRMA Jan 1, 2026 |
| Insurance | ||||||||
| Homeowners insurance, average premium | $3,489/yr | Statewide figure only; TDI publishes county averages | 2025 (preliminary) | |||||
| Auto insurance, average premium (marketplace data) | $2,329/yr | $2,696 | $2,504 | $2,276 | $2,151 | $2,262 | — | 12 months to Sep 2026 (Experian) |
| Renters insurance, median quote | $165/yr | Statewide figure only (sample quotes) | Sep 23, 2026 | |||||
| ACA benchmark silver plan, age 40, before subsidy | $661/mo | Statewide average; see health care costs | 2026 plan year | |||||
| TWIA windstorm rate change filed for 2027 (coastal counties) | 0% | Only the coast and Harris County east of Highway 146; none of the six cities’ cores | Aug 4, 2026 | |||||
| Pay and jobs | ||||||||
| Median household income | $79,700 | $64,361 | $70,518 (5-year) | $82,503 | $90,430 | $66,176 | $59,932 | 2024 Census ACS (city limits) |
| Mean hourly wage, all jobs, metro (U.S. $33.54) | — | $32.51 | $33.96 | $33.96 | $35.85 | $29.39 | $24.94 | May 2025 (BLS, released Aug 13, 2026) |
| Living wage, one adult, no kids | $21.77/hr | $22.19 | $24.14 | $24.14 | $23.71 | $20.33 | — | Feb 15, 2026 (MIT) |
| Minimum wage | $7.25/hr | Same statewide; cities can’t set their own (Labor Code §62.0515) | Checked Oct 31, 2026 | |||||
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% (seasonally adjusted) | 4.6% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 3.7% | 4.3% | 4.6% (Aug) | Sep 2026, metros preliminary |
| Prices | ||||||||
| Inflation, all items, year over year | — | +1.3% (Aug) | +3.0% | +3.0% | BLS publishes no CPI for these metros | Sep 2026 unless noted | ||
| Groceries (food at home), year over year | — | +1.8% (Aug) | +3.9% | +3.9% | BLS publishes no CPI for these metros | Sep 2026 unless noted | ||
| Dozen Grade A large eggs (South region) | $2.37 | Regional average only | Sep 2026 (BLS) | |||||
| USDA Thrifty Food Plan, family of four | $1,024/mo | National figure only | Sep 2026 costs | |||||
| Child care, licensed center, infant, median per day | $45.00 | — | $49.60 Greater Dallas | $46.80 Tarrant County | — | — | $35.20 Borderplex | 2026 TWC Market Rate Survey |
How to read the property tax rows: the combined rate adds every layer a typical homestead pays inside the core city and its main school district, before exemptions. The $140,000 homestead exemption only comes off the school line, so your effective rate is lower; our property tax page works through a $300,000 San Antonio example. El Paso’s combined and county rates are 2025 figures compiled on that page from El Paso CAD and local reports. Electricity rows mix two kinds of number because Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth buy power from a retailer of their choice, while Austin, San Antonio and El Paso have a single utility; see Texas electricity.
What changes next
Dated changes and data releases already announced, as reported on our pages. We update the index after each one.
| Date | What happens | Where | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2026 | |||
| Nov 1 | Emissions test required before registration renewal; $18.50 at the station plus $2.75 at renewal | Bexar County | TxDMV, Sep 15, 2026 |
| Nov 1 | ACA marketplace shopping opens for 2027 coverage; final 2027 premiums appear on HealthCare.gov | Statewide | healthinsurance.org |
| Nov 3 | Election: Dallas County’s 2026 tax rate ($0.248650, 2.4 cents above the voter-approval rate) goes to voters | Dallas County | Dallas County |
| Nov 3 | Election: school tax rate increases for SAISD (about 3.17 cents) and Northside ISD (about 3 cents) | San Antonio | TPR, Sep 28, 2026 |
| Nov 5 | Next weekly mortgage rate reading | National | Freddie Mac PMMS |
| Nov 10 | Houston CPI for October | Houston | BLS |
| Nov 20 | Texas jobs and unemployment for October | Statewide | TWC |
| December 2026 | |||
| Dec 7 | Medicare open enrollment ends for 2027 coverage | Statewide | Medicare.gov |
| Dec 10 | BEA price levels with 2025 data (replaces every price level in the index) | Statewide and metros | BEA |
| Dec 10 | DFW CPI for November | Dallas, Fort Worth | BLS |
| Dec 11 | Federal flood insurance (NFIP) authorization runs out unless Congress extends it | Statewide | Congressional Research Service |
| Dec 15 | Last day to pick a marketplace plan that starts Jan 1, 2027 | Statewide | healthinsurance.org |
| Dec 31 | Cigna and Baylor Scott & White marketplace plans end | Statewide | ACASignups.net |
| January to spring 2027 | |||
| Jan 1 | SAWS water increase, about $3.91 a month on the average home bill | San Antonio | San Antonio Report |
| Jan 1 | Fort Worth water and wastewater service charges rise (water $13.75 to $14.45), first seen on February bills | Fort Worth | City of Fort Worth |
| Jan 1 | Corpus Christi water and wastewater, about +$4.35 a month for the average home | Corpus Christi | City of Corpus Christi |
| Jan 1 | Yearly toll increase of at least 2% on Fort Bend, Montgomery and Brazoria county toll roads | Suburban Houston | Houston Chronicle |
| Jan 1 | Medicare plan changes take effect; the Medicare Advantage switching window runs to Mar 31 | Statewide | Medicare.gov |
| Jan 2027 | Legislature convenes; the 20% “circuit breaker” cap on non-homestead values was authorized only through 2026 | Statewide | Ownwell, Sep 22, 2026 |
| Jan 10 | CapMetro fares rise: local ride $1.25 to $1.50, day $2.50 to $3.00, month $41.25 to $49.50 | Austin | CapMetro |
| Jan 15 | ACA open enrollment for 2027 closes | Statewide | healthinsurance.org |
| Feb 1 | Dallas trash fee splits into curb ($37.76) and alley ($45.22) rates, plus tax | Dallas | City of Dallas |
| Mar 2027 | El Paso Water normally sets new rates with its budget each March | El Paso | El Paso Water |
| Apr 30 | Usual homestead exemption filing deadline for a home you lived in on Jan 1 | Statewide | Texas Comptroller |
| May 15 | Usual appraisal protest deadline (or 30 days after your notice, if later) | Statewide | Texas Comptroller |
Census released 2025 American Community Survey figures on Oct 29, 2026. The income row above still shows 2024 estimates until each city page is updated.
Out-of-date numbers you’ll still find online
The most common stale figures we see, gathered from across the site.
Voters raised the school-tax exemption on Nov 4, 2025, and the over-65 add-on went from $10,000 to $60,000.
That was the 2025 price for a 40-year-old before subsidies (KFF). Preliminary 2027 filings average +14.1%.
The county raised its 2026 rate about 9.6% (FOX 26).
The city’s first residential trash fee began Jul 1, 2026.
The pass good on DART, Trinity Metro and DCTA dropped on Mar 1, 2026.
BEA’s current price parities came out Feb 19, 2026; the 2025 edition is due Dec 10, 2026.
Go deeper
Each row comes from a page with the full story: taxes and pay, property taxes, rent, home prices, electricity, water bills, transit and tolls, vehicle costs, insurance, health care, salaries, groceries and child care. City pages: Houston, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso. For 12 cities side by side, see compare Texas cities.
How we check
This page repeats figures from our other pages and uses the same sources and dates. When a source page changes, this index changes with it. Where two of our pages disagreed, we left the figure out until we could resolve it. Read the full methodology.