This article analyzes the purchasing power of $100,000 in different metropolitan areas across Texas, using regional price parities (RPP) data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. RPPs compare price levels in different regions to the national average, providing a clearer picture of how far money stretches in various locations.
Key takeaways:
- Texas Attracts Movers: Texas saw the largest net domestic migration in the US from July 2023 to June 2024, likely due in part to its generally lower cost of living.
- Purchasing Power Varies Significantly: While Texas generally has a lower cost of living than the national average, the value of $100,000 differs substantially across its metropolitan areas. A lower RPP means greater purchasing power.
- Dallas is Most Expensive: The Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro area has the highest RPP (103.293), meaning $100,000 there has the purchasing power of about $96,812 at national average prices.
- Brownsville is Most Affordable: The Brownsville-Harlingen metro area has the lowest RPP (85.183), where $100,000 has the purchasing power of $117,394 at national average prices.
- Many Jobs Offer Over $100,000: Several professions in Texas, including many healthcare roles, ship engineers, postsecondary business teachers, and management analysts, have average salaries exceeding $100,000.
Here's a summary of how $100,000 adjusts in each Texas metro, ranked from lowest to highest adjusted value (most expensive to most affordable):
| Rank | Metro Area | RPP | $100,000 Adjusted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 103.293 | $96,812 |
| 24 | Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land | 100.220 | $99,780 |
| 23 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown | 97.620 | $102,438 |
| 22 | Midland | 94.761 | $105,529 |
| 21 | San Antonio-New Braunfels | 93.727 | $106,693 |
| 20 | Tyler | 92.386 | $108,242 |
| 19 | Odessa | 92.056 | $108,630 |
| 18 | Sherman-Denison | 91.804 | $108,928 |
| 17 | Killeen-Temple | 91.761 | $108,979 |
| 16 | Corpus Christi | 91.306 | $109,522 |
| 14 | San Angelo/Lubbock (tie) | 90.869 | $110,049 |
| 13 | Amarillo | 90.812 | $110,118 |
| 12 | Waco | 90.786 | $110,149 |
| 11 | College Station-Bryan | 90.701 | $110,252 |
| 10 | Victoria | 90.631 | $110,338 |
| 9 | El Paso | 90.241 | $110,814 |
| 8 | Beaumont-Port Arthur | 90.238 | $110,818 |
| 7 | Abilene | 89.849 | $111,298 |
| 6 | Wichita Falls | 88.914 | $112,468 |
| 5 | Longview | 88.417 | $113,100 |
| 4 | Laredo | 87.786 | $113,913 |
| 3 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission | 85.555 | $116,884 |
| 2 | Texarkana | 85.308 | $117,222 |
| 1 | Brownsville-Harlingen | 85.183 | $117,394 |
This data provides valuable insights for individuals considering relocating within Texas or to Texas from other states, particularly when evaluating job offers and the overall cost of living.