As rent and living costs continue to rise across the country, a new study from Highland Cabinetry sheds light on which U.S. cities are giving residents the least bang for their buck and Houston made the top 10 list of cities “not worth it.”
Ranking eighth out of ten, Houston scored 87.17 out of 100 in the study’s “least worthwhile expensive cities” index. The analysis compared major U.S. cities across a range of factors: Rent and cost of living, apartment prices, median income, safety, traffic, pollution and unemployment. And while Houston may not be as famously unaffordable as New York or San Francisco, the numbers reveal a more complicated story.
For Black families, affordability is out of reach in some areas. Per the 2024 State of Housing Report by Rice University, no neighborhoods in the city or Harris County are affordable to those earning the median income of Black ($54,067) or Hispanic ($61,375) households. The data paints a stark picture of racialized housing inequality in Houston. Despite progress made around homeownership, Black families face systemic barriers to both renting affordably and transitioning to ownership.
For a household earning the Harris County median household income for renters ($50,749) who may want to transition from renting to ownership, the affordability gap in 2023 was $180,260, pricing the median home in the county nearly $200,000 above what a renter can afford. In Houston, too, as the city’s renters’ median household income is $49,517 and the median home price in the city is $335,000, the affordability gap for Houston renters is $203,530.
Houston by the numbers
According to the study, the average monthly rent and living costs in Houston total $2,734. That’s significantly lower than in cities like San Francisco ($4,193) or Washington, D.C. ($6,785). But affordability alone doesn’t make a city livable.
- Apartment price per sq ft (city center): $3,467
- Median household income: $41,142
- Safety index: 36.62
- Traffic index: 205.58
- Pollution index: 57.05
- Unemployment rate (March 2025): 4.2%
In short, Houston’s relatively affordable housing is offset by serious concerns: Low wages, poor air quality and traffic that ranks among the worst in the nation.
Data from the Houston Association of Realtors shows the Houston housing market maintained a steady level of affordability in the first quarter of 2025.
Per its Housing and Rental Affordability Report, 40% of Houston-area households could afford to purchase a median-priced home in the first three months of the year, unchanged from the same period in 2024.
Renters, on the other hand, saw single-family home lease prices increase, according to HAR’s Rental Affordability Index. This index measures the percentage of households that can afford to pay the median monthly rent for a single-family home. The average lease price rose 3.8% year-over-year to $2,075.
The median lease payment was affordable for nearly all of Houston’s households in the area, requiring an $83,000 annual income, not including the security deposit or cost of utilities.
“What we’ve seen in the early part of 2025 shows a degree of stability in the Houston housing market, which is encouraging news for prospective homebuyers,” said HAR Chair Shae Cottar. “However, with ongoing economic uncertainty, some people are exercising greater caution in their purchasing decisions, including when it comes to buying a home. It’s important for consumers to explore the resources available, such as down payment assistance programs, that can help bridge the gap and make homeownership attainable.”
“Affordable” comes at a price
Despite ranking lower than other major cities’ overall costs, Houston residents are burdened with low median incomes. At just over $41,000 a year, Houston’s median income is lower than every other city on the list except Detroit. That gap between the cost of living and earnings makes it difficult for many Houstonians, particularly renters and working-class families, to get ahead.
Houston also has one of the highest pollution scores on the list, second only to Newark and Los Angeles. With a pollution index of 57.05, the city’s industrial base and car-centric infrastructure continue to harm public health and quality of life.
When it comes to safety, Houston again falls short. The city scores a 36.6 on the safety index, higher than Detroit or Newark, but still notably below cities like Miami (47.3) and Los Angeles (46.2). Combined with a traffic index of 205.6, the eighth-highest on the list, daily life in Houston can be as frustrating as risky.
How Houston compares to peer cities
The study says cities like Wilmington and Detroit have lower living costs than Houston, but also suffer from lower safety and income levels. Meanwhile, more expensive cities like Miami or San Francisco fare better in terms of safety and air quality despite having sky-high rents. In comparison, Houston sits in the middle ground: Not cheap enough to be a bargain but not high-performing sufficient to justify the expense.
For instance:
- Wilmington has similar monthly costs ($4,120) but delivers even lower income and safety outcomes.
- Miami, though pricier, boasts better air quality and safety.
- Chicago has a higher income but a worse unemployment rate and comparable pollution.
What this means for Houstonians
The study’s findings do not mean Houston is unlivable, but highlight the trade-offs of calling the Bayou City home. While the city markets itself as an affordable alternative to coastal hubs, the data suggests that affordability often comes at the cost of health, safety, and financial mobility.
Houston may not be Newark or New York, but it’s also not living up to its reputation as a budget-friendly haven. With rising costs and lagging quality-of-life indicators, residents are increasingly asking: Is Houston still worth it?
