The C2ER Cost of Living Index for the ’18 annual average indicates that Houston’s housing costs are 3.1 percent below the nationwide average and 46.2 percent below the average for the 20 most populous U.S. metros. Lower housing costs are one of the reasons Houston’s overall living costs are 26.3 percent below the large-metro average. (This housing index is based 71.0 percent on homeownership and 29.0 percent on rental occupancy.)
Excluding the two most expensive housing markets—New York and San Francisco—which tend to skew the average, Houston’s housing costs are still 35.3 percent below the major metro average.
Patrick Jankowski, CERP
Senior Vice President, Research
713-844-3616
pjankowski@houston.org
Melissa Verhoef, PhD
Analyst, Research
713-844-3653
mverhoef@houston.org
Housing costs in Houston are the 4th lowest among the top 20 U.S. metros
Houston’s housing costs are 3.1 percent below the nationwide average
