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8 Texas Cities Rank Among Top 25 Cheapest Places to Live in U.S.
Low cost of living in eight Texas cities make them some of the most affordable places to live in. Most are in South and Southeast Texas.
Published July 28, 2025 at 10:01am by Alexis Simmerman
Companies aren't the only ones making the move to Texas — people are too, and it's easy to see why. Strong healthcare infrastructure, below-average living costs and accessible home prices make the Lone Star State desirable to many, especially retirees.
As part of its annual Best Places to Live rankings, U.S. News & World Report analyzed 859 cities across the country. Its affordability category gathered data on median gross rent and annual housing costs for mortgage-paying homeowners to determine the cities with the lowest cost of living.
Did your city make the list among the nation's 25 cheapest cities? Here's what the numbers say.
No. 5 (overall): Mission
- Population: 91,911
- Average commute: 19 minutes
- Median home value: $165,761
- Median monthly rent: $699
- Median household income: $60,127
No. 7 (overall): Eagle Pass
- Population: 27,962
- Average commute: 15 minutes
- Median home value: $161,889
- Median monthly rent: $592
- Median household income: $52,445
No. 11 (overall): Laredo
- Population: 256,842
- Average commute: 19 minutes
- Median home value: $174,659
- Median monthly rent: $795
- Median household income: $63,802
No. 12 (overall): League City
- Population: 106,330
- Average commute: 28 minutes
- Median home value: $327,511
- Median monthly rent: $1,231
- Median household income: $120,670
No. 24 (overall): Katy
- Population: 23,079
- Average commute: 29 minutes
- Median home value: $343,597
- Median monthly rent: $1,196
- Median household income: $124,253
No. 15 (overall): Wichita Falls
- Population: 103,148
- Average commute: 13 minutes
- Median home value: $148,320
- Median monthly rent: $749
- Median household income: $58,754
No. 21 (overall): Harlingen
- Population: 72,238
- Average commute: 15 minutes
- Median home value: $136,388
- Median monthly rent: $719
- Median household income: $52,137
No. 23 (overall): McAllen
- Population: 144,628
- Average commute: 18 minutes
- Median home value: $169,631
- Median monthly rent: $783
- Median household income: $59,255
Top 10 cheapest places to live, 2025-2026
- Decatur, Illinois
- Enid, Oklahoma
- Weirton, West Virginia
- Springfield, Illinois
- Mission, Texas
- Bay City, Michigan
- Eagle Pass, Texas
- Fort Smith, Arkansas
- Anniston, Alabama
- Midland, Michigan