Special Report

The Cheapest and Most Expensive Housing Markets in Texas

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Home prices have surged in the U.S. in recent years. Driven by rising demand and supply constraints during the pandemic, the median home sale price spiked by nearly 50% from the second quarter of 2020 to Q3 in 2022. While the sale price of a typical American home has fallen in recent months since, housing prices remain at historic highs.

Not only have home values soared, but borrowing costs for home buyers have also climbed. The average interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage has been above 6% since September 2022, a high not seen in nearly a decade and a half. In a market defined by high prices and high mortgage rates, homeownership has become prohibitively expensive for a large number of Americans.

Still, housing prices are also subject to a number of factors that can be isolated from broader, nationwide market trends — and location is one of them. Two homes that are virtually identical can vary in price by hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on where they are. And for prospective homeowners on a budget, some Texas cities are far more affordable than others.

According to five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey, the typical home in Texas is worth $238,000. But across the 53 cities, towns, and unincorporated communities in the state with populations of at least 75,000, median home values range from less than $100,000 to over $500,000.

In any local market, home prices are often a reflection of what residents can afford. In Texas, many of the least expensive cities for homebuyers are not high-income areas. Of the 53 Texas cities with available data from the ACS, 27 have a median home value that is less than the statewide median. In each of these places, the typical household earns less than the statewide median household income of $73,035. Similarly, most of Texas’s more expensive housing markets have higher earning populations.

These are the cheapest and most expensive housing markets in Texas.

53. Pharr

DavieJones13 / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $98,300
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.1%
  • Homeownership rate: 58.7%
  • Median household income: $45,016
  • Total population: 79,434

52. Brownsville

DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $112,600
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.1%
  • Homeownership rate: 60.3%
  • Median household income: $46,735
  • Total population: 186,999

51. Wichita Falls

DenisTangneyJr / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $128,800
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.5%
  • Homeownership rate: 56.3%
  • Median household income: $55,584
  • Total population: 102,482

50. Mission

Theunderratedtaco / Wikimedia Commons
  • Median home value: $147,600
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.3%
  • Homeownership rate: 72.0%
  • Median household income: $56,421
  • Total population: 85,755

49. Beaumont

DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $150,400
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.6%
  • Homeownership rate: 54.4%
  • Median household income: $53,745
  • Total population: 114,573

48. McAllen

tirc83 / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $158,700
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.6%
  • Homeownership rate: 59.4%
  • Median household income: $56,326
  • Total population: 142,722

47. El Paso

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $159,300
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.5%
  • Homeownership rate: 59.5%
  • Median household income: $55,710
  • Total population: 677,181

46. Edinburg

BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $159,600
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.5%
  • Homeownership rate: 53.6%
  • Median household income: $54,139
  • Total population: 100,964

45. Abilene

BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $161,800
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.5%
  • Homeownership rate: 54.0%
  • Median household income: $59,254
  • Total population: 126,356

44. Baytown

twokaren2 / Getty Images
  • Median home value: $162,200
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.7%
  • Homeownership rate: 53.6%
  • Median household income: $61,158
  • Total population: 84,449

43. Laredo

DenisTangneyJr / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $164,400
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.4%
  • Homeownership rate: 62.7%
  • Median household income: $60,928
  • Total population: 255,293

42. Longview

pasa / Flickr
  • Median home value: $170,000
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.5%
  • Homeownership rate: 53.4%
  • Median household income: $61,003
  • Total population: 82,176

41. Pasadena

Citysqwirl / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $171,600
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.4%
  • Homeownership rate: 53.8%
  • Median household income: $64,698
  • Total population: 150,620

40. San Angelo

DenisTangneyJr / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $171,700
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.1%
  • Homeownership rate: 64.0%
  • Median household income: $65,040
  • Total population: 99,422

39. Amarillo

DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $172,700
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.9%
  • Homeownership rate: 59.6%
  • Median household income: $60,628
  • Total population: 200,360

38. Waco

ChrisBoswell / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $174,100
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.7%
  • Homeownership rate: 47.3%
  • Median household income: $47,421
  • Total population: 140,545

37. Killeen

Summerdeleon / Wikimedia Commons
  • Median home value: $175,400
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.2%
  • Homeownership rate: 46.3%
  • Median household income: $57,086
  • Total population: 153,708

36. Corpus Christi

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
  • Median home value: $180,900
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.9%
  • Homeownership rate: 57.3%
  • Median household income: $64,449
  • Total population: 317,804

35. Lubbock

DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $181,600
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.0%
  • Homeownership rate: 51.0%
  • Median household income: $58,734
  • Total population: 258,190

34. Temple

  • Median home value: $191,300
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.5%
  • Homeownership rate: 52.8%
  • Median household income: $61,003
  • Total population: 83,473

33. Odessa

DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $193,500
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.7%
  • Homeownership rate: 59.1%
  • Median household income: $71,293
  • Total population: 113,353

32. San Antonio

Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $198,000
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.8%
  • Homeownership rate: 51.9%
  • Median household income: $59,593
  • Total population: 1,445,662

31. Bryan

  • Median home value: $198,300
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.1%
  • Homeownership rate: 49.3%
  • Median household income: $55,234
  • Total population: 84,820

30. Tyler

jodi4art / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $205,200
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 2.3%
  • Homeownership rate: 54.9%
  • Median household income: $63,056
  • Total population: 106,440

29. Mesquite

  • Median home value: $208,800
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.2%
  • Homeownership rate: 62.0%
  • Median household income: $69,649
  • Total population: 149,439

28. Garland

Garland, Texas, USA
SevenMaps / Shutterstock.com
  • Median home value: $229,000
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.4%
  • Homeownership rate: 62.0%
  • Median household income: $71,044
  • Total population: 244,026

27. Houston

prayitnophotography / Flickr
  • Median home value: $235,000
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 5.2%
  • Homeownership rate: 42.0%
  • Median household income: $60,440
  • Total population: 2,296,253

26. Grand Prairie

mj0007 / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $242,900
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.6%
  • Homeownership rate: 59.2%
  • Median household income: $76,626
  • Total population: 197,279

25. Fort Worth

davidwilson1949 / Flickr
  • Median home value: $250,300
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.6%
  • Homeownership rate: 56.7%
  • Median household income: $72,726
  • Total population: 924,663

24. Arlington

Art Wager / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $251,300
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.7%
  • Homeownership rate: 54.9%
  • Median household income: $71,736
  • Total population: 393,469

23. Atascocita

For sale sign hanging in front of house
Stockbyte / Stockbyte via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $257,500
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.9%
  • Homeownership rate: 82.2%
  • Median household income: $115,687
  • Total population: 89,121

22. Irving

Davel5957 / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $259,500
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.2%
  • Homeownership rate: 37.2%
  • Median household income: $76,686
  • Total population: 254,962

21. Conroe

Roberto Galan / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $262,500
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.3%
  • Homeownership rate: 56.1%
  • Median household income: $71,630
  • Total population: 92,475

20. Dallas

Ron and Patty Thomas / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $270,700
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 7.1%
  • Homeownership rate: 41.9%
  • Median household income: $63,985
  • Total population: 1,300,642

19. Midland

2016 Getty Images / Getty Images News via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $280,700
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 2.5%
  • Homeownership rate: 63.9%
  • Median household income: $90,448
  • Total population: 132,490

18. New Braunfels

dhughes9 / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $290,800
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.1%
  • Homeownership rate: 63.8%
  • Median household income: $85,827
  • Total population: 92,993

17. Denton

Marti157900 / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $296,100
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.9%
  • Homeownership rate: 49.4%
  • Median household income: $71,921
  • Total population: 142,262

16. College Station

Aggie0083 at English Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
  • Median home value: $305,800
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.3%
  • Homeownership rate: 36.3%
  • Median household income: $52,397
  • Total population: 120,451

15. Pearland

JHVEPhoto / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $311,100
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 0.8%
  • Homeownership rate: 76.6%
  • Median household income: $111,123
  • Total population: 124,478

14. League City

SondraP / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $312,500
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.2%
  • Homeownership rate: 73.5%
  • Median household income: $117,316
  • Total population: 113,469

13. Carrollton

Michael Barera / Wikimedia Commons
  • Median home value: $327,300
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.0%
  • Homeownership rate: 58.3%
  • Median household income: $95,380
  • Total population: 132,284

12. Lewisville

TrongNguyen / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $328,300
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.1%
  • Homeownership rate: 45.2%
  • Median household income: $82,006
  • Total population: 125,028

11. Round Rock

RoschetzkyIstockPhoto / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $337,500
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.0%
  • Homeownership rate: 55.6%
  • Median household income: $91,888
  • Total population: 120,465

10. Richardson

earleliason / Getty Images
  • Median home value: $379,800
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.6%
  • Homeownership rate: 51.6%
  • Median household income: $94,362
  • Total population: 118,063

9. Sugar Land

AlizadaStudios / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $387,900
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 2.8%
  • Homeownership rate: 81.2%
  • Median household income: $132,247
  • Total population: 110,077

8. Allen

DronePhotographer, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Median home value: $390,200
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.6%
  • Homeownership rate: 70.9%
  • Median household income: $121,259
  • Total population: 105,444

7. McKinney

Rick Ray / Wikimedia Commons
  • Median home value: $400,400
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 1.5%
  • Homeownership rate: 64.9%
  • Median household income: $113,286
  • Total population: 196,160

6. Plano

aimintang / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $412,500
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 3.7%
  • Homeownership rate: 56.7%
  • Median household income: $105,679
  • Total population: 284,948

5. Cedar Park

RoschetzkyIstockPhoto / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $427,800
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 3.0%
  • Homeownership rate: 66.7%
  • Median household income: $118,903
  • Total population: 76,344

4. The Woodlands

thierry dehove / Shutterstock.com
  • Median home value: $456,400
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 8.9%
  • Homeownership rate: 72.6%
  • Median household income: $142,384
  • Total population: 118,402

3. Austin

joncutrer / Flickr
  • Median home value: $461,500
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 9.4%
  • Homeownership rate: 44.4%
  • Median household income: $86,556
  • Total population: 958,202

2. Flower Mound

Michael Vi / iStock via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $467,600
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 5.6%
  • Homeownership rate: 82.9%
  • Median household income: $154,471
  • Total population: 76,630

1. Frisco

Fang Zheng / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
  • Median home value: $531,400
  • Homes worth over $1 million: 6.7%
  • Homeownership rate: 67.2%
  • Median household income: $144,567
  • Total population: 202,075

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